[Mpls] Nicollett Islands' regional park -The Williamsburg of Mpls

[Joan Berthiaume]

Ron,

I have to agree with you - the park property behind the school on Nicollet Island "appears" neglected. 

 I imagine the open space was left as  to be the transition between the very active school environment and the interpretive park.  That property might work better with further light park development such as interpretive information announcing the park and explaining the designated historic period  of early Minneapolis History  (1864-1898) that is represented within the park. 

Interpretation  could help the public understand that the  remaining homes were built on the island during that same historic era.   Residents have invested in those homes under tight historic restrictions.  Although they benefit from home ownership, they are not allowed ownership of the park property beneath their homes. 

The rest of us benefit from their investment also because: homeowners  live there and  care for those homes, providing us a glimpse back in time at early Minneapolis History, kind of like the "Williamsburg of Minneapolis."  

Thinking further about the use of that small piece of park property as a stadium, the two Landscape Architects on the CAC,  Theodore J. Wirth and Jim Nestigen, carefully assessed the plan presented by the architect representing DeLaSalle.  They  both recommended the stadium required a better location.

Ted felt this location would not adequately meet the needs of the students, because there is no room for a track and also, the school's tennis team would lose its courts.  

There were several additional constraints that needed to be addressed.  As a CAC member, Theodore J Wirth offered his best professional advice: DeLaSalle's field deserved a better location where all student needs could be accommodated with an abundance of room and an outstanding design. (This would not be different from Southwest and North High Schools whose stadium is not in their back yards.) 

Joan Berthiaume
Linden Hills 


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ron Werner<mailto:jake_ron at hotmail.com> 
  To: mpls at mnforum.org<mailto:mpls at mnforum.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 10:23 AM
  Subject: [Mpls] Nicollett Islands' regional park


  As a former park board employee, recently retired, with no ties to DeLaSalle 
  or Nicollet Island,(except to travel around-through the area occassionally) 
  I would like to weigh in on the football field issue. For thirty plus years, 
  the area in question to be donated to DeLaSalle has been an open field 
  consisting of grass/weeds. It has been devoid of park users  for the thirty 
  plus years I have been acquainted with the area and resembles a large vacant 
  lot--not a regional park.  Even the public tennis courts get very little 
  usage. Why would people be attracted to this large vacant lot when there are 
  so many other attractions nearby?  People are attracted to the River Road 
  with pedestrian and bike paths on both the east and west side, the Stone 
  Arch Brdge, Mills Ruins Park, Boom Island Park,St. Anthony Falls, and the 
  majestic force of the river. Theodore Wirth, the great visionary and 
  landscape architect of this great park system strongly believed that parks 
  must attract users--not just to have parkland sit vacant. The much maligned 
  park board has done a great job re-shaping the downtown riverfront. It meets 
  the criteria of Wirth by becoming a destination and inducing people to leave 
  their cars and meander through the park area. I believe Nicollett Island 
  residents are beneficiaries of this wonderful riverfront revival.  I'm in 
  support of the football field. I firmly believe that with the shared use 
  agreement, both the Islanders and DeLaSalle and the general public will 
  benefit from the transaction.  This currently unused space will provide 
  enjoyment that Wirth envisioned a park system should provide, especially for 
  the kids.   jrwarner--cedar lake area