From new picnic shelters and playground renovations to shoreline stabilization and trail development, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board carries out a variety of capital improvement and reconstruction projects. Current projects include:
Above the Falls Master Plan – The Park Board and the City of Minneapolis are jointly engaged in an effort to update the plan entitled Above the Falls: A Master Plan for the Upper River in Minneapolis first approved in 2000.
Athletic Field Improvements – Several athletic fields in the Minneapolis park system are being renovated this year.
Bassett Creek Main Stem Erosion Repairs – Work on Bassett Creek in and downstream of Theodore Wirth Regional Park and Bassett Creek Park will soon begin. The project will identify erosion and water quality improvements for the creek.
Boom Island and B.F. Nelson – With the initial development of B.F. Nelson Park complete, plans are underway for its continued development in conjunction with the renovation of the neighboring Boom Island Park.
Brownie Lake – Improvements planned for Brownie Lake aimed at trail safety and natural resource protection.
Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan – The plan update will include recommendations for parks development, improved access to parks and to the river, cultural resource interpretation, environmental stewardship, programming and events, operations and maintenance strategies, priorities, phasing and implementation strategies.
Columbia Picnic Shelter Renovations - The picnic shelter in Columbia Park was built in 1955, a gift of the Northeast Lions Club. Situated on a hilltop with beautiful views, this state-of-the-art, precast concrete structure with a simple box-shaped restroom support building creates a classic modern composition.
Court Sports Activity Plan - Do you play tennis or basketball or another outdoor court sport? If so, you may be interested in the Court Sports Activity Plan under development by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s (MPRB) Planning Division with the help of an inter-organizational staff team.
Dean Parkway - West Cedar Lake Trail Improvements - The bicycle and pedestrian trails along Dean Parkway and the west side of Cedar Lake are part of the Chain of Lakes Regional Park and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) has funding designated for improvements to this segment of the park trail system.
East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center – Construction of the $4.1 million project is underway culminating a three-year effort to realize a 13-year-old dream.
Elliot Park Athletic Field Improvements – The MPRB currently has funds to install a youth 6 size synthetic turf field at Elliot Park. This will replace a portion of the current grass field, which is in disrepair. The field is host to youth football, soccer, and baseball.
Farview and North Commons athletic field renovations
Farview Park Wading Pool Replacement – The wading pool at Farview Park is being replaced and relocated.
Grand Rounds Missing Link – The MPRB Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the route alignment on Sept. 3, 2008. The approved plan will connect East River Parkway in Southeast Minneapolis with St. Anthony Parkway in Northeast Minneapolis.
Hiawatha Golf Course Pavement and Landscaping Improvements - The MPRB is looking to have the parking lot at Hiawatha Golf Course reconstructed, in an effort to replace the aging pavement and improve both vehichular  vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
James I Rice Parkway Site Improvements – James I Rice Parkway is a short stretch of parkway on the west side of the Mississippi River between 4th Ave N and Plymouth Ave. Site improvements center on pathways and pedestrian bridges between the parkway and the river. The pathways border, and the two bridges cross, Bassetts’s Creek as it flows into the river.
Lake Nokomis Concessions - The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is preparing to select a new food vendor for the Lake Nokomis concession. A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) has been appointed to help determine community and park user preferences for concession services.
Lyndale Farmstead Off-Leash Recreation Area - The Off-Leash Dog Park at Lyndale Farmstead Park (also referred to as Sixth Park District Dog Park) will close temporarily Wednesday, May 1 for finishing touches before it reopens this summer.
The Mall and Walker Library – A section of the long, rectangular parkland known as The Mall lies immediately north of Walker Library in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. The Walker Library is soon to be rebuilt on its current site at 2880 Hennepin Avenue.
Marshall Terrace Park Playground Improvements – Residents visiting Marshall Terrace Park along the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis at 2740 Marshall St NE can look forward to new playground equipment in the park this year.
Metropolitan Council Sewer Line Improvements – The Metropolitan Council Environmental Services is planning to replace the Hopkins Force Main Sanitary Sewer Line.
MHS Grain Elevator Construction – The Minnesota Historical Society project will rehabilitate the historic Washburn Mill elevators, the white silos adjacent to the Mill City Museum.
Minnehaha Park Playground Renovations – The two play areas in Minnehaha Regional Park will be reconstructed in 2013. Located in the Wabun Picnic Area and in the North Plateau Area (near the bandshell/refectory), these playgrounds will be redesigned to meet current accessibility and safety standards as well as incorporating themes which reference the history of the park. Wabun Playground will be the park board’s first universal access playground; nearly all play activities will be accessible.
North Lake Calhoun / South Lake of the Isles Charrette – The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) will lead a preliminary park design study to take a fresh look at the landscape between Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis.
Northeast Park Master Plan – Exciting new changes are coming to Northeast Park. Throughout 2013 and 2014, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will work with the community to develop a master plan for the park and design a new recreation center that meets community park and recreation needs.
Park Siding Park Improvements –This tranquil little park, nestled on a dead-end street among modern townhouses, lies adjacent to the Kenilworth Trail and railroad tracks. No longer a place to unload railcars, Park Siding Park is an excellent place for a breather for cyclists who travel the path originally used for trains. Though a few trains a day still rumble by, no hint remains of the muscular work of mixing asphalt and building roads.
Powderhorn Park Path Improvements
– A popular destination within the diverse Powderhorn Park neighborhood in the 3rd Park District, the park hosts numerous well-known annual events in the spring and summer including the May Day celebration, the Summer Solstice and 4th of July celebrations, the Powderhorn Art Fair in August and the Art Sled Rally in winter. The 2011 MPRB Capital Improvement Plan allocated $500,000 for pathway improvements, including lighting and surfacing, in the park.
Property Reuse – The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) owns the land and building at 2529 13th Ave S formerly the site of Waite House. Pillsbury United Communities, which has leased the Waite House property from the MPRB over forty years, has moved its Waite House services to the Phillips Community Center. Following this move, the MPRB has approved a community-based process for determining the best use to which the property can be put.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy – The Park Board, in cooperation with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Advisory Council, is beginning to implement park improvements at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in south Minneapolis that will enhance the park and further establish Dr. King’s legacy at the park.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park Playground and Site Improvements – Playground and site improvements consist of reconfiguring of playground containers (both pre-K and elementary age) and replacing the play equipment.
RiverFirst - A 20-year vision for Mississippi riverfront parks that builds on our community’s rich river heritage and passion for parks, nature and wildlife to create places on “America’s fourth coast” where neighborhoods and businesses can grow and people from near and far can experience one of the four great rivers of the world through world-class recreational and cultural activities.
Roberts Bird Sanctuary Revitalization – A community partnership-based revitalization project will develop a long-term management plan.
Scherer Bros Site – The riverfront property formerly owned by Scherer Brother Lumber Company and purchased in 2010 by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is located on the east side of the river just north of Boom Island Park. Plans are underway for development of the area as parkland.
Sheridan Memorial Park – A newly designated regional park, Sheridan Memorial Park is the first named park owned by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board in the Sheridan neighborhood. When the park is fully developed, it will feature a veterans' memorial'a memorial reflecting pool and flagpole, peace garden, picnic area, and river overlooks.
Sixth Park District Dog Park – (Also known as Lyndale Farmstead Off-Leash Recreation Area) temporarily opened in January 2013 and will close temporarily Wednesday, May 1 for finishing touches before it reopens this summer.
Skate Park Plan – The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is developing a plan to support skate parks and related activities citywide.
Southwest Light Rail Community Advisory Committee - A Citizen Advisory Committee will develop recommendations for a comment letter to the DEIS for the proposed corridor for the Southwest LRT corridor related to its impacts on park facilities.
Tennis Court Replacement Program –Tennis courts at Bohanon Park and Linden Hills Park are being replaced in 2012.
Theodore Wirth Park Improvements – Visitors to Theodore Wirth Park can look forward to enhanced recreational offerings in coming months as part of the continued revitalization of one of the Twin Cities’ premier regional parks. From innovative play features to trail connections, the enhancements will add to the outstanding amenities that have made the park a popular recreation destination.
Urban Agriculture Plan - The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has begun a process to develop a plan to support urban agriculture. This plan will guide the MPRB in defining and prioritizing community needs, recommending service delivery goals, and guiding allocation of funds to support urban agriculture within the park system.
Victory Memorial Parkway – Improvements to the historic parkway include a new trail and roadway lighting and continued restoration of the Flagpole Plaza and Lincoln Statue areas.
Washburn Fair Oaks Park – The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) is initiating a master planning process for Washburn Fair Oaks Park that will identify long-term capital improvements and programming needs. Through the master planning process staff and consultants will work with community members to establish a vision for Washburn Fair Oaks Park. Park users, neighbors and other stakeholders are encouraged to participate.
Water Works – A preliminary design visioning and an implementation study for public use of the Waterworks site (formerly referred to as the Fuji Ya site) adjacent to West River Road and overlooking Saint Anthony Falls.
Webber Park – With the hiring of the landscape architectural firm Landform at its June 1, 2011 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has set the master planning process in motion for Webber Park.
Wirth Park Forum for Bottineau Transitway– The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Hennepin County (HC) are hosting a multi-day collaborative visioning process that will help the MPRB, HC, and community best understand the issues and opportunities between Theodore Wirth Regional Park and the proposed D1 Alignment of the Bottineau Transitway concept that would be located on existing Burlington Northern Sante Fe (BNSF) Railroad property adjacent to the park.
More Current Projects – Information and links to additional projects currently underway.
Projects Open for Bidding – Construction drawings and specifications for Park Board construction projects that are open for public bidding are available for viewing.
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