The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), City of Minneapolis (City), and the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission (BCWMC) have partnered on a $5 million improvement project at Bryn Mawr Meadows Park. Construction began the week of November 7 with the installation of erosion control and tree removals. Site grading will begin shortly after. The project will run through most of January, pause, then resume in early spring as the ground thaws. It’ll take about 10 months to construct.
The BCWMC and City are installing two new ponds that will take stormwater from the neighborhood and the park and clean it before entering Bassett Creek. The ponds will add open water to the park, and with it great habitat for birds and other wildlife. The ponds will be a part of a new native landscape greenway that extends across the entire park from north to south. The greenway corridor acts as a stormwater conveyor including over 9 acres of native grass and wildflower plantings, and four other smaller basins for stormwater filtration. These smaller basins filter stormwater as it runs off the parking lots and other paved surfaces.
The MPRB takes tree loss seriously and believes these losses are for the betterment of the park, its users, and long-term habitat enhancement. Though about 60 trees have been removed, 113 trees of 23 varieties will be planted. Additionally, the park will see a dramatic change from large, mowed turf grass swaths to over nine-acres of native grass and wildflower plantings as previously mentioned. This landscape progression, combined with the two new ponds, will support a greater diversity of wildlife and pollinator species than the current park configuration.
Thank you for your patience as this project gets underway.
Project Contact:
Tyler Pederson
Design Project Manager, MPRB
tpederson@minneapolisparks.org