Mprb Plans For Lake Harriet
At the January 21, 2009, Park Board meeting, the Administration and Finance Committee approved and then sent to Bob Fine's Planning Committee two agenda items that--if implemented--would dramatically alter the character and ambiance of Lake Harriet's popular north shore.
The two agenda items advocate that the current concession building be converted into a seafood restaurant with "enhanced" seating; and a new building would be constructed east of the band shell. This new building would be for Wheel Fun who would be selling popcorn and ice cream and also renting over-sized, multi-person cycles. It's not clear what other function or functions Wheel Fun might be responsible for. There were no concept plans presented to the commissioners. So it's not clear what each structure--the old and the new--would look like on the exterior and the interior.
Both proposals will be before the Planning Committee at the February 4 meeting. General Manager Donald Siggelkow is very supportive of these two proposals and is anxious to see them implemented. There were other vendors responding to the Request for Proposals, but there never was any mention of who they were or why they were not considered.
For several of us in attendance at the meeting, there were many critical questions that remain unanswered. Changes as radical and significant as these deserve thorough public scrutiny. There should be a Citizens' Advisory Committee created to review these changes BEFORE they advance any further.
The most important commissioner to contact regarding the need for public input via a mandated Citizens' Advisory Committee is Commissioner Bob Fine who is the district commissioner for Lake Harriet as well as the chair of the Planning Committee. Other Planning Committee members are Annie Young, Mary Merrill Anderson, Tracy Nordstrom and Walt Dziedzic.
The Request for Proposals and the two vendor contracts are available on the Park Board's website www.minneapolisparks.org
Arlene Fried Co-founder of Park Watch