A Park Board Proposal By A Former Park Board Commissioner Offers Another Perspective
The following letter-to-the-editor appeared in the June 15, 2009 issue of the Star Tribune
INSTEAD OF ELIMINATION, CONSIDER A MERGER I served on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) for nine years, from 1997 to 2005. I strongly oppose the proposal to make the park system a department within city government.
I do, however, think there is an option that hasn't been discussed: How about merging the MPRB with Three Rivers Park District?
A June 9 letter writer pointed out that in the library merger, the Minneapolis system merged with Hennepin County's "like missioned, like minded, and like governed" system. An independent Park Board would still remain with a merger and would also provide considerable cost savings.
Another possibility might be to merge just the regional parks within the MPRB system with Three Rivers. Some examples of regional parks are Wirth, Minnehaha, and North Mississippi. Surveys at regional parks have shown that noncity residents make up the majority of users. The MPRB has a record of providing excellent programming to the neighborhood parks and recreation centers. The recreation staff of the MPRB provides outstanding offerings to children, youth and adults. Having a MPRB that just administered these parks and recreation centers might be an option.
I learned as a commissioner that the majority of Minneapolis Park users are passionate about their neighborhood parks but not so interested in the "bigger picture." Six of the nine MPRB commissioners represent districts, and this more parochial view is evident here, too. Three Rivers not only has an outstanding record of providing well-run and well-maintained parks for many years, they also have actively sought out new parkland to provide even more green space and recreational opportunities for future generations.
VIVIAN MASON, MINNEAPOLIS