Wedge Point Park Youth Engagement Workshops Provide Innovative Path to New Minneapolis Park

A new park is coming to Minneapolis, and youth are helping design it.

The Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation (SMSBF) created a series of youth workshops to engage young people with the community and establish Wedge Point Park at 1920 Aldrich Avenue South in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood (the Wedge) of Minneapolis.

The workshops were developed with Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation partners World Savvy and the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB).

The workshops are taking place at SPEAK MPLS (2429 Nicollet Ave.), a community media center in Minneapolis and another Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation community partner.

On Nov. 10, 25 youth from Ella Baker School and other schools in and around Minneapolis gathered for the first of three community engagement workshops.

They started by answering four questions.

1. What makes a public space welcoming?

2. What do you like about being in a park or in nature?

3. What resources (things) do you need in a public space? (Ex.: water, clean air, places to sit, places to play, shelter from sun/rain/snow, etc.)

4. What makes a public space feel unwelcoming or uncomfortable?

Seven teams of youth (ages 9 to 16), along with at least one community elder per team, created a list of what people want in a park and what they don’t want (pros/cons).

The teams were named Big Steps in Life (BSIL), El Helado (Ice Cream), Stars, The Munchies, Rubber Ducky Mountain, C7, and The Trombones.

They created seven visions for Wedge Point Park. Each team presented their visions during a gallery walk.

Big Steps in Life (BSIL)

El Helado

The Munchies

Stars

Rubber Ducky Mountain

The Trombones

On Nov. 17, 40 youth from Ella Baker and beyond continued planning the future of Wedge Point Park.

Through a variety of hands-on interactive activities, they built consensus around what people most enjoy at a park.

The youth, together with community members, narrowed down their visions.

They synthesized their ideas.

Then they built three prototype models of the park.

Prototype No. 1

Prototype No. 2

Prototype No. 3

On Nov. 24, youth will present their recommendations and action plan to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

“Youth have innovative ideas. They just need opportunities for their voices to be heard to put their ideas into action,” said Eric Ortiz, the executive director of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, a national youth and community development nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis. “We are excited to give youth this unique opportunity to help create a new park and look forward to providing youth with many more opportunities to have their voices heard and put their ideas into action.”

“Many of these students come with extensive experience in dreaming and designing what their own school playground could be, only to be met with systemic barriers to making their dreams a reality,” said Molly Dengler, a professional learning facilitator with World Savvy and a Wedge Point Park youth engagement workshop leader. “It’s so encouraging to see MPRB invest in the vision of these key youth stakeholders and entrust them with listening to diverse perspectives to make recommendations that will be taken seriously.”

“It’s really important that we as youth have voices when it comes to the decisions around our city,” said 16-year-old Eva Ortiz, a Wedge Point Park youth workshop facilitator and an elected member of the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) board. “We should have a say in shaping the future of Minneaopolis.”

“Partnering with local groups like Strong Mind Strong Body who are working to inspire and support youth and community is the future of MPRB engagement,” said Elizabeth Schaffer, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board commissioner for District 4, where Wedge Point Park is located. “Thanks to all who have given their ideas and feedback. You have written a success story to kick off our work on Wedge Point Park!”

Wedge Point Park is located at the top of the Wedge and is about 0.22 acres, including the north and west parcels of land.

These youth engagement workshops are part of a series of community engagement events to design a new park space at the northern edge of the Wedge neighborhood.