Choosing Our Future: Minnehaha Creek 2054
A scenic trail corridor. An aquatic ecosystem providing homes for fish, birds and other critters. An urban canoeing adventure. A ditch for the quick disposal of stormwater runoff.
The Minnehaha Creek of the future could be any or all of those things, depending on the choices made by citizens and local officials. In an effort to assure a future that balances different functions and values, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District MCWD) has selected nine volunteers to help create a long-term vision and plans for the Twin Cities' best known stream.
"Choosing Our Future: Minnehaha Creek 2054" is being undertaken by MCWD in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Hennepin County and the cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Edina and Minneapolis. The planning process, which aimed to identify problems on the creek and possible solutions, began in September 2004 and continued for about eight months.
In addition to the citizens group, a group consisting of local elected officials and a group comprised of technical experts from federal, state and local government units also met to discuss issues and options related to the creek's future. At the end of the planning process, it's expected that the partnership will have created a common list of goals for the creek as well as strategies for achieving them. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board of Managers for possible inclusion in the District's long-range plans. Projects identified for stream restoration and enhancement may be eligible for federal funding through Corps of Engineers environmental remediation programs.
View the Visioning Partnership Final Report
Meeting Schedule
Below is a list of all Vision meetings. Links to agenda and other materials are provided per meeting as they become available.
| Date | Location | Attendees* |
|---|---|---|
| 09/28/04 | City of Minnetonka Community Room 14600 Minnetonka Boulevard Minnetonka (952)939-8200 |
CAC/EO |
| 10/19/04 | Hopkins Schools Eisenhower Elementary Room 213 B 1001 Highway 7 Hopkins (952)988-4074 |
CAC |
| 11/30/04 | St. Louis Park - Wolfe Park Wolfe Park Pavilion 3700 Monterey Drive St. Louis Park (952)924-2540 |
CAC |
| 01/11/05 | City of Edina Council Chambers 4801 West 50th Street Edina (952)927-8861
|
CAC |
| 02/15/05 | Minneapolis Schools Burroughs Elementary Auditorium 1501 West 50th Street Minneapolis (612)668-3280 |
CAC |
| 03/22/05 | City of St. Louis Park Council Chambers 5005 Minnetonka Boulevard St. Louis Park (952)924-2500 |
CAC |
| 04/19/05 |
Hopkins Schools |
CAC |
| 05/03/05 | City of Minnetonka |
CAC |
| 05/17/05 | St. Louis Park - Wolfe Park |
CAC -- TEZT |
| 05/31/05 | Lake Nokomis Recreation Center |
CAC |
| 06/14/05 | City of Minnetonka |
CAC |
| 06/28/05 | Lake Nokomis Recreation Center Meeting Room 2401 East Minnehaha Parkway Minneapolis (612)370-4923 |
CAC/EO/TAC |
Technical Advisory Committee Meetings
Date |
Location |
Attendees |
|---|---|---|
5/10/2005 |
Minnehaha Falls Pavillion, Minneapolis |
TAC |
6/21/2005 1:00 - 3:00 PM |
St. Louis Park - Oak Park Oak Park Pavillion 3500 Louisiana Avenue South St. Louis Park |
TAC |
Although every meeting will be different, the first meeting to discuss the future of Minnehaha Creek can set the tone for other meetings, which will last well into 2005. Task Force members and interested citizens can express what role their city should play in shaping the creek, especially since it is the headwaters of this historic, treasured, 22-mile stream. MCWD encourages everyone's participation and is eager to work with anyone who has an opinion to express or an idea to implement.
The MCWD and the Corps of Engineers began working together on the Minnehaha Creek Watershed Feasibility Study in January 2003. This partnership additionally includes the cities of Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Edina and Minneapolis, as well as the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Hennepin County.
Links to PDF documents in this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download for free by clicking on the image below. (this will open in a separate browser window)
