Mississippi Gorge Regional Park Master Plan JULY 10TH, 2019 Acknowledgements

Client Appointed Community Advisory Committee Minneapolis Park and (CAC) Recreation Board Shawn Sheely (CAC Chair), Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, President Bourn President Hinda Abdi, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 3, Commissioner Hassan Brad Bourn, District 6 Arielle Courtney, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 5, Commissioner Musich Vice President Dan Cross, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District AK Hassan, District 3 1, Commissioner Meyer Ukasha Dakane, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioners District 3, Commissioner Hassan Jono Cowgill, District 4 Emily Green, Longfellow Community Council Meg Forney, At Large Elizabeth Hinz, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board At Large, Commissioner Forney Londel French, At Large Irene Jones, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Chris Meyer, District 1 District 5, Commissioner Musich Steffanie Musich, District 5 Tom Kilton, University/Prospect Park Neighborhood Kale Severson, District 2 Gabriel Konar-Steenberg, Minneapolis Council Member Latrisha Vetaw, At Large District 2, Cam Gordon Edric Lysne, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board At Superintendent Large, Commissioner Vetaw Alfred Bangoura Kevin McDonald, Minneapolis Council Member District 12, Andrew Johnson Deputy Superintendent Matt Moore, Appointed by MPRB Staff Levi O’Tool, U of M Student Government Jennifer Ringold Wang Ping, Appointed by MPRB Staff Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Zev Radziwill, Cedar-Riverside Neighborhood Planning Division Staff Nick Rebel, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board District 1, Commissioner Meyer Michael Schroeder, Assistant Superintendent for Planning Bill Shroyer, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board At Adam Arvidson, Director of Strategic Planning Large, Commissioner French Ellen Kennedy, Senior Planner Alexis Troschinetz, Seward Neighborhood Group Tyler Pederson, Design Project Manager Linnea Wier, Minneapolis Council Member District 6, Abdi Siciid Ali, Park Planner Warsame David Wiggins, Appointed by MPRB Staff

ii Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Alan Robbins-Fenger, National Park Service Olivia Dorothy, American Rivers Rory Stierler, National Park Service Else Morton, Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis Judie Anderson, Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watersheds Matthew Dyrdahl, City of Minneapolis Michael Welch, Smith Partners Lois Eberhart, City of Minneapolis Andrew Caddock, University of Minnesota Christina Kendrick, City of Minneapolis Emily Dombeck, University of Minnesota Kelly Muellman, City of Minneapolis Patrick Nunnally, University of Minnesota Jeremy Strehlo, City of Minneapolis Matthew Tucker, University of Minnesota Mary deLaittre, City of Saint Paul Nanette Bischoff, US Army Corps of Engineers David Zumeta, Consulting Forestry and Avian Expert Michael DeRusha, US Army Corps of Engineers Whitney Clark, Friends of the Mississippi River Deborah Karasov, Great River Greening Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Wayne Ostlie, Great River Greening Ellen Kennedy, Planning Todd Rexine, Great River Greening Tyler Pederson, Planning Robert Byers, Hennepin County Siciid Ali, Planning Becky Rice, Metro Blooms Lisa Beck, Asset Management Tracey Kinney, Metropolitan Council Sgt. Rob Helmeke, Park Police Emmett Mullin, Metropolitan Council Marcia Holmberg, Environmental Services Janette Aldrich Law, Minneapolis Parks Foundation Brent Kath, Asset Management Laura Domyancich, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Paul Martinson, Forestry Brett Eidem, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Jerry Peterson, Recreation Dan Kalmon, Mississippi Watershed Management Robin Smothers, Communications Organization Stephanie Johnson, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Consultants Matthew Bauman, Minnesota Department of Natural Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) Resources Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. (HKGi) Jennifer Shillcox, Minnesota Department of Natural Inter-Fluve Resources 106 Group Brian Stenquist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources IMO Consulting Group (IMO) Hannah Texler, Minnesota Department of Natural Morton Trails Resources Kate Beane, Minnesota Historical Society Matthew Cassady, Minnesota Historical Society Sarah Beimers, Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office Daniel Petrik, Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office

MISSISSIPPI GORGE REGIONAL PARK MASTER PLAN iii Table of Contents

Introduction 1-1 Introduction 1-1 Metropolitan Regional Parks System 1-3 Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board 1-3 Related Planning Efforts and Agencies 1-5 Park Conditions, Analysis, & Opportunities 2-1 Location and Context 2-1 Cultural and Historic Resources 2-3 Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails 2-11 River Views and Access 2-33 Wayfinding and Site Amenities 2-37 Land Use Context 2-41 Regional Park Character 2-44 Ecological/Natural Resources 2-49 Hydrology and Potential Dam Removal 2-53 Stormwater Conditions 2-55 Visitor Demand 3-1 Overview 3-1 Parks and Recreation Trends 3-2 Demographics Analysis 3-7 Demand 3-9 Public Engagement 4-1 Community Engagement Overview 4-1 Listening Sessions 4-3 Special Events 4-4 Open House Events 4-4 Online Surveys 4-6 iv Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Project Advisory Committee 4-7 Technical Advisory Committee 4-7 Vision and Guiding Principles 5-1 Overview and Purpose 5-1 Guiding Principles 5-2 Master Plan Recommendations 6-1 Overview 6-1 Overall Master Plan 6-2 Focus Area Recommendations 6-8 Park-Wide Recommendations 6-40 Design Guidelines 7-1 Overview 7-1 Interpretation and Public Art 8-1 Overview 8-1 Public Art 8-13

MISSISSIPPI GORGE REGIONAL PARK MASTER PLAN v Implementation 9-1 Overview 9-1 Priorities and Estimated Costs 9-1 Estimated Operations and Maintenance Costs 9-9 Funding Sources 9-9 Stewardship Plan 9-10 Boundaries and Acquisition 9-12 Conflicts 9-12 Partnerships and Easements 9-12 Public Services 9-13 Accessibility 9-14 Ordinances 9-14 Public Awareness 9-15 References & Appendix 10-1 Document References 10-1 Appendix 10-6

vi Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board