The Mall Park, a quiet and symmetrical five-block green space nestled in the East Isles neighbourhood of Minneapolis, has long been a hub for local events, from the Uptown Art Fair to the East Isles Farmers Market.
Today, the park is a peaceful retreat, framed by park benches and a looped road connecting the Walker Library on Hennepin Avenue to East Bde Maka Ska Parkway, which links Lake of the Isles to Bde Maka Ska.
The Threat
The Mall Park is now threatened by a proposal from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board that would drastically alter the park’s layout.
The changes are being pushed forward as part of planned storm sewer work by the Met Council, which is set to disrupt a significant portion of the park later this year.
The park board’s Master Plan for the area includes removing the westbound road between Irving Avenue South and the boulevard, as well as eliminating parking and part of the roadway on the east bound road between the parkway and Irving Avenue South.
These adjustments would reduce the parking available for the nearby apartments and condos along the south side of the park by eliminating 52 spaces.
They would also shift local traffic patterns in the larger area, forcing cars heading south from the neighborhood onto the already-congested Lagoon Avenue and Lake Street — two of South Minneapolis' busiest streets with limited traffic control and bus lanes that complicate turning onto these roads.
The Community Reaction
The East Isles Neighborhood Association, along with hundreds of residents who participated in a community survey and attended association meetings, strongly oppose the proposed changes.
They believe the park should be restored to its pre-sewer work condition once construction is completed, without the alterations suggested in the park board’s master plan.
In a traffic and parking study presented to the community in February, the park board’s consultant on the project concluded that the changes would not significantly impact the neighborhood.
The study found that there “would be no significant impact on the community should these changes be made.” The study did show that parking on The Mall Park is currently at capacity in the evening and overnight. As a result, this study did little to quell concerns among residents, particularly regarding the traffic pattern changes and reduced parking in an area already struggling with parking congestion.
Another pressing concern voiced by the community is the lack of emergency vehicle access.
The proposed changes would increase the distance and complexity for emergency services to reach the area, further compounding the public safety risks. The Mall already lacks proper access to fire hydrants.
These concerns, despite being raised in the park board's public forums, have yet to be fully addressed, leaving residents unsettled.
“I don’t believe these changes will make our neighborhood safer or more livable,” said Jerome Ryan, a local resident, who spoke at a recent East Isles meeting.
“The alternative routes will be more difficult for everyone, especially those residents who will be forced to walk longer distances to their home or apartment when public safety in the community remains a concern.”
A Flawed Plan
The park board’s master plan was approved in 2020, but little attention was given to The Mall Park during the planning process.
In 2019, Craig Wilson, editor of this paper, served as a representative on the park board’s Southwest Service Area Master Plan Community Advisory Committee, which focused on new park plans for neighborhood parks south of I-394 and west of I-35W.
Craig remaked, “We were tasked with determining long-term plans for 42 neighborhood parks, six potential parks and three park search areas throughout Southwest Minneapolis over just a handful of meetings. The Mall Park was the last park I recall the committee discussing — if 30 minutes was dedicated to what was best for this park, that would have been an exaggeration."
He clarified, "I did not support the concept to remove parking and alter the park, but others on the committee were convinced by an argument made by now State Representative Katie Jones that the mission of the park board was to ‘provide a park versus a parking lot.’ When it passed the committee, I never thought it would get further traction due to its impracticality once it was vetted by professionals. Boy was I wrong; it was full steam ahead until Commissioners Shaffer and Abene stepped in.”
The lack of community consensus during the planning stage was called out by park board staff at their February community meeting.
What's Next
As the Met Council’s sewer project moves forward, the debate to implement the proposed changes is front and center.
Some believe the modifications are necessary to align with the broader vision of the park system, while others suggest that the best solution is to simply restore The Mall Park to its original state, without the road and parking alterations.
This disagreement highlights the gap between the master plan’s objectives and the desires of the community.
With little support for the proposed changes, especially as they would add minimal green space while reducing parking for residents, it remains unclear whether the park board will proceed with the plan.
Later this year, the park board will take up the matter once again, potentially revising the Master Plan or opting for the alternative solution to restore the park’s existing layout.
For now, it’s evident that the proposed changes to The Mall Park face strong opposition from the East Isles neighborhood, with no clear community backing for the adjustments.
“The extra time the park board invested in the traffic study and dialog with the fire chief was helpful in pointing out eastbound flaws in fire access and the impact of losing parking,” said District 4 Commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer. “I will continue to dialog with community around any next steps and am supportive of keeping The Mall roadway as is. The sewer work will hopefully begin this summer or fall.”
The Mall Park’s future may hinge on the ongoing conversation between the park board, the East Isles Neighborhood Association and the residents who call this area home.
As the debate continues, residents are hopeful that any significant change to this cherished space, long cared for by local volunteers who have planted and tended gardens along The Mall Park, will earn the support of the community.
