Project Location

Project Manager

Carrie Ann Christensen
Phone: 612-230-6540
Email: cchristensen@minneapolisparks.org

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Language Resources

Correo Electrónico: preguntas@minneapolisparks.org Email: suaalo@minneapolisparks.org

Key Documents

Final Documents

Status

Current Phase: Park Planning

What's New

East of the River Park Master Plan approved by Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Every neighborhood park property in NE/SE Minneapolis now has a master plan Project also plans for new parks and park connections in Minneapolis east of the Mississippi River

Public hearing scheduled March 6 for long-term plan for all neighborhood parks in NE/SE Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will host a public hearing on the East of the River Park Master Plan on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, 6:30 pm in the […]

Updated designs for all Minneapolis neighborhood parks east of the Mississippi River released for 45-day public comment period

Weigh in on the latest iteration of park designs that will guide long-term development of all neighborhood park properties in Northeast/Southeast Minneapolis.

View All Project Activity

Timeline

Project Milestones

Spring-Summer 2017

  • Project start-up
  • Park inventory and analysis
  • Consultant selection
  • Community Advisory Committee (CAC) application process

Fall-Winter 2017

  • Community visioning
  • Community discussion park needs, likes, dislikes, concerns, and dreams

Winter-Spring 2017-18

  • Development of park concept plans
  • Community discussion about park plans and area-wide vision

Fall-Winter 2018

  • Creation of East of the River Park Plan document
  • Community comments on the document
  • Final adoption by MPRB Commissioners

Get Involved

Community Engagement

Community Engagement Plan [PDF] The East of the River Park Plan will have extensive community engagement, and lots of different ways to participate. Throughout 2017-18, we will be in the parks, at community events, attending community meetings, and trying to talk with as many people as we can. Here are a few ways that you can get involved:

  • Please consider attending a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting. Meetings are open to the public.
  • Enter your email to receive updates about meetings, events and more.
  • Call or send an e-mail to the project manager, Carrie Christensen, if you have initial ideas, want to discuss the project, or would like to request the project team come to your organization’s meeting.
  • Check back here regularly to find out the latest on how to stay involved.

Past Engagement Outreach

Park Design Review [PDF] Park Design Review Events – Spanish [PDF] Park Design Review Events – Hmong [PDF] Park Design Review Events – Somali [PDF]

Past Meetings

Where We’ve Been

  • Edison BBQ
  • Hunker’d Down
  • Healing Place Collaborative
  • Push Cart Derby
  • East Side Neighborhood Senior Health Expo
  • NE Network
  • 2017 Mpls Bike Tour
  • Marcy Ice Cream Event
  • Como Cook Out 2017
  • NE Farmers Market
  • Northeast Big River Brew Fest
  • Prospect park Harvest Festival
  • Luxton Playground
  • AutumNE @ Solar Arts
  • Halloween Parties at Parks
  • Park Design Session with Beltrami Neighborhood
  • Marcy Open PTO
  • Urban Studies Student Tour

Upcoming Meetings

There are currently no meetings scheduled.

Background and Funding

Background

A Service Area Master Plan is a process that engages the community to:

  • Take a complete look at all outdoor park assets: fields, playgrounds, paths, etc. (Recreation center buildings are not included in this Master Plan. They are part of RecQuest.)
  • Create improvement plans for each neighborhood park
  • Guide decisions on capital improvements, how to spend NPP20 funding, land acquisition, and development of new parks.
  • Set a vision for operations, management, and improvements
  • Set priorities and estimate budgets

The Service Area Master Plan will take into account existing activity plans (urban agriculture, court sports, skate parks, etc.) and system planning (ecological system plan, comprehensive plan, etc.)

Youth Design Team

youth design teamEast of the River Master Plan Youth Design Team

The Youth Design Team (YDT) is a Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board pilot program for the East of The River Park Master Plan. It employs high school students to participate in the planning of neighborhood parks in NE and SE Minneapolis.  During the year-long process, these youth work with MPRB planning staff, design consultants, local artists, and community members to help bring important youth perspectives and creative ideas to the process and park plans.  Youth Design Team participants went through a competitive application process, are 15-19 years old, live or attend school in Northeast or Southeast Minneapolis, and are interested in professional fields in art or landscape architecture, community-based research, environmental design and park planning.  The YDT has worked on all stages of the plan including site inventory and analysis, community data collection, data analysis, and park planning  and design. The YDT has had hands-on experience learning concepts, building skills, and gaining professional experience, all while helping to impact the future of parks in their communities.

Follow the Youth Design Team on Instagram at East of the River Parks!
youth design team

Take a look at the Youth Design Team in action…

October 2017

  • MPRB Planning staff, Siciid Ali,  meets with the Youth Design Team and provides a community outreach activity training, to hear from residents and understand what park activities people would like to see in their neighborhood parks.

youth design team activityNovember 2017

  • Youth Design Team members at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization learning about the value of our watersheds and the connection between responsible water management, stewardship and conservation.
  • Youth Design Team members learn about and conduct walking audits of neighborhood parks.  On these park assessments, they document important park features, maintenance and accessibility issues, and other considerations for park improvements.

December 2017

  • The YDT visits Silverwood and Audubon parks to see different art installations. They write their own poetry pieces and further discuss the role of public art in parks with local poet, Erin Sharkey.

December 2017youth design team activity

  • Youth explore natural and wild spaces at Deming Park with artist and park enthusiast, Ben Weaver.
  • Patience Caso from Hennepin County’s Green Partners Environmental Education Program visits with the Youth Design Team to talk about waste sorting and reduction methods at parks.

January-March 2018

  • The Youth Design Team helps facilitate a Community Design Sessions with neighborhood groups across the service area.
  • Youth Design Team members learn about the Urban Agriculture Activity Plan from park staff, Ellen Kennedy, and community food justice leader, Martin Brown.

youth design team memberMarch 2018

  • Colleen O’Dell of MPRB Planning talks about the community outreach, research and development of the Park Board Skate Park Plan with the youth design team. March 2018.

April 2018

  • The Youth Design Team learns the basics of hand drawing plans in landscape architecture with Professor Brad Agee, and MPRB Project Manager of the East of the River Park Master Plan, Carrie Christensen at the U of M School of Design.

March and April 2018youth design team

  • Drawing upon the data analysis and community voiced themes, Youth Design Team members work with design consultant, Mo Convery, of Perkins & Will, to develop park concept designs.  The YDT developed park plans for 11 neighborhood parks.

May 2018

  • Youth meet with Perkins + Will design consultants and MPRB planners during Design Week to discuss park plan concepts for the East of the River Master Plan Open House.