Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Parks, Minneapolis Public Schools, Density, Zoning, etc.
SurlyLHT
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby SurlyLHT » April 10th, 2020, 8:27 am

I like it, it reminds me a bit of Theodore Wirth golf course set up. I also feel like it is going to be nice to have that much nature right in the city. Bring in ducks and etc.

twincitizen
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby twincitizen » April 10th, 2020, 3:41 pm

I'm impressed, at first glance. They kept much of what was offered in the 3 alternatives, and didn't cut a whole lot out. The new trail running along the north side of the lake, from the Lake Hiawatha park building on the east side of the lake (28th Ave) to the golf clubhouse on the west side of the lake (Longfellow Ave) is a massive improvement for mobility in the neighborhood. For me, living just a bit east of Lake Hiawatha down 44th Street, that's a new straight shot to Cedar that I would definitely use. It's also a straight shot to the future park building, concessionaire, kayak rental, golf, etc.

I definitely plan to submit comments in support of many of the plan's features. There will of course be negative nancy complaints about traffic and parking (what else?) due to all the new reasons to visit the park. And of course there will be whining from golfers, both from those still holding out hope for an 18 hole course (which was never on the table), and from those who will find new things to complain about the 9-hole course (too small, trails and other activities will ruin the "golf experience", etc.)

alexschief
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby alexschief » April 10th, 2020, 4:23 pm

I'm thrilled to see an observation tower in the plans.

Every park should have a structure like an NPS fire lookout, where you can get above the tree line and look around.

Ohiosotan
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby Ohiosotan » April 12th, 2020, 9:41 am

I thought for sure the golf course would be out and the trails would be extend and connect to the ones around Nokomis. Bummer.

MinneapBliss
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby MinneapBliss » April 13th, 2020, 7:51 am

I think there's a handful of reasons that favored keeping a golf course, albeit reduced in size, at Hiawatha: historical importance, especially with respect to the Twin Cities African-American golf community; political climate in the community at-large; proximity for a specific recreational type in the heart of S Mpls. I'm not an avid golfer, but I think this is a pretty fair compromise.

As for the observation tower, this is a huge opportunity. Doesn't necessarily need to be really tall to be really striking, and could incorporate the history of the area into the design. Some nice food for thought: https://arcspace.com/feature/korkeasaari-lookout-tower/
"That rug really tied the room together, did it not?" -Walter Sobchak

SurlyLHT
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby SurlyLHT » April 13th, 2020, 10:20 am

I would rather they have an observation tower at Theo Wirth on one of their hills. Maybe near the Butterfly Garden. There already is a wonderful view from there and it is so wooded it matches.

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mister.shoes
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby mister.shoes » April 13th, 2020, 4:13 pm

Image
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bapster2006
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby bapster2006 » April 13th, 2020, 9:07 pm


Didier
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby Didier » April 13th, 2020, 9:43 pm

Is the "Twin Cities African-American golf community" actually a thing?

squrtis
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby squrtis » April 14th, 2020, 6:35 am

Is the "Twin Cities African-American golf community" actually a thing?
Yes? I worked at Hiawatha growing up and continue to golf there, it's about as diverse a golf course you will find.

MinneapBliss
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby MinneapBliss » April 14th, 2020, 8:19 am

Re: African-American golf community in Minneapolis, a couple articles on Hiawatha's historical importance:

https://www.africanamericangolfersdiges ... lf-course/

https://www.startribune.com/black-golfe ... 440638913/

And yes...observation towers at both Wirth and Hiawatha, please!
"That rug really tied the room together, did it not?" -Walter Sobchak

Didier
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby Didier » April 14th, 2020, 9:52 am

Interesting. I know it happens, but I just have a hard time imagining *anybody* doing 18 holes of golf in Minneapolis. So the idea of there being a large community of black golfers in particular is kind of surprising.

squrtis
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby squrtis » April 14th, 2020, 10:28 am

Minnesota has one of the highest per capita golfing populations in the country. I think its no surprise lots of people play golf in the city. A lot more would probably play Hiawatha if they actually maintained the course.

EOst
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby EOst » April 14th, 2020, 10:43 am

Fun fact: there are 112 public 18-hole regulation courses in the Twin Cities metro. Clearly those African American golfers would have had no other options had Hiawatha closed.

seanrichardryan
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby seanrichardryan » April 14th, 2020, 1:05 pm

The ADA would (and should) complicate an observation tower.
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twincitizen
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby twincitizen » April 14th, 2020, 1:06 pm

Should we split Hiawatha golf into a dedicated topic?

In favor of splitting it off, there’s maybe only a dozen people on the forum that care about it one way or the other, so we could spare everyone else from clicking on the MPRB thread and seeing that it’s just golftalk. On the other hand, the conversation might be nearly over soon, and splitting it off would be moot. With the release of the preferred draft plan there’s not much left to discuss, other than how long this is all going to take to build out and how it will be funded.

Edit: after looking back at page 1 of the thread, I’ve decided that it would be way too much work to split off. The thread actually began with talk about public golf courses, so it’s easier to leave it alone

MattW
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby MattW » April 15th, 2020, 3:23 pm

Is the "Twin Cities African-American golf community" actually a thing?
I run through TheoWirth quite regularly. It has a diverse golfing community too.

talindsay
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby talindsay » April 20th, 2020, 7:56 am

So W River Parkway has a traffic lane closed to cars so people can socially distance while using the parkway. As a runner I *love* running in the street but recognize that it's better to have the bikes there, but was surprised to see the Park Board has signs up saying that the sidewalk and the street are pedestrian only, and the bike path is for bikes. Considering speeds and the like, it seems to me it would make more sense to say sidewalk is for walkers, bike path is for runners, road is for bikes -- and that seems largely to be the way people are using it. I wonder why the Park Board is trying to reserve the road for pedestrians.

LakeCharles
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby LakeCharles » April 20th, 2020, 9:37 am

From what I understand, it's purely from a socially distancing perspective. Bikers are mostly distanced anyway, and there aren't as many of them. So this just gives pedestrians a bunch of room to spread out.

MinneapBliss
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Re: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Postby MinneapBliss » April 20th, 2020, 11:11 am

It would make more sense to me if they dedicated the pathways to pedestrian traffic and moved all bike traffic to the parkway lane. Even half the parkway is still wider than the bike path, and that way all pedestrians would be consolidated. That said, I'm thankful Minneapolis has taken this step at all; it would be awesome if St. Paul reduced it's river parkway to northbound car traffic only, and gave cyclists/pedestrians the other half of the road...not holding my breath, though.
"That rug really tied the room together, did it not?" -Walter Sobchak


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