9/15/15 Hiawatha Golf Course Improvement Meeting

Posted on 15 September, 2015

On Friday, September 11, 2015, staff of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) and the City of Minneapolis Department of Public Works reviewed new, preliminary information regarding groundwater at Hiawatha Golf Course. This initial data, collected as part of a report expected to be presented to the Park Board and City in November, suggests that the groundwater volume is greater than previously understood and may pose limitations for the concepts prepared for review at the Lake Hiawatha Golf Course improvement public meeting scheduled for 6 pm today, Tuesday, September 15 at the Lake Nokomis Community Center.

The preliminary data indicates that substantial amounts of groundwater are being pumped from areas of the golf course each year to maintain the course in a playable condition. The exact amount has yet to be determined; however, initial calculations estimate up to 273 million gallons per year. The preliminary information received indicates that without the pumps, groundwater may overwhelm the course. As this preliminary data is new, its implications and impacts have yet to be understood. Once the report is presented to the Park Board in November, it will take MPRB staff several months to fully review the report and reach conclusions related to the reconfiguration of the golf course.

While the MPRB regrets that this information is coming so late in the process, it is a result of the due diligence being pursued by the MPRB and its partners in the Hiawatha Golf Course study. Only after the report is fully assessed can a series of recommendations be reviewed with the community and golf stakeholders. Rather than cancel tonight’s meeting, the MPRB chose to share this new information with attendees and answer questions as staff is able.

Media is expected to attend tonight’s meeting. Accordingly, please refer any media calls to Robin Smothers (see below). This same information is also being shared with the Hiawatha Golf Course Improvement project list via Gov Delivery.

Online Survey

Share your thoughts about the recent preliminary findings for groundwater at Hiawatha Golf Course with this online survey.

Contact

Robin Smothers
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Phone: 612-230-6410
Email: rsmothers@minneapolisparks.org