Hello Friends,

I hope you all are enjoying the opening days of winter! With the early snowfall and cold, MPRB staff are already busy preparing to open our skating rinks, and the Loppet staff have started making snow for the Wirth Park ski trails. Time to sharpen the skates and wax the skis!

Soo Line Garden

Tonight the park board will finalize two designs that have been underway for almost the entirety of my four-year term as commissioner. First is the final Soo Line Garden design that honors the wishes of the community and has its full support. This concept plan protects the integrity of the area as public parkland with a focus on gardening, including eight accessible raised beds. At the same time, the final design provides accessibility to the Midtown Greenway down the side of the garden and a pedestrian staircase entrance to the garden separate from the bike path. The new design differs from the original county proposal to split the garden down the middle with a wider accessible path, not optimal for the safety of both gardeners and Whittier school children. Once approved, the Soo Line long-range plan will be added to the Midtown Regional Trail Plan.

From the start, there were accusations that opposition to the original design was because critics were either against accessibility or bike paths, which was simply not true. When we take the time to assume best intent and truly listen to each other we can move beyond sound bites and arrive at better solutions. This process, which played out over the course of four years, is a testimony to the power of community in caring for and knowing what is best for local spaces.

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

I am also excited about approval for the Eloise Butler Entrance Renovation, which is the main entry point for the wildflower garden.  This attractive design creates a welcoming transition from the parking lot to the historic garden, and includes an open amphitheater for group gatherings, greater accessibility, and new restrooms. The renovation also protects the garden itself from new infrastructure within the historic fence line. I am proud to support this design -- thanks to both residents and Friends of Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden for all your engagement!

Budget Approval, Park Police

Additionally this evening, as Chair of the Administration and Finance Committee, I will be leading the board through the first step in approving our 2026 park budget. All park board members will join the committee tonight so we can have a robust discussion before the final budget approval at City Hall on December 9^th. Among the discussion items will be several amendments of interest, including protecting Rec Plus services from fee increases, adding support for natural resources, funding to remove the Pioneers’ Monument from BF Nelson Park, and seed money for a new dog park in Northeast Minneapolis.

I will also be bringing forward an amendment to add two new staff to the park police department, specifically a park police sergeant and park police officer. Earlier in the budget process I requested a staff report on our hiring history, which shows no significant investment in sworn staffing within the park police department in over 25 years. In 2001, we had a total of 38 officers, but today that number has dropped to 35. When you consider the geographic expansion of our park system since 2001 and the 44% rise in incidents between 2019 and 2025, you see the need. Additionally, with the opening of Upper Harbor Park next year, and 54 new events coming to this venue in 2027, officers will be needed to staff these events. Without additional officers, this will increase our need for overtime and put additional strain on covering regular shifts. Hiring now for 2026 allows a year of training to be prepared for the additional staffing needs in 2027. Newly-appointed Commissioner Averi Turner will also be bringing forward a similar amendment, but with a different funding source. I am hopeful one of these amendments passes.

As commissioner of District 4, we have the parks with the highest number of violent crimes in the entire park system and need to support appropriate levels of officers. If you would like to speak in support of any of the budget amendments this evening, you can sign up at the start of our 5pm board meeting until public comment time starts at 5:30pm. Alternatively, you can also call 612-230-6400 before 3p.m. today to sign up. Our board meetings are held at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road.

Incident by SWLRT

Speaking of emergency response, last evening park police were called to a “person down” report in a wooded area near Kenilworth Trail, between the 21^st Street and Bryn Mawr light rail stations. Upon arrival, park police found a deceased adult male in an encampment on Met Council property. In a tent nearby, another person was found with critical injuries and taken to HCMC. A third person was arrested for being a non-compliant sex offender after trying to enter the crime scene. The MPD Homicide Unit is investigating, and I’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

It is bittersweet to think that this parks chapter of my public service is coming to a close soon, but I look forward with great excitement to serving you on the city council. Please know that in these uncertain times I stand with community.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Shaffer

Minneapolis Park Commissioner, District 4

Minneapolis City Council Member-Elect

Prepared and paid for by Elizabeth for Parks