MPRB to Honor Commissioner Young with Community Comments and Resolution Renaming Park
Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 10:10AMVia a February 2 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:
At its Feb. 7, 2018 meeting, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) of Commissioners will consider a resolution authorizing Riverside Park to be renamed Annie Young Riverside Park in honor of the recent passing of Annie Young, a dedicated environmental and riverfront advocate during her 28-year tenure on the Park Board. The resolution also calls for the area within the park along West River Parkway, called Lower Riverside Park, to be renamed Annie Young Memorial Meadow.
A celebration of Young’s legacy is scheduled at 6 pm during the Feb. 7 Board meeting. Board meetings are held at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road. Following comments by public officials and Young’s family, the community is invited to share their thoughts and memories from Young’s career.
Young served seven consecutive terms as an At Large Commissioner, from January 1990 until December 2017, making her one of the two longest-serving commissioners in the MPRB’s 134-year history. She passed away last month at the age of 75.
Young was a lifelong environmentalist who spearheaded solar energy use in parks, clean water initiatives and a 95% reduction in chemical pesticide application on Minneapolis park land. She was also a powerful Mississippi River advocate, instrumental in the creation, development and stewardship of riverfront park land, which includes Riverside Park.
Riverside Park was one of the first parks established in Minneapolis. It is located at 2820 S Eighth St. and encompasses 28 acres of riverfront land on the west bank of the Mississippi River in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. In 2005, MPRB Commissioner John Erwin nominated that an area within Riverside Park called Lower Riverside Park be renamed after Young. According to current Board President Brad Bourn, there has been strong support among past and current Board members for renaming the park in honor of Young and discussions were underway to do so after she retired from the Board.
Those who would like to give public testimony on the resolution to rename Riverside Park in Young’s honor may do so during the regularly scheduled 5:30 pm Open Time at the Feb. 7 Board meeting. Please sign up to speak in person before Open Time begins or call ahead at 612-230-6400.
