Update on Mall Park
Thanks to all who attended the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) meeting this week and made their voices heard. MPRB is now collecting emergency vehicle access and public safety info on a small section of its own master plan, per a board resolution vote. Coverage from SW Voices:
The Park & Recreation Board is collecting emergency vehicle access and public safety info on a small section of its own master plan, per a resolution vote the board took last night.
We’ve been following a Park & Recreation Board’s resolution over a master plan that calls for two western blocks of The Mall to be turned into green space. Due to recent resident objections over the plan’s removal of parking spaces and public safety concerns, the Park & Recreation Board passed a resolution last night to pause decision-making and gather more information about its own master plan.
The Mall is about to have sewer work done, which spurred the master plan work to be put into action.
The Park & Rec Board is currently seeking information from the City’s fire chief and the City engineer about emergency vehicle access and public safety issues that would stem from altering the two western blocks on The Mall. The master plan was approved by the Park & Rec Board in 2020.
Melody wrote an article about the resolution that includes interviews with Commissioners Elizabeth Shaffer, Tom Olson, and the perspectives of people who want to maintain The Mall’s streetscape.