MINNEAPOLIS — On Saturday, Mayor Frey, the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) leaders, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), project partners and state elected officials gathered at the Upper Harbor redevelopment site on the Mississippi River in north Minneapolis to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 public infrastructure and the groundbreaking for the new regional park.
The infrastructure includes a newly constructed roadway network on-site, including West River Road and the reconstruction of 33 Ave. N. and Dowling Ave. N. into the McKinley neighborhood, underground water, sewer, stormwater infrastructure, signage, and signals.
“Minneapolis is unified by the mighty Mississippi River – but a heartfelt riverfront doesn’t mean much if it’s not easily accessible to all our residents,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “What was once a barge shipping terminal is now becoming a beautiful recreational space for residents to enjoy—and this is just the beginning. Thank you to all our local and state partners who helped make this park a reality.”
The new park will feature a five-acre plaza and lawn area that will welcome people arriving from Dowling Avenue, one mile of parkway road with parking, bike and pedestrian trails, a new naturalized shoreline, and native trees, grasses, woody shrubs and perennials.
“This is a massive milestone amidst an exciting era of riverfront park development in Minneapolis,” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura. “We’re incredibly grateful to have so many partners and supporters come together to transform a mile of industrial riverfront into a beautiful, welcoming place for people and wildlife.”
The City’s coordinated plan and the MPRB’s park concept plan center around the values and priorities expressed by the community through six years of engagement. We are reconnecting north Minneapolis to the riverfront with new housing, small business commercial space, living-wage jobs, a health and wellness hub, a community performing arts center and a 20-acre park.
“Project partners are acting with community after more than 25 years of planning to transform this former barging terminal into a large-scale development with numerous community benefits that support current Northsiders,” said CPED Director Erik Hansen.
