The cultural importance of the Minnehaha Dog Park land – which is considered part of the sacred Mni Owe Sni Coldwater Spring area by Dakota tribes – is significantly greater than originally anticipated. Staff are working with Carrie Day Aspinwall, Indigenous Parks Liaison, to develop a process and timeline for working with the MPRB Native American Parks Council, Dakota tribal historic preservation officers, and potentially Dakota and Anishinaabe/Ojibwe tribal leadership.
This is in advance of the upcoming, and currently unfunded, Sites of Significance work planned as part of the MPRB Reconciliation Action Plan. The breadth of engagement will require more time than a typical park project. The importance of this engagement with tribes will require us to move at the speed of trust.
To assist staff, the MPRB has engaged The 106 Group, an archeological consulting firm with significant experience in Native cultural and historical resources. The firm is assembling a report framing the cultural and historical resources that might be encountered on this land. Due to the sensitive nature of archeological content, some content in this report must remain private.
More information will be shared before any changes occur at the dog park.
Sources/Learn More
Here are some resources to learn more about the history and importance of this land: