The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) continues to work on "Hiawatha Links," a new phase of design and engineering work building on the 2022 Hiawatha Golf Course Area Plan. There are several updates to report:
The design team is working on a series of studies to help fully understand the cultural and historical context of the land, adding to the robust effort performed during the National Register of Historic Places nomination process.
These studies will fill gaps in the history and use of the site that preceded golf course construction and the MPRB’s modifications to Rice Lake (Bde Psin), giving the MPRB and the design team the best information possible as designs progress.
This additional cultural and historical information will be assembled into a Cultural Landscape Study, Ethnographic Study, and Phase I Architectural History Survey, which will all be completed this summer. The State Historic Preservation Office has been and will be consulted as the project moves through the Section 106 review process established by the National Historic Preservation Act.
The design team kicked off the design phase of work with a three-day charrette in March. Since then, the team has refined its work as it consults with MPRB staff, partner agencies, the water resource engineering team, and the golf course architects.
Concepts are scheduled to be ready for public feedback by late summer 2025. They will be posted online and made available at a future in-person open house event.
"A shared understanding of the facts around this project is crucial," say MPRB staff. "Some of the feedback and questions reveal there is still quite a bit of misinformation being shared. An upcoming Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document will provide accurate and helpful information. The FAQ is nearly complete and will be included in a new public interface for Hiawatha Links that will be published in the coming weeks. We’re committed to providing thoughtful responses, so please be patient while we work through all of the questions."
Hiawatha Links continues the vision created in the 2022 Hiawatha Golf Course Area Plan by fleshing out designs in greater detail and conducting more detailed community engagement focused on specific design elements.
It will look at how all the pieces fit together while respecting the site’s history, ecology, and regulatory guidelines. Using community feedback, previous studies, and current conditions analysis, the project team will work to develop detailed designs by fall 2025.
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