bigger!
Our little lake is technically part of the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park and
the whole park is getting a once over and a new long term 20 year master plan.
These improvements and long term plannings are well overdue as the last major
master plan for the Nokomis Hiawatha Region Park was written in 1934. Yes,
1934. Go to this link for much more information
http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=1475&SearchID=519831
Chris Lautenschlager and I have been appointed to the Community Advisory
Committee for this project. As we move forward over the next year plus Iâd
like to report back to the community as Chris and I advocate (and agitate) for
Lake Hiawatha specifically and the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park generally.
Please rest assured that Chris and I are dedicated to ensuring that Lake
Hiawatha will not remain forgotten in this project.
The first meeting was May 15th and was a combination of introductions, project
overviews, and project brainstorming/ideating and didnât touch too much on Lake
Hiawatha. That was, however, as designed; Phase One is concentrating on some
playground issues at Lake Nokomis.
As the project moves forward we will have more opportunities to influence how
the project benefits Lake Hiawatha. Based on prior community feedback, Chris
and I have already made clear to the group that a conversation is demanded in
regards to a paved path that connects Minnehaha Parkways trails and paths to
the paths at Lake Hiawatha Park, perhaps running up Longfellow Ave to 43rd St,
then from 43rd St to the tennis courts at 26th Ave S. Or perhaps an over-water
path from the entrance of Minnehaha Creek and Lake Hiawatha, up the west side
of the lake, to meet up with Lake Hiawatha Park by the baseball diamond. Chris
and I are committed to seeing the Master Plan include ideas, strategies and
proposals to link pedestrians and bikers around Lake Hiawatha in a way that
meets the needs of our local community. This is Job #1.
There are unfortunately some areas that could be difficult to impact. For
instance we have been told explicitly that this is not about the golf course so
donât even bring it up. Also, it may be hard to change traffic patterns and
traffic signage as those require the City and the County to be involved .
Other areas are easy to impact, like adding playground equipment, pavilions,
grilling stations, picnic tables, sports courts, walking and biking trails, and
other park-esque improvements. There will also be significant opportunities to
improve the shoreline of Lake Hiawatha, maybe making it more natural through
plantings and removing the beach, or making it more accessible and visible by
trimming certain plantings and improving the beach.
If you have any ideas about what you would like to see, you have two options.
Following the link, you can email Adam Arvidson. Adam is the MPRB Project
Manager for this Master Plan and he would welcome and include all suggestions
in his conversations with the group. More interesting may be posting your
ideas in this thread so that the entire community can see and perhaps debate
what âweâ are all looking for in Lake Hiawatha and the Nokomis-Hiawatha
Regional Park.
I encourage you to spread the word far and wide. Chris and I are loud, but
there are a lot of Lake Nokomis supporters in the group and the money is
limited. Lend your voice so that our community is properly represented in the
Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park Master Plan and we can put together a community
vision for our little lake.
We need big ideas and little ideas, and the more that we can bring to the
meetings, the better. Iâll start:
Simply and realistically, Iâd like to see some sand volleyball courts on the
corner of 44th St and 28th Ave and improvements made to the horseshoe pits at
Lake Hiawatha Park. I'd also like to see a concerted effort to put planting
along the golf course shoreline for a more natural look. If I had big dreams,
how about a small concert pavilion over by the beach for lazy Friday evening
summer concerts, with the lake as a backdrop?