MPRB Voting on Mall Park Rd Closures
We've learned that the new majority of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) is planning to reopen the issue of closing The Mall roads at this week’s meeting, despite active opposition by residents, including a petition signed by 780+ neighbors. Several East Isles board members are planning to be there to testify and it would be great to have lots of voices there, if possible. The meeting’s Open Time when we can testify is at 5:30 PM.*
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Meeting
Wednesday, Jan. 7• 5 – 9 PM (5:30 PM Open Time*)
Mary Merrill MPRB HQ, Board Rm (2117 W River Rd)
Action Steps
1. Members of the public may address the board during “Open Time” at all regular Board Meetings.
Write-In
You may submit your comment in writing to be included in the record and shared with Commissioners. Please send your comment to OpenTime@minneapolisparks.org by noon on the day of the board meeting.
In-Person*
Members of the public may address the board during open time. All individuals wishing to speak in-person can call 612-230-6400 before 3pm the day of the meeting to be placed on the speaker sign-up sheet or can sign-up in-person at the Board meeting prior to the start of open time.
Please note that Section 2, item B. of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Rules of the Board read as follows: “Open Time for public input shall not exceed a total of 15 minutes with up to three minutes allowed for testimony, with the time limit to be allotted by the President.” At the beginning of Open Time, the Board President will allocate time for each testimony and the reader will end the reading when the allotted time has passed. Please note that Section 2, item C of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Rules of the Board read as follows: “Open Time” will be scheduled at the Regular Board meetings at a time certain of 5:30 p.m. Meetings that are convened for the purpose of closed sessions do not include open time. Open time will not be held on the date when the Board meets for the annual planning session for the budget, and when the Board meets at City Hall to vote on the annual budget and tax levies, when the Board holds its annual legislative delegation meeting, and at the City Charter required annual organizational meeting held on the first weekday in January that is not a Holiday.”
2. Contact our District 4 Park Comm., Jason Garcia, and the three at-large Commissioners who represent us:
Jason Garcia
612-230-6443, ext. 4, jgarcia@minneapolisparks.orgMeg Forney
612-230-6443, ext. 8, mforney@minneapolisparks.orgAmber Frederick
612-230-6443, ext. 9, afrederick@minneapolisparks.orgTom Olsen (new MPRB President)
612-230-6443, ext. 7, tolsen@minneapolisparks.org
Talking Points
Removing roads and nearby parking will make access harder for elderly and disabled renters who rely on close parking. It will also create safety concerns for service workers who return home late and would have to walk farther.
Removing the roads could limit access for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles to older apartment buildings and homes along The Mall.
Closing the roads will disrupt local traffic patterns and push more cars onto Lagoon Avenue, where speeding, poor visibility, and unsafe turns already exist.
Closing roads without following required City and State of procedures could expose the Park Board to legal challenges.
Replacing roads with grass may cost more than simply rebuilding the roads after sewer work. It is unclear who would pay any additional cost—the Met Council or the Park Board—and whether the expense is justified for roughly 6,000 square feet of new green space, especially given the nearby 1,555-acre Chain of Lakes Regional Park (which is approximately 67,735,800 sq feet).
While this proposal is presented as adding green space, it appears to prioritize removing car access and parking without adequately considering impacts on elderly residents, people with disabilities, and working-class renters. We urge the Park Board to carefully consider these impacts.
The East Isles neighborhood has opposed this plan since it was first proposed by the Community Advisory Committee. Over 780 of our neighbors have signed a petition against it, in a neighborhood survey 83% of respondents were opposed to removing the parking, and finally there were more comments in opposition to this part of the citywide plan than there were for any other plan component.