Southwest Parks Plan Update: Discussion of park concepts continues at meeting on June 25

Southwest Parks Plan Update: Discussion of park concepts continues at meeting on June 25

Next Community Advisory Committee meeting scheduled Tuesday, June 25, 6-8 pm at Fuller Recreation Center

On agenda: Discuss potential new parks, overall area balance, and “Warrants Further Discussion” concepts

The Southwest Service Area Master Plan (called the Southwest Parks Plan for short) will create a cohesive set of new, long-term plans for all Minneapolis neighborhood park properties south of I-394 and west of I-35W. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and the project Community Advisory Committee (CAC) made a lot of progress over the last few weeks:

• May 30: Revised concepts published online
• June 6: CAC Meeting #8, half of the park concepts are discussed and categorized
• June 10: CAC Meeting #9, remaining half of park concepts are discussed and categorized

Now all existing park properties are categorized into three groups: Warrants Further Discussion, Has Consensus Toward Recommendation, and Has Consensus Toward Recommendation Following Area Balance Discussion.

Work continues at Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting #10 on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 6-8 pm at Fuller Recreation Center, 4802 Grand Ave. S.

At CAC Meeting #10, we will discuss several potential new parks, overall area balance, and concepts in the “Warrants Further Discussion” category as time permits. Two additional meeting dates are currently scheduled if we need to continue the discussion. The public is welcome to attend CAC meetings, which include a light dinner and self-directed children’s activities.

Please note Lynnhurst Subcommittee Meeting #2 is also scheduled Tuesday, June 25 at Fuller Recreation Center, taking place 5-6 pm, right before CAC Meeting #10. At that meeting, we will review revised designs for the Lynnhurst Area, with possible recommendation moving forward that applies to both the Southwest Parks Plan and Minnehaha Creek Master Plan.

The park concept categories, full meeting schedule, and revised park concepts are all posted below.

Park Concept Categories

Warrants Further Discussion

Armatage – ice, bike park, area balance
Kenny – ice, artificial turf, area balance
Kenwood – sand volleyball, basketball, trail connection
Kenwood Parkway – trail connection
Linden Hills – ice, pickleball, area balance
Lyndale Farmstead – mountain bike trails, community garden
Lynnhurst – coordination with Minnehaha Creek CAC, rec center location, bike park, gym, area balance
Mueller – basketball
Pershing – all-wheel park, pickleball, artificial turf, area balance
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – courts location
The Mall – driving/parking, fields/courts
The Parade
Washburn Fair Oaks – parking lot
Waveland Triangle – basketball

Has Consensus Toward Recommendation Following Area Balance Discussion

Bryant Square
Painter

Has Consensus Towards Recommendation

28th Street Tot Lot
Alcott Triangle
Chowen Triangle
Clinton Field
Dell – add crosswalks
Elmwood Triangle
Fremont Triangle – do not replace trees once gone
Fuller
Gladstone Triangle
Kings Highway – with addition of path striping
Levin Triangle
Linden Hills Boulevard
Loon Lake Trolley Path
Lyndale School Pool
Park Siding – with addition of berm
Penn Model Village Triangle
Reserve Block 40 – switch nature play to traditional, remove meditation garden
Rustic Lodge Triangle
St. Louis Triangle
Smith Triangle – rethink area behind statue for safety
Stevens Square – with addition of drinking fountain
Thomas Lowry – remove new path, plantings, climbing
Vineland Triangle
Washburn Avenue Tot Lot
West End Triangle
Whittier
Windom South – with addition of multi-use court south of half-court basketball

Meeting Schedule

The public is welcome to attend these upcoming meetings, which include a light dinner and self-directed children’s activities.

Lynnhurst Subcommittee Meeting #2

Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 5-6 pm
Fuller Recreation Center, 4802 Grand Ave. S

CAC Meeting #10

Tuesday, June 25, 2019, 6-8 pm
Fuller Recreation Center, 4802 Grand Ave. S

CAC Meeting #11 *if needed

Thursday, July 11, 2019, 6-8 pm
Lynnhurst Recreation Center, 1345 W Minnehaha Parkway

CAC Meeting #12 *if needed

Thursday, July 25, 2019, 6-8 pm
Pershing Recreation Center, 3523 W 48th St.

Park Concepts

Find the revised concepts for your favorite parks and let us know what you think using the links below:

Central Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: Bryant Square, Loon Lake Trolley Path, Lyndale Farmstead, Lyndale School Pool, Painter, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Parkways: Kings Highway

Northeastern Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: 28th Street Tot Lot, Clinton Field, Mueller, Stevens Square, Washburn Fair Oaks, Whittier

Northern Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: Fremont Triangle, Kenwood, Levin Triangle, Smith Triangle, The Mall, The Parade, Thomas Lowry, Vineland Triangle
Parkways: Kenwood

Southeastern Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: Elmwood Triangle, Fuller, Gladstone Triangle, Kenny, Rustic Lodge Triangle, Windom South

Southwestern Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: Armatage, Lynnhurst, Penn Model Village Triangle, Pershing Field, Washburn Avenue Tot Lot

Western Parks Group [PDF]

Parks: Alcott Triangle, Chowen Triangle, Dell, Linden Hills, Park Siding, Reserve Block 40, St. Louis Triangle, Waveland Triangle, West End Triangle
Parkways: Linden Hills Boulevard

Potential Parks and Trails [PDF]

Community members have proposed several locations for potential new parks or trails in Southwest Minneapolis.

Comment on Revised Park Design Concepts

This project does not include any 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.

Many of those areas have 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.