Southwest Parks Plan posted online; public hearing is Wednesday, October 7, 6:45 pm

Posted on 6 October, 2020

Plan includes long-term plans for 42 neighborhood parks, one regional feature, six potential parks, and four park search areas in Southwest Minneapolis

The information on how to call in is on our board meeting page.

You will need to submit a request via the form on the page by noon. 

The public hearing is time certain at 6:45. Those signed up before noon on the day of the meeting will receive a call in number shortly before the start of the hearing.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will hold a public hearing on the Southwest Service Area Master Plan on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020 at 6:45 pm during the regular Board of Commissioners meeting.

The Southwest Service Area Master Plan, called the Southwest Parks Plan for short, includes long-term plans for 42 neighborhood parks, one regional feature, six potential parks, and four park search areas in Southwest Minneapolis. It sets a vision for the improvement, operation and management of all neighborhood parks in Southwest Minneapolis over the next 20-30 years. The plan was created after nearly two years of community-based engagement, planning and design with individuals, neighborhood groups and community organizations throughout Southwest Minneapolis.

This is the fourth iteration of the plan. Initial concepts debuted in February 2019, revised concepts were shared in May 2019 and a draft final plan was published for public comment in February 2020. The document represents the final recommendations of the Southwest Parks Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which met 16 times over 18 months. The MPRB would like to thank the CAC for its thoughtful, impassioned dedication to the planning process.

Use the links below to view and comment on the plan online.

Park Plans

Parks #-D

28th St Tot Lot
Alcott Triangle
Armatage Park
Bryant Square Park
Chowen Triangle
Clinton Field Park
Dell Park

Parks E-K

Elmwood Triangle
Fremont Park
Fuller Park
Gladstone Triangle
Kenny Park
Kenwood Park
Kenwood Parkway
Kings Highway

Parks L

Levin Triangle
Linden Hills Boulevard
Linden Hills Park
Lyndale Farmstead Park
Lyndale School Pool
Lynhurst Park

Parks M-P

The Mall
Mueller Park
Painter Park
Parade Park
Park Siding Park
Penn Model Village Park
Pershing Park

Parks R-S

Reserve Block 40 Park
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park
Rustic Lodge Triangle
Saint Louis Triangle
Smith Triangle
Stevens Square Park

 

Parks T-W

Thomas Lowry Park
Vineland Triangle
Washburn Fair Oaks Park
Washburn Avenue Tot Lot
Waveland Triangle
West End Triangle
Whittier Park
Windom South Park

Regional/Potential Parks

Loon Lake Trolley Path
East Calhoun Gateway Area
31st Street Median
West Calhoun Bus Layover
Washburn Water Tower
Garfield Lot
Linden Hills Trolley Path

Plan Details

Introduction
Planning Process
Service Area Vision
Operations and Maintenance
Implementation

Participate in the Public Hearing

The MPRB added options to submit comments for its public meetings and hearings to minimize the risk of exposure to or potential spread of COVID-19, authorized under Minn. Stat. Section 13D.02. Most Commissioners will call in and the meeting will be viewable live via webcast and TV options. Please go to the MPRB Board Meetings website for links to view live and past meetings.

There are three options to submit public hearing comments:

Call In (recommended)

Interesting parties may sign up to provide comment for the public hearing by phone by completing the Public Hearing Call-In Form before 12 pm on the day of the meeting.

  • Speakers will be sent a call-in number and conference ID one hour before the meeting
  • Speakers can call into the meeting using the call-in number and conference ID at its the scheduled time
  • Speakers will enter the meeting and be placed on mute where they can listen
  • Speakers can watch the meeting through normal meeting broadcast
  • Be aware there is a 20-30 second lag between the call and the broadcast

Please turn off the broadcast sound when you are called on to speak.

Write In

Send your comments to jringold@minneapolisparks.org by 3:30 pm on the day of the board meeting.

In Person

All individuals wishing to speak can call 612-230-6400 before 4 pm the day of the meeting to be placed on the agenda or can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of the pubic hearing. Board meetings are held at Mary Merrill MPRB Headquarters Building; 2117 West River Road, Minneapolis MN, 55411.

Next Steps

Commissioners in the Planning Committee will consider the plan after the public hearing on Oct. 7. If approved by the Planning Committee, the full Board of Commissioners will consider the plan during its next meeting, scheduled Oct. 21. Once adopted, the final park designs will be used to build improvements funded by the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan, which dedicates $11 million annually over 20 years (2017-2036) to revitalize Minneapolis neighborhood parks.

This project does not include recreation centers or areas classified as regional parkland, which include: Bde Maka Ska Park, Beard’s Plaisance, Brownie Park, Cedar Lake Park, Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Kenilworth Regional Trail, Lake Harriet Park, Lake of the Isles Park, Lyndale Park, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail, Morrison Park (home of Minneapolis Institute of Art), Roberts Bird Sanctuary, Soo Line Community Garden and William Berry Park. The one exception is the Loon Lake Trolley Path. The plan for that park space will be amended into the Bde Maka Ska-Harriet Master Plan.

Many Southwest Minneapolis regional park spaces already have long-term plans as part of the Bde Maka Ska-Harriet Master Plan, which was approved by MPRB Commissioners on May 3, 2017.