Minnehaha Falls is a place of beauty and history.
“We really recognize how important Minnehaha Falls is to so many people in Minneapolis and beyond,” declares Carol HejlStone, a design project manager with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. “The Falls has been an important cultural gathering place since time immemorial, since humans have come here.”
Not to mention – it’s a big tourist draw.
The Metropolitan Council estimates about 2.7 million people visit the regional park every year, including Carl Wellington and his family.
Now living in Pittsburgh, he grew up in the Metro and brought his family back for a visit this week.
“I’m originally from South Minneapolis,” Wellington explains. “I was here as a kid, and this was one of my favorite places, I’d come down to see the falls. It’s such an iconic part of Minneapolis.”
But on the south side of the falls, a stairway and access points are now blocked by a chain link fence, the area falling into disrepair.
“It’s currently a bit of an eyesore,” says Sarah Franz, of Minneapolis. “Fixing it up, making it more inviting and an accessible space would definitely be a great use of time and resources.”
HejlStone says the Park and Rec Board has the funding needed, about $1.2 million, to clean up those damaged areas.
But now the board is planning a Minnehaha makeover.
“This is much more than a rehab project,” HejlStone notes. “This is a whole reconstruct.”
At a Tuesday evening open house, the public got a chance to check out three different infrastructure repair plans.
“We want to explore options that have a much lighter touch on the landscape or would be representative to the landscape using more natural materials,” HejlStone explains.
One option would replicate the original 1930s design, built during the Great Depression as a Works Progress Administration project.
A second would include gravel trails and glass barriers at the overlook.
A third design would use treated wood for overlooks, stairs, and benches.
“I think making an inviting space that also blends with nature would be a great idea,” Franz says. “Definitely inviting, a unique area.”
Park and Rec designers are hoping to come up with a concept plan in the fall.
However, there’s no timeline on when construction would begin.
The final cost could be in the millions, HejlStone says, depending on what design is selected and what materials are used. She says no one design is set in stone, and that the final project could be a blend of ideas.
But the hope is for a more natural landscape that’s accessible to all.
“Of course, cost matters, but I think investing in our green spaces is something I believe in,” Wellington says. “I believe people before us had the foresight to invest in things we enjoy. I would love for us to do that for our future generations.”