►
Description
The Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a 2022 Budget for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) that marks historic investments in youth, addresses ongoing challenges caused by COVID-19, and protects park assets. The budget includes a historic $2.6 million increase in youth investments through a combination of gradual increases in property taxes and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding allocations.
A
The
thing
that
he
held
dear,
that
he
has
been
most
passionate
about-
is
youth
recreation,
youth
sports
and
making
sure
that
our
kids
just
get
some
love
and
compassion
throughout
our
park
system
and
from
the
very
beginning,
going
back
three
years
ago,
we've
been
meeting
on
a
consistent
basis
with
superintendent
al
bangora
to
chart
out
what
the
next
phase
of
funding
will
ultimately
look
like
now
about
six
years
ago,
somewhere
in
there,
four
or
five
years
ago,
we
instituted
the
20-year
parks
and
streets
deal.
You
may
remember
this.
A
This
was
quite
a
bit
of
money
that
went
to
a
combination
of
infrastructure
in
the
form
of
our
roads
and
then
infrastructure
in
the
form
of
some
of
the
deferred
maintenance
in
our
parks.
That
was
a
really
important
step,
but
it
was
important
to
take
the
next
step
to
actually
help
people
and
our
youth
directly,
and
so
we
worked
together
for
quite
a
long
period
of
time.
In
fact,
going
into
the
global
pandemic.
A
In
january
february
and
march,
we
had
all
organized
a
task
force
with
the
minneapolis
park
and
recreation
board,
with
the
ymca,
with
our
minneapolis
public
schools
and
our
city,
to
chart
a
course
for
how
best
to
fund
kids
and
then
a
global
pandemic
hit,
and
it
became
very
difficult
to
meet,
and
some
of
it
took
a
bit
of
a
hiatus.
Until
last
year
we
worked
together
again
to
get
2.6
million
dollars
every
single
year,
going
specifically
to
our
kids
in
our
parks,
and
there
are
a
few
different
outlays
as
to
how
it
works.
A
The
the
second
is
to
make
sure
that
we
have
these
creation
spaces
that
are
set
up
throughout
our
parks
and
there's
a
significant
amount
of
funding
that
is
going
towards
them.
The
third
is
just
to
make
sure
we've
got
employment
opportunities.
We
want
to
make
sure
that
we
have
employment
opportunities
for
our
kids.
It's
been
said
before
I'll
say
it
again.
A
The
best
way
to
stop
a
bullet
is
a
job
and
making
sure
that
they
understand
that
there
is
a
plethora
of
opportunities
before
them
where
they
can
both
serve
their
community
and
make
some
money
at
the
same
time
is
such
a
critical
piece
so
we're
so
proud
to
finally,
have
these
programs
come
to
fruition,
I'm
so
proud
to
be
working
with
our
with
our
park
board
with
the
the
park
board.
President
mcfourney
who's
here
with
us
and
our
superintendent
al
bangora.
A
You
know
this
is
a
big
deal
for
our
city.
This
is
some
really
positive
news
to
make
sure
that,
over
these
last
two
years,
that
have
undoubtedly
been
really
hard,
we're
still
paying
attention
to
what
matters.
What
matters
is
our
youth,
so
I'm
so
proud
to
be
working
with
these
two
individuals
and
with
that
I'll
turn
it
over
to
superintendent
al
bangor,
to
provide
a
little
more
detail
as
to
how
that
2.6
million
dollars
is
being
allocated.
B
All
right,
thank
you
so
much.
Thank
you
mayor
for
your
comments
and,
of
course,
working
with
the
minneapolis
park
and
recreation
board,
truly
grateful,
and
it's
always
very
hard
following
the
mayor.
He
says
it
so
well,
and
we've
been
working
so
hard
at
this
over
the
last
several
years
and
incredibly
grateful
here
today
to
talk
about
the
programs.
So
since
january
2019,
when
I
began
my
appointment
as
the
superintendent
for
the
minneapolis
park
erection
board,
one
of
my
key
strategic
goals
was
the
empowerment
of
minneapolis
youth,
particularly
in
our
city's
most
vulnerable
neighborhoods.
B
B
He
said
it
very
well:
we've
been
working
very
hard
at
this,
and
the
mayor's
commitment
has
been
really
evident,
and
we
are
very
grateful
for
that.
I'd
also
like
to
thank
the
last
years
or
the
previous
board
board
members
from
the
park
board
and
the
city
council
members
and
the
board
of
estimate
and
taxation.
B
B
The
funding
will
be
dedicated
to
youth
programs.
As
the
mayor
said,
the
creation
space,
which
we
call
spark
studios,
youth,
employment,
nature-based
programs
and
intergenerational
programming.
Currently
we
have
plans
to
launch
three
spark.
Three
new
spark
studios
are,
as
we
said,
before,
creation
space.
We
call
them
spark
studios
at
three
locations,
harrison
park,
luxton
and
whittier
parks
the
harrison
park
studios.
We
plan
on
breaking
ground
in
the
spring
of
22
this
year
and
we
will
be
launching
or
opening
the
spark
studio
in
the
summer
of
22,
which
is
very
exciting.
B
Is
that,
starting
this
summer
programming,
the
mprb
is
eliminating
fees
for
youth
programs
and
youth
sports
at
17
program
sites
across
our
city
and
they're,
within
our
boundaries
of
our
areas
of
concentrated
poverty
and
areas
of
contrary
to
poverty,
where
50
or
more
residents
of
people
are
people
of
color.
Those
locations
are
or
include
botnet,
central
gym,
east
phillips,
elliott,
farvew
falwell,
harrison
luxton
north
commons,
north
mississippi
nature
center,
painter,
pv
phillips,
potterhorn,
stuart
van
cleef
and
whittier.
B
B
What
we
currently
have
is
the
youth
community
connectors,
which
is
a
new
nprb
employment
opportunity
for
youth,
to
promote
nprb,
teen
programs
activities,
jobs
and
with
their
peers
during
spring
break,
which
is
coming
up.
We
have
a
lot
of
youth
that
will
be
out
in
spring
break
during
the
minneapolis
public
schools
spring
break
mprb
is
offering
activities,
youth,
violence,
prevention,
programs
and
youth
employment,
fair
and
also
through
our
community
connections.
B
Ampere
will
be
working
with
the
neighborhood
groups
and
associations
to
develop
and
offer
summer
programs
and
events
at
key
parks
without
recreation
centers,
so
we'll
actually
have
our
folks.
That
will
be
in
a
lot
of
our
satellite
parks
or
parks
that
don't
have
staff
on
them.
We'll
make
sure
that
we
have
staff
there
to
help
young
peace.
Young
people
connect
with
our
programs,
and
one
really
important
thing
that
the
mayor
had
mentioned.
Of
course
before
is
the
minneapolis
park
and
records
board
is
currently
hiring.
B
So
this
is
my
pitch
to
people.
We
have
really
wonderful
job
opportunities.
We
seek
really
creative,
nurturing
employees
to
work
with
youth
in
a
dedicated
outdoor
employees
and
care
for
our
green
spaces,
our
parks
and
our
golf
courses.
So
with
that,
thank
you
for
your
time
and
I'm
going
to
turn
this
now
over
to
president
forney.
C
Thank
you,
superintendent,
bangora,
and
particularly
thank
you
so
much,
mr
fry.
This
is
a
wonderful
acknowledgement
of
the
collaborative
work
that
we
have
done
together
to
serve
families
and
youth
in
minneapolis,
for
supporting
the
our
past
are
2022.
It
is
this
budget
and
everything
with
the
arpa
funds
and
with
his
commitment
to
a
gradual
annual
increase
in
the
park
board's
property
tax
levy
from
2023
through
2027
to
meet
the
full
2.6
million
in
youth
investment
as
the
arpa
funds
decline.
C
C
This
funding
and
programming
will
address
this
increase
in
youth
violence
in
2020
and
2021
media
reported
an
increase
in
youth
violence
in
areas
of
our
city.
We
need
to
increase
opportunities
for
our
youth
today
they
are
our
future
park
spaces
and
park.
Staff
are
uniquely
positioned
to
provide
positive,
engaging,
meaningful
and
sometimes
life-changing
experiences
for
our
youth
city's
youth.
C
I'm
so
pleased
that
also
that
the
we
passed
last
year
to
eliminate
fees
for
youth
programs
in
17
different
parks
starting
this
summer,
and
I'm
excited
also
about
the
parks
on
plans
for
new
creative
studios
youth
council
spring
breaks,
so
many
different
opportunities.
I
also
want
to
indicate
that
we
do
have
a
brand
new
board.
C
This
is
now
we're
on
two
months
and
what's
really
unique
about
this
board
is
the
fact
that
seven
of
those
commissioners
out
of
a
nine-member
board
are
all
they
all
have
youth,
24
and
under
exactly
what
we
are
looking
to
aim.
So
these
people
are
invested
understand
the
needs
of
critical
critical
needs.
So
I'm
very
excited
about
the
efforts
that
are
happening
now
and
at
that
I'll
stand
for
questions
from
the
media.
B
Yeah,
the
young
people
that
we
hire
specifically
they're.
They
do
multiple
things
during
the
summer.
A
lot
of
them
are
in
our
team
teamworks
program,
which
is
connected
to
our
environmental
stewardship
area.
So
do
a
lot
of
work
around
our
park
system
and
we
then
start
to
prepare
them
at
the
young
age
of
14.
All
the
way
up
to.
B
And
your
second
question:
I'm
sorry
yeah
yeah,
like
for
an
example,
would
be
we're
hiring.
At
least
12
of
those
are
meaning
direct
programming
for
youth,
so
be
working
in
a
lot
of
our
rec
centers,
so
example
is
right
here
at
potterhorn
we
have
a
spark
studio
at
potterhorn,
harrison,
whittier
and
luxem,
for
example.
Those
are
four
positions
that
we
will
be
hiring
someone
full
time
in
that
role.
That's
going
to
be
direct
services
in
our
creation
spaces,
our
spark
studios.
B
Out
of
those
12
that
I
mentioned,
eight
of
those
will
be
within
youth
line,
and
youth
on
is
the
direct
connection
that
we
engage
and
work
with
youth
connect
them
to
opportunities,
and
so
they're
directly
connected
to
the
parks
and
to
the
youth
they
take
them
on
field
trips
to
help
them
connect
to
jobs.
They
do
wonderful
programs
throughout
our
parks
and
so
we're
increasing
the
number
of
of
staff
that
will
be
working
directly
with
youth.
B
We
currently
have
eight
that
are
12
that
are
currently
there,
so
we're
adding
eight
more
now
that
will
be
directly
embedded
in
our
rec
centers
working
directly
with
you.
So
those
are
just
some
of
the
examples
of
the
number
of
people.
We're
gonna,
be
hiring
directly
working
with
our
young
people
in
our
community
centers.
B
Well,
the
the
fun
the
funding
itself.
The
funding
is
continuous.
It's
it's
yeah,
it's
in
perpetuity,
so
the
work
that
we
have
done
together,
that
2.6
million
is
in
tax,
it's
in
our
tax
levy,
but
it's
also
which
we're
very
grateful
for
the
mayor
worked
with
arpa
funding,
but
we're
increasing
that
funding
to
be
2.6
million
dollars
in
our
general
fund
by
2027.
So
the
2.6
million
is
right
now
every
year
going
forward
and
will
be
in
perpetuity
for
the
youth
of
minneapolis.
B
So
that
is
dedicated
funding
for
our
youth
and
it
truly
is
historic.
We
look
at
capital,
we
do
our
capital
around
all
of
our
infrastructure.
We
look
at
our
tree,
levees,
we're
now
investing
in
our
youth,
we're
saying
to
our
youth
we
care
about
you.
We
see
you,
we
know
what
your
needs
are
and
we're
going
to
invest
in
that
and
we're
so
grateful
that
working
with
the
mayor.
We
are
investing
in
our
youth
and
they
will
know
it
because
we're
going
to
have
our
staff
and
our
parks
will
be
there
for
them.
B
Well,
the
17
parks
that
we
do
have
fees
in
are
no
fees.
Those
are
just
youth
come
and
they
go
to
those
parks
and
those
are
those
areas
of
concentrated
poverty.
So
we
made
sure
that
we
did
that
immediately
and
also
the
acp
50.,
so
those
17
parts
there's
no
fees
and
they
could
pay
what
they
want
to
pay
the
rest
of
our
park
system.
We
very
most
of
our
programs
are
free.
B
We
are
taxpayer-based
organization,
there
are
some
minimal
fees
for
some
programs
for
supplies,
but
if
you
go
to
a
park
most
of
our
kids
come
to
our
parks.
There
are
no
fees
for
our
youth,
mostly
that
we
might
have
something
for
our
for
our
sports
programs,
but
we
do
also
now
have
a.
We
have
a
scholarship
fee
that
we
have
in
there.
We
have
a
donation
fee,
so
most
of
the
kids
come
to
our
parks,
there's
no
fee
for
them.
B
Absolutely
yeah
part
of
the
part
of
the
youth
line
that
I
was
mentioning
earlier,
the
12
that
we
currently
have
and
the
eight
that
we're
going
to
be
currently
hiring
they're
in
the
community
every
day
and
they're
talking
to
youth
every
day.
Most
of
the
youth
that
connect
to
our
teen
teen
works
programs
are
connected
to
our
parks
and
so
the
work
that
we
do
and
how
we
recruit
a
lot
of
it
is
really
one
to
one.
B
So
the
work
that
we
do
is
truly
community
based
and
our
centers
and
our
staff
do
really
intentional
reach
out
to
our
youth
to
get
them
connected
and
that's
how
we
get
them
into
jobs.
Get
them
into
programs
and
kids
are
very
tech,
savvy,
so
they'll
look
at
their
cell
phones,
we'll
be
posting
on
our
park
board
website.
We
do
a
lot
of
work
on
that.
So
a
lot
of
the
work
that
we
do
is
give
me
direct
connection
to
our
youth
and
get
them
involved
in
the
programs
themselves.
B
Well,
we
usually
employ
over
300
to
300
youth
in
our
programs
and
so
again
we're
very
we're
one
of
the
largest
employers
of
our
youth.
So
we
we
offer
a
tremendous
amount
of
programs,
I'm
not
sure
the
amount
of
numbers
we
have
this
year
because
we
are
bound
by
what
we
do
through
deed
and
through
the
programs
we
get
through
our
funding.
B
But
we
serve
hundreds
of
kids
every
single
year,
specifically
in
teen
teen
works.
But
then,
when
we
look
at
our
other
programs
that
we
offer
programs
through
our
child
care
through
part-time
employment
through
work
that
we
just
do
and
just
hiring
folks
to
work
in
small
programs
that
are
parks,
we
hire
a
tremendous
amount
of
youth
and
so
in
the
hundreds
and
so
yeah.
A
If
I
could
just
I
wanted
to
make
a
couple
additional
points
here.
First,
youth
recreation
has
been
underfunded
since,
like
the
early
1980s
and
one
of
the
big
pieces
that
the
superintendent
said
to
us
from
the
get-go
was
this
can't
just
be
one
time
where
you
provide
the
funding
for
a
couple
of
years.
We
set
up
a
decent
program,
and
then
we
yank
the
rug
out
from
under
our
kids.
A
It
has
to
be
ongoing,
and
so
that's
why
this
2.6
million
dollars
really
is
a
once
in
a
generation
kind
of
opportunity
to
get
this
right
so
that
the
park
board
knows
and
that
our
youth
knows
that
these
are
programs
and
mentorships
that
get
set
up
that
are
not
just
going
to
be
taken
away.
The
second
piece
is
about
these
creation
spaces.
Now,
when
I
was
growing
up
and
playing
in
the
parks,
I
was
very
you
know,
one-dimensional
in
terms
of
my
outlook,
which
was
predominantly
around
sports.
A
When
I
thought
of
recreation
and
playtime,
I
thought
of
track
and
field
and
soccer
and
basketball.
Now
the
important
piece
here
with
these
creation
spaces
is
that
we're
meeting
young
people
where
they
are
and
where
they
are,
is
around
art
and
music
and
science
and
technology.
It's
about
having
an
opportunity
to
express
themselves
and
perhaps
a
different
way
than
we
probably
have
in
the
past,
and
rather
than
just
forcing
a
ball
down
someone's
throat.