While I am aware of the consistent signage of park properties that has been in place for a long time, I am also aware that many good citizens of Minneapolis only recognize the playgrounds as parks.
With such an extensive park system, it's like the "Elephant in the Room". Minneapolis is not just a beautiful city, it took great care with visionary planning and development by the Minneapolis Park Board.. There were many hard fought battles since 1883, and they still continue today. There are Minneapolitans who have told me that the lakes (for instance) are not parks, they were already here. Further, as an example, some residents think the City is responsible for maintaining the playgrounds, lakes, gardens and the boulevard trees.These same people don't see that the Park Maintainance Department and Park Forestry Department and Park Horticulture Department are the employees of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Many still do not not understand that the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board are an elected independent board with their own budget, and they have to make it stretch to maintain over 6,000 acres of park properties they are responsible for as well as our boulevard trees, and all of that is in addition to staffing the outstanding recreation programs they provide so economically to our children. It seems to me, that if the "Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board" was uniformly placed on the signage through out the system, it would help those who don't know (and those who visit the city) to better understand that it is the Park Board and not the Mayor's office that is responsible for these properties. As to correctly labeling the signs for East and West Minnehaha Parkway, that is another issue. Joan Berthiaume Minneapolis Parks Legacy Society ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karen Cooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 5:44 PM Subject: Re: [Mpls] New Parkway Signs > At 7:54 -0500 7/5/03, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >--__--__-- > > > >Message: 15 > >From: "JOAN BERTHIAUME" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 11:42:56 -0500 > >Subject: [Mpls] New Parkway Signs > > > > I was pleased to see the "Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board" placed = > >on the new Parkway signs. My impression is that the signs are good = > >looking and tasteful. > > > >It is a great idea to identify all park property that the Minneapolis = > >Park and Recreation Board is responsible for. It would be a great idea = > >to place this identification on all of the signs at the lakes, on all = > >parkways, in all neighborhood parks, soccer fields, and in even the = > >smallest park triangle. > > Yes. The idea of a consistent style for signs marking all the parks > and properties the MPRB cares for is a good one. It's an idea that's > been used for all the decades I've lived in Minneapolis. It's not a > new idea. The smallest triangle has, today, a sign that connotes it > is park board property. > > Adding "Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board" to these signs drives > home the point to those who do not recognize that the consistent > style of the signs on MPRB properties connotes those properties as > all being under one jurisdiction. I've never had trouble getting > that idea from the signs alone, without the additional words > "Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board" added to them. Perhaps > others mileage varies. No one has yet offered any information about > the public's confusion on what properties the Park Board controls. > > Commissioner Young has told us that the money to make and place these > signs is federal dollars coming to the MBRB because of the parkway's > (and regional parks') National Scenic Byways designation. She has > said that the money is "the only safe/positive money we have for" > [...] marketing the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Given that, it's hard > to understand why the signs don't do anything to promote or market > the Grand Rounds. > > I haven't seen the new signs appearing on Park Board properties that > are not part of the Grand Rounds. Anyone? > > Commissioner Young has said she will ask park board staffers about my > questions (which include confusion about why the correct designations > "East Minnehaha Parkway" and "West Minnehaha Parkway" are not being > used in these new signs). I continue to look forward to her reply. > > Karen Cooper, signed up in Tangletown > TEMPORARY REMINDER: > 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) > > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
