Last chance to
public to give input during 45-day review process or January public hearing
by Tesha M. Christensen
Today, 10% of the Nokomis-Hiawatha Park is natural and the
rest is turf grass. Someday, it will be 50%, according to the newly created
Nokomis-Hiawatha Park Master Plan.
The change won’t happen right away, but will occur gradually
over the next 25 years.
“The community and the Community Advisory Council (CAC) have
supported a significant increase in restored habitat in the park,” noted Adam
Arvidson of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB). “The master plan
deliberately places turf areas in certain locations and envisions the
restoration of the remainder of the park to landscapes such as savanna, wet
meadow, short-grass prairie, and wetlands.”
What are the benefits of a more natural shoreline? “This will
provide broader habitat options for plants and animals, and will help improve
water quality in both lakes,” stated Arvidson.
The master plan is currently in the middle of a 45-day public
review and comment period that will close on Dec. 22, 2014. View the plan
online on the Nokomis-Hiawatha Project webpage, or at the Nokomis Community
Center, Hiawatha Community Center and Nokomis Library.
This is the first master plan for the park since Theodore
Wirth created one in 1934.
Arvidson pointed out that community members have been heavily
invested in this planning process. The survey got nearly 1,000 responses,
there were about 20 people at every CAC meeting, and 60 people attended each
open house. “These are very big numbers for park planning projects,”
observed Arvidson.
“It is a testament to the importance of this park to the
community. And I can assure you that the ideas in the master plan
represent the desires of the community. Of course there are things that
individuals might disagree with, but on the whole, this plan is driven by that
groundswell of participation by the park’s neighbors.”
HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE PLAN
Highlights of the master plan include:
- Pedestrian and bike trails around Hiawatha Golf Course,
allowing for a full Grand Rounds experience around the northern half of the
park
- A winter-only trail on the shore of Lake Hiawatha (in the
golf course), and additional gates in the golf course fence to increase winter
accessibility.
- A new vision for the eastern shore of Lake Hiawatha
focused on nature-based recreation, scenic views, and boating. The beach will
be removed within 6-12 years to make way for a boardwalk, over-water pavilion,
and canoe/kayak launch. “Per this plan, the beach would not be removed without
these other amenities replacing it,” stressed Arvidson.
- Improved trail circulation throughout the park,
including improved crossings of Cedar Avenue, additional trails by the Nokomis
lagoon, and additional connections between the park and the neighborhood.
- A redesigned Nokomis Main Beach area with an expanded
swimming area, additional parking and (eventually) a new beach house.
The CAC refrained from deciding how to reconfigure the
athletic fields, but instead agreed to have that decision made when the work in
done within 6-12 years.
The location for the skate park will be on the north side of
Lake Nokomis, near the recreation center.
The parks department is about to begin a study of all of its
recreation centers, and this study will determine what changes will be made at
the Nokomis Community Center. Suggestions had been made to expand it and
possibly add a track.
Minnehaha Creek will likely be remeandered, but this project
will be led by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) in close
collaboration with the parks board. Funding would have to come from MCWD
in order for this to move forward.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE
SHORT TERM?
The CAC assigned priority levels to each project, ranging
from short-term (within 6 years), medium (6-12 years) and long (12 years or
more).
Many of the short-term projects will offer trail experiences
that knit the park together. Roadway crossings will be enhanced to designate
separate spaces for walkers and bikers. More portable restrooms will be added,
particularly on the south side of Lake Nokomis.
On the list of short-term projects are:
- New playground near Nokomis Community Center, $150,000
- Refurbishing the vita-course, $150,000
- Pedestrian-only bridge over Minnehaha Creek, $300,000
- Pedestrian-only loop around Nokomis lagoon, $92,000
- Removal of the Art Walk, $5,000
- Beach improvements (including shade awnings), $174,000
- Pedestrian/bike trails around Hiawatha Golf Course,
$585,000
- Additional trail connections, $72,000
WHAT’S NEXT
The MPRB Planning Committee will hold a public hearing on the
plan in January. After MPRB approval, it will go before the Metropolitan
Council, which will likely take place in March or April.
This story was published in the December 2014 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.
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