Join us at the Sheridan Memorial Park Improvements Grand Opening on October 5!
Posted on 20 September, 2019A whole bunch of family-friendly activities are planned for the party, which takes place at the park from 10:30 am-1 pm
UPDATE 10/5, 8 AM: The Grand Opening event has been postponed until spring 2020 due to inclement weather.
Please join the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Northeast Minneapolis neighbors and park users on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, 10:30 am-1 pm to celebrate the completion of a collection of new amenities at Sheridan Memorial Park!
A great slate of family-friendly activities are planned for the special event. It starts with a short program featuring remarks from local officials and a ribbon cutting at 10:30 am, then everyone can check out all the new park assets and enjoy music and light refreshments from 11 am-1 pm.
The celebration also includes Story Time with the Hennepin County Library Bookmobile! An event invitation is linked below. Please share it with any friends, family, neighbors or park user who may be interested in attending!
Event Invitation [PDF]
About the Project
The Sheridan Memorial Park Improvements project features a new playground, picnic shelter, basketball court and playable art, along with benches, a drinking fountain, portable toilets and path connections. The $1.5 million project held a groundbreaking ceremony last October and construction took place over the last year.
The MPRB would like to thank the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization, which has committed thousands of dollars in funds and many volunteers to help plan and construct past improvements in the park.
Project History
In April 2015 the MPRB received a $500,000 grant from the National Park Service Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership project to develop recreation facilities at Sheridan Memorial Park. The grant was matched with $1 million from Minnesota Parks and Trails Legacy Funding, administered by the Metropolitan Council.
Community engagement in 2016 and 2017 helped decide which improvements were chosen for the park and how those improvements were designed. Construction occurred fall 2018-summer 2019.
Park History
A grand opening celebration for the Sheridan Veterans Memorial occurred on June 28, 2014 after nearly 20 years of planning, fundraising and environmental remediation. Read more of the park’s fascinating backstory on the MPRB website: Sheridan Memorial Park History
Currently the park centers on a large spherical sculpture of protective shields created by local artist Robert Smart. The sculpture is surrounded with quotes about peace engraved into granite and vertical markers describing the ten conflicts in which Minnesotans have served. Smart imbued the steel and granite markers with faces of veterans cast in iron.
In 2016 the Mississippi East Bank Trail opened. The two-way, off-street, lighted riverfront trail runs through the park.