Listening Session

The Minneapolis Public Schools board just set a date for a community forum at Howe Elementary, Nov. 2nd at 6pm:

We want to thank community members for reaching out to us about Cooper playground and sharing what this space means to your community. Based on an inspection of the age and condition of the equipment, it was recommended that the playground be removed. We want to ensure every playground owned by MPS meets all safety and accessibility standards.

We have heard how important this space is to so many and want to take some time to look at all possible solutions, so we have paused the scheduled removal while this takes place. We would like to hold a meeting on Nov. 2, 6pm at Howe Elementary to spend some time in community to process the situation and determine the next steps. In the meantime, to keep all community members informed, MPS will be posting signage to let park attendees know of compromised structures within the playground.

Our hope is to work with Council Member Johnson, Park Commissioner Alper, as well as community members and neighborhood associations. We hope to see you at this community gathering.

Possible points of discussion include:

• The cost of maintaining the park up until this point, including direct material costs, insurance, and administrative.
• Is a community-funded repair of the most essential parts an option? Such as the hanging bridge anchor points.
• What options have been discussed in the past for the property as a whole?