It was a dark and stormy night when, at 3 a.m. on May 16, 2019, embers from a young man’s hookah caused the 90-year-old pavilion at Bde Maka Ska to go up in flames. What a contrast to October 20, 2023, the glorious fall day when the new pavilion had its opening ceremonies.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board superintendent Al Bangoura opened the ceremony at the front of the new pavilion by reminding us how this land is the contemporary and historical site of the native Ojibwa and Dakota people, and how the park board is striving to include them in their various planning processes.
Bangoura revealed how the old pavilion — also called known as a refectory — was much beloved, but that the new pavilion is more accessible and functional and will be open to more people year-round. He shared that it will likely become a favorite gathering place and future Minneapolis icon. Project highlights include more seating, bike racks, trail space and gender-neutral bathrooms that will be open yearround. He gushed that the kitchen and marketplaces are simply incredible.
Bangoura then thanked park board staff who worked on the project, especially project manager Dan Elias. He also thanked the park police and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who was in attendance, for their essential support.
Next speaking was Meg Forney, park board commissioner at large and board president. She compared the building to a phoenix rising from the ashes stating that it took 515 days to reopen but and was worth the wait. Forney thanked the native artists who created the artwork and she underscored how wonderful the Pimento food is.
Park commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer, whose Park District 4 includes the pavilion, thanked all involved with the construction and told how the Chain of Lakes is essential to the city with over 7.5 million visitors each year, second only to the Mall of America as Minnesota’s top attraction. She said the pavilion will be a central gathering place for all people open year-round. Shaffer emphasized that it was good the park board took the time to do it right.
Louis King, owner of Lola on the Lake, which operated the restaurant in the previous pavilion, shared how difficult it was when the previous building burned down but that they kept going with a food truck and determination. He held that it is a “big deal” that the involved businesses are owned by BIPOC persons who will be a role model for children of color. He thanked those who made the capital funds possible and who were willing to take a risk on the business.
The final speaker was Thomme Beevas, Chief Strategic Officer of Pimento Jamaican Kitchen. Beevas forecasted that the project will serve the people of Minneapolis for gen- erations to come. He went on to voice how the finance industry is a last bastion of segregation and that the financing of this project will be an instrument of liberation. His hope is that the 20 BIPOC vendors in the mar- ket will use this place to launch their own independent business storefronts.
The ceremony ended with a ribbon cutting with Beevas holding the scissors. The participants then largely went to try the food and see the market.
The Bottom Line
The pavilion, located on the northeast corner of the lake, is a $6.5 million project that has two new buildings totaling 4,400 square feet. It hosts a restaurant and market from the team behind Pimento Jamaican Kitchen. It also has outdoor seating for up to 250 people, 3,000 square feet of outdoor covered space with ceiling-mounted heaters, a small performance stage, upgraded landscaping and a six-stall restroom area that will be available yearround. It has 51 bike parking stalls, 33 more than before.
The Bde Maka Ska-Harriet Master Plan, approved in 2017, provided guidance for the new pavilion site. A team led by Cuningham Architects worked with park board staff and employed an iterative public feedback process. A public hearing on the final concept design and vote by park board commissioners took place in May 2021. A construction contract was awarded to Morcon Construction in May 2022, which led to 17 months of construction.
Pimento on the Lake offers beach-inspired Jamaican cuisine and libations as well as such things as hot dogs, hamburgers and bean burgers. It will be open in the north building as long as there is customer demand in fall and winter months. Pimento, which also has locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, joined with Louis King’s Lola on the Lake to create Pimento on the Lake.
The Pimento Market offers a selection of goods, gifts and treats from 20 local BIPOC businesses and entrepreneurs. It will be open year-round in the south building of the pavilion and may serve hot food and drinks during the colder months.
A beautiful, large mural has been painted on the north building thanks to a partnership with the Native American Community Development Institute and the Hennepin Theatre Trust. It was created through “We Are Still Here,” an initiative to bring indigenous art to high-profile places in the Twin Cities. In addition, Dakota language signs are found on steel columns throughout the buildings, including decals de- signed by artist Adrienne Zirni- ga-January.
Two naval artifacts including the steering wheel from the USS Minneapolis and the bell from the USS Minnesota have been returned after being stored by Minnetonka Public Schools and park board headquarters. These were previously located at the northeast corner of the lake and are now in the Pimento market area of the pavilion.
