Parks+Public Art Committee
Parks+Public Art Committee
The Parks + Public Art Committee (P+P) is dedicated to the planning, design, development, and care of North Loop public spaces. Through a community-centered approach, the committee works closely with city and local partners to connect the North Loop neighborhood residents and businesses to current and upcoming public space developments through discussion, engagement, and volunteerism.
Meeting Time & Place
2nd Wednesday of the month
Itasca Event Gallery
706 North 1st Street
Minneapolis 55401
6:00 – 7:30 pm
All meetings are open to the public. Typically, no meeting in December.
P+P Committee Members
David Crary (chair)*
Patty Connelly
Jan Elftmann
Grant Johnson*
Andrew Morse*
Louis Raymond*
* Current board member
Parks+Public Art Highlights
The most visible initiative for P+P is the restoration of riverfront paths, officially known as James Rice Park. As recently as six years ago, the river wasn’t visible from the paved walking paths, and the gravel paths closer to the river were overgrown.
In 2019, David Crary, a North Loop resident and park lover, asked the NLNA to support cleanup and restoration efforts, telling the NLNA Board that “the park just needs a little love.”
Since then, hundreds of volunteers have shown the area a lot of love, putting in thousands of hours to clear invasive species, plant new trees and native plants, pull weeds, build log paths add mulch in the spring and tulip bulbs in the fall. Thanks to these volunteers, we enjoy beautiful river views throughout the year. Behind the scenes the P+P Committee partners with the Minneapolis Park Board and Friends of the Mississippi to keep the momentum going for this scenic amenity in our neighborhood.
This video from 2024 celebrates the hard work that went into the transformation.
Today, David Crary is vice president of the NLNA Board and co-chair of the P+P Committee. Along with fellow NNLA board member and committee co-chair Andrew Morse, they continue to work with the Minneapolis Park Board and Friends of the Mississippi to develop a Master Plan for the area to keep it healthy and growing.
Much of the work at the park takes place on Service Saturdays, held at 10am on the second Saturday of the month, May through October. If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, please join us!
2025 Priorities
3rd Street Park: North Loop residents consistently tell us that green space is a top priority for the neighborhood. In 2021, the Minneapolis Park Board purchased a parking lot on 3rd Street North and began transforming it into a park by laying sod, planting a few small trees and adding lawn furniture. The P+P Committee will continue to work with the Park Board on more enhancements, including more trees, grasses, pollinator plants and even a small amphitheater.
This story from 2024 details some of the possibilities, including smart technology features.
Dog Park: The dogs of the North Loop are some of our cutest residents, and the dog park at the corner of 3rd Street N. and 8th Avenue N. gives them space to play and socialize. The land is owned by developer Shaffer Richardson and managed by the NLNA. in 2024, the P+P Committee spearheaded a major renovation that included new gravel, fence repairs and upgraded signage. Many thanks to the neighborhood businesses who sponsored most of the costs involved. If your dog regularly enjoys the park, we encourage you to donate $100 (or more!) annually to cover costs for everything from lighting to poop bags.