First Phase of Graco Park Opens on Northeast Minneapolis Riverfront

Graco Park from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge shortly before it opened to the public on September 25, 2024

Now open: New trails, river landing, public art, picnic tables, and gathering spaces surrounded by hundreds of new trees and native plants

Next phases include The River Hub at Graco Park, a new 4,000-square-foot park building opening in 2025, and a future trail connection to Boom Island Park under Plymouth Avenue Bridge

Graco Park is now open along the Northeast Minneapolis riverfront! The new nine-acre park is located just north of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge, between Boom Island Park and Graco Inc. headquarters. It includes Hall’s Island, which was restored in 2018, plus new trails and walkways, a river landing, public art, picnic tables, and gathering spaces surrounded by hundreds of new trees and native plants.

“If we’re going to have a truly equitable park system, residents of Northeast and North Minneapolis must be able to enjoy thoughtfully designed access to the Mississippi Riverfront, like residents in South and Southwest enjoy the riverfront, creek and lakes in their neighborhoods,” said Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Superintendent Al Bangoura. “This is something that we’ve advocated for and worked on for decades, and now these parks are no longer just ideas, plans, or illustrations; they’re real. We’re in the middle of a golden era of riverfront park development in Minneapolis.”

Two other new riverfront parks – Water Works and the 26th Avenue North Overlook – opened on the Minneapolis riverfront in 2021. In 2023, the MPRB completed an extensive renovation at Father Hennepin Bluff Park and restored 4.5 acres of oak savannah habitat at Bohemian Flats Park. Earlier in 2024, the MPRB broke ground on a new 20-acre park at the Upper Harbor redevelopment and a new trail connection between the 26th Avenue North Overlook and Ole Olson Park.

“Opening Graco Park is a monumental milestone in our ongoing, decades-long mission to transition Minneapolis’ northern riverfront to a world-class attraction that’s more welcoming to people and wildlife,” said MPRB President Meg Forney. “We’re incredibly grateful to have a network of partners and neighbors like Graco who believe in our park system and support ambitious plans to restore our natural resources and offer outstanding trails and recreation opportunities.”

Future phases planned at Graco Park include a new 4,000-square-foot park building called The River Hub at Graco Park scheduled to open in 2025 and a trail connection under Plymouth Avenue Bridge to Boom Island Park.

The River Hub at Graco Park is scheduled to open in 2025

Graco Contributions

In 2018, Graco Inc., a leading manufacturer of fluid handling equipment that is headquartered next to the park, and the MPRB reached a series of agreements that resulted in this new park. The contributions from Graco allowed the park to be constructed much earlier than it could have through traditional park funding mechanisms.

“Graco Park is a testament to Graco’s commitment to the communities where we operate,” said Mark Sheahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Graco. “Graco Park is a gathering space where the Northeast community can come together, play and build lasting relationships. We are proud to contribute to Graco Park and to be part of a community that has supported us for nearly 100 years.”

Graco Park Features

The first phase of Graco Park now open to the public includes:

• Habitat-rich plantings to support the Mississippi Flyway, including 255 trees and an expansive Bee Lawn
• Segment of Mississippi East Bank Trail
• Expansive river promenade walkway with room to host events
• New public art, “Timber Markers” that pay homage to the site’s logging history
• Gravel river landing
• Outdoor stage with sloped, grassy seating area
• Improved stormwater management
• Picnic tables
• Accessible parking spaces

L to R: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Executive Director Kevin Reich, Jan and John Gray, representatives from the Gray family that founded Graco Inc., Graco President and CEO Mark Sheahan, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board President Meg Forney

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Contributions

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) awarded a grant for native vegetation and habitat restoration, stormwater infiltration basins, a low-maintenance pollinator lawn, and a heated sidewalk and snowmelt system.

The restored habitat works hand-in-hand with the new green stormwater infrastructure at the park. A series of interconnected stormwater basins, planted with native vegetation and scattered throughout the site, form a stormwater treatment train to capture and clean runoff. These features are projected to capture 99 percent of the park’s stormwater runoff and remove up to 85 percent of sediment and phosphorus that otherwise would have entered the Mississippi River.

The heated sidewalk snowmelt system was installed in high foot-traffic areas around the new park building, reducing the need for salt and sand to keep paved areas safe for pedestrian traffic in the winter. The building will use geothermal heat for heating and cooling as part of the “Net Zero” building design.

Graco Park Agreements

On Oct. 17, 2018, the MPRB and Graco Inc. reached several agreements on the development of a riverfront park adjacent to Hall’s Island in Northeast Minneapolis.

Included in the agreements:

• The Graco Foundation donated more than $3 million to the MPRB to fund a new park named “Graco Park.”
• Graco gave an easement for the Mississippi East Bank Trail to the MPRB for free and the parties ended legal proceedings related to the easement.
• The MPRB sold 2.2 acres located next to Graco’s Riverside production facility to Graco at a fair market value of $1.1 million.
  • This land is part of a 3.55-acre section of the 11-acre site, dubbed “Parcel D,” which was purchased by the MPRB without state regional park funding.
  • When the site was acquired in 2010, the MPRB, City of Minneapolis and Metropolitan Council all agreed that Parcel D would not become parkland and planned to instead use Parcel D for a public-private partnership of some kind.
• Graco funded flood protection constructed on Parcel D and prepaid park dedication fees for Parcel D.

The site fall 2017, before Hall's Island was restored and Graco Park was built

Site History

2010: The MPRB purchased the 11-acre riverfront site from Scherer Bros Lumber Co. The former lumberyard was cleaned up and industrial buildings and asphalt were replaced with grass over the next few years.

2016: The Mississippi East Bank Trail was paved through the site. This riverfront trail extension connects Boom Island Park, Graco Park and Sheridan Memorial Park before terminating at the BNSF railroad bridge, in the 1600 block of Marshall Street NE.

2017-18: A project restored Hall's Island, which was eliminated by lumber yard expansion in the 1960s, and created a new gravel river beach.

2018: The MPRB and Graco Inc. reached several agreements that will result in this new park.

2021: MPRB staff collected feedback from the community, researched opportunities and constraints at the site and created a series of Graco Park design concepts for public feedback.

April 2022: The final park concept was approved by MPRB Commissioners after a public hearing.

September 2022: Grading and earthwork began to prepare site for park construction.

August 2023: Groundbreaking ceremony commemorates the beginning of park construction.

September 2024: The outdoor elements of the park open to the public.