Public hearing on final Graco Park concept scheduled April 6

Public hearing on final Graco Park concept scheduled April 6

New park next to Hall’s Island and Plymouth Avenue Bridge scheduled to open in 2024

A public hearing on the proposed final concept for Graco Park is scheduled Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 6:30 pm in the Board Room at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Headquarters, 2117 West River Road. Use the link below to view the park concept and park building concept. Read more details under the “Graco Park Concept” header, also below.

Graco Park Concept
Graco Park Building Concept

Participate in the Public Hearing

Speak in person: Go to the MPRB Headquarters Board Room (second floor) before the hearing begins and add your name to the sign-up sheet at the Board Room entrance. You can also call 612-230-6400 before 3 pm on April 6 to sign up to speak.

Send written comments: Email your comments to jringold@minneapolisparks.org by 12 pm on April 6.

Next Steps

Board approval: Following the public hearing before the MPRB Planning Committee, the full Board of Commissioners will consider approving the concept plan.

Final design, construction bids: With Board approval, project staff will develop a final design for the project and receive bids from construction contractors.

Construction: With a successful bid, project construction could begin in 2022, with the park expected to open in 2024.

Graco Park Concept

The Graco Park concept features:

• A multiuse building with public restrooms and community space
• A trail under the Plymouth Avenue Bridge that connects to Boom Island Park
• Native habitat restoration and stormwater management features
• Gathering spaces, walkways and river access
• The Mississippi East Bank Trail will continue to travel through the park, with safety upgrades at the intersection of Plymouth/8th Avenue NE and Sibley Street NE

This proposed final concept is similar to the “preferred” concept published in December 2021. Alterations based on staff and community feedback include adding loading zones for accessibility, maintenance and park events, removing the water feature on the plaza and art on Halls Island, reducing impervious surface, and simplifying circulation patterns.

A phased construction approach is planned for Graco Park. Work is tentatively planned to start in 2022, with the park opening in 2024. Future phases would include additional park elements as funding becomes available:

• Picnic shelter
• Watercraft rental
• Additional park or future vendor building
• Hall’s Island river overlook

Site History and Design Process

2010: The MPRB purchased the 11-acre riverfront site from Scherer Bros Lumber Co. The former lumberyard was cleaned up and industrial buildings and asphalt were replaced with grass over the next few years.

2016: The Mississippi East Bank Trail was paved through the site. This riverfront trail extension connects Boom Island Park, Graco Park and Sheridan Memorial Park before terminating at the BNSF railroad bridge, in the 1600 block of Marshall Street NE.

2017-18: A project restored Hall’s Island, which was destroyed by lumber yard expansion in the 1960s, and created a new gravel river beach.

2018: The MPRB and Graco Inc. reached several agreements that will result in this new park. Graco’s Riverside production facility neighbors the new park, which was named “Graco Park” as part of the agreements that included more than $10 million in total financial commitments from Graco.

2021: Over the summer, MPRB staff collected initial feedback from the community and researched opportunities and constraints at the site. In the fall, three distinct design concepts for Graco Park were published for public feedback. In December, a single, preferred concept was published for more feedback.