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| Area Resources : Parks & Recreation |
Whittier Park
http://www.minneapolisparks.org |
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Everyone can find something to enjoy at Whittier Park. Located on Grand Avenue South between 25th and 26th Streets the park is attached to the elementary school. Any given time of day this park is a busy one. Come to watch or participate in an informal soccer game taking place on the fields or a pickup basketball game on the two half-courts. If you are looking to create your own adventures you can develop them as you scramble across the two playgrounds featuring a variety of slides, stairs, tunnels and shapes waiting to be part of a story. When it is time to cool down family and friends can splash around in the wading pool. This park is a safe treasure for young and old alike.
Whittier Park spans 4 acres and is located in the heart of the Whittier neighborhood. Bounded by Lyndale Avenue, Franklin Avenue, 35W and Lake Street, the neighborhood was named in honor of the poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The park was purchased in 1973 as part of the Parks in Cities? program established by President Nixon’s administration. Under this program cities were given 50% grants to acquire new parks in existing neighborhoods.
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Amenities
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• Basketball Court
• Picnic Area
• Softball Field
• Tot Lot/Playground
• Wading Pool
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Whittier Recreation Center
http://www.minneapolisparks.org |
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Surrounded by trees and shrubs, Whittier Recreation Center offers something unique to the community and beyond. Come and find a friend, a game to play, a sport to join, tools to build a hobby and almost anything your imagination can bring to mind. If you are scratching your head trying to think of what you would like to do – think about taking part in one of our popular programs such as basketball every evening, craft classes, cooking classes, hip-hop dance and so much more. This is a center that has it all! It features a large multi-purpose room that can hold up to 80 people, a new gymnasium, two kitchens plus many other assorted rooms. If your hobby is photography or you would like to learn, Whittier’s craft room includes a dark room – talk about having everything!!
Whittier Recreation Center was built in 1974. Starting in 1991, with the encouragement and input of the community, the center and park were renovated. These improvements included a new community school, general renovations in the recreation center and the addition of a gymnasium. The citizens got involved in the planning process and even participated in the building of the new gym addition. The center and gym combined have 7,549 square feet! Don’t worry you won’t get lost – Whittier has a friendly staff to help you year round.
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Amenities
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• Basketball Court
• Craft Room
• Drinking Fountain
• Gymnasium
• Kitchen
• Meeting Rooms
• Restroom Facilities
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| Lake of the Isles |
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Lake of the Isles is excellent for canoeing and allows you to access Lake Calhoun through a canal. The lake itself is 200 acres and in winter an ice rink is created on the frozen surface. Around the perimeter many active and casual opportunites exist, including bike and walking paths. Lakes of the Isles is beginning a major improvement project that will result in improvements to Isles’ water quality, eroding shorelines and damaged recreation facilities.
The Lake of the Isles construction project will correct the impact of the regional watershed that drains into the 93-acre Lake of the Isles and will reconstruct parkland damaged by the disastrous 1997 flood and the devastating 1998 windstorm.
Lake of the Isles currently has over 7 acres (the equivalent of 2 city blocks) of designated wetland and also contains wildlife, water and other areas that are enjoyed by park users for picnics, walking, jogging or Frisbee-throwing. These 7 acres of parkland have been rendered unusable by the ravages of time and weather. When completed, the project will fill 3.5 acres of the wetland creating dry and useable parkland above the 100-year flood elevation.
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Amenities
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• Biking Path
• Display Fountain
• Fishing Dock
• Hockey Rink
• Ice Rink
• Parkway - Cars
• Soccer Field
• Walking Path
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| Lake Calhoun |
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Lake Calhoun is part of the chain of Lakes and is now a popular site for fishing, windsurfing, swimming, sailing, canoeing, walking, jogging, biking and roller and in-line skating. In 1999, the Chain of Lakes drew over 5.5 million visitors making the Lakes the second most popular visitor destination after the Mall of America. The distance around Lake Calhoun is 3.2 miles for bicycles and skaters and 3.1 for walkers and runners. Lake Calhoun has three beaches available for public use.
The MPRB has made many improvements to the park over time including:
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A boathouse was established in 1911, which was later destroyed by fire and then re-built. |
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A bathhouse was built in 1912 and improvements were made in 1953. |
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In 1985, a tot-lot was built, and new pathways and other landscaping were completed. |
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A wetland project was begun in 1998 to improve and protect water quality. |
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The acquisition of the 89 acres of land and 422 acres of water began in 1886 and continued until 1909. The total amount of all land and water was purchased for $127,414. Lake Calhoun was formerly known as Lake Medoza or Lake of the Loons and was renamed in honor of John Caldwell Calhoun, U. S. Senator, Vice President of the U.S. and Secretary of War under President Monroe. Calhoun was also the person who instructed Colonel Leavenworth to establish Fort Snelling.
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Native Americans lived on the shores of Lake Calhoun 100 years ago. |
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On July 5, 1911, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles were linked by canal. |
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After the lakes became navigable, boating, sports, biking and driving clubs sprang up that still continue until today. |
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Amenities
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• Archery
• Beach
• Biking Path
• Boat Dock
• Drinking Fountain
• Fishing Dock
• Parkway - Cars
• Pay Parking Lot
• Picnic Area
• Refectory/Concessions
• Restroom Facilities
• Soccer Field
• Softball Field
• Volleyball Court
• Walking Path
• Wells
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| Lake Harriet |
From early June to Labor Day canoeists, bikers, hikers and other residents from throughout the region come to Lake Harriet to hear nightly concerts. There is a totlot near the bandshell area. The distance around Lake Harriet is 2.99 miles for bikers and skaters and 2.75 miles for walkers and runners.
Park visitors can pump fresh drinking water at the nearby well, purchase refreshments at the refectory or take a ride on the Historic Lake Harriet streetcar (between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun). 100 years ago, Lake Harriet was far from the center of town and for over 74 years the streetcar served as the main transportation to get to the Lake.
The Como-Harriet Streetcar Line has been a summertime tradition at Lake Harriet since the Minnesota Transportation Museum's volunteers restored streetcar service on the route of the original Como-Harriet line in 1971. Since then, the line has been extended to one mile, additional streetcars have been restored, and exhibits telling the story of streetcars in Minneapolis have been added. Use this link to find out the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line's schedule, fares, location, special events, collection, and history.
Music has been part of the scene of Lake Harriet for over a century. The new bandshell is the 5th music facility since 1888 and summer music concerts continue to this day. The current bandshell has design features that echo the historic past of the area. The first music pavilion was built in 1891 and was destroyed by fire in the same year. A second pavilion was built in 1891 and destroyed by fire in 1903. The next pavilion, built in 1904, featured a classical rooftop and was destroyed by a windstorm in 1925. In 1927, a temporary bandstand remained at Lake Harriet and remained until it was taken down in 1985 when the current bandshell was constructed.
The lake and land were donated by Colonel Wm. S. King in 1885. Lake Harriet was named for Harriet Lovejoy, wife of Colonel Leavenworth, who came to Minnesota in 1819 and lived at Fort Snelling. Lake Harriet has 67 acres of land and 344 acres of water.
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Amenities
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• Bandstand
• Beach
• Biking Path
• Boat Dock
• Drinking Fountain
• Fishing Dock
• Garden
• Ice Rink
• Parkway - Cars
• Pay Parking Lot
• Picnic Area
• Refectory/Concessions
• Restroom Facilities
• Tennis Court
• Tot Lot/Playground
• Walking Path
• Water Pump
• Wells
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| Loring Park |
Loring Park is located on the North end of the Whitney bridge that spans Hennepin/Lyndale, across from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Loring Park is home to a series of bike and walking paths that wind around the lake and gardens. The park is sometimes called the hub of the Grand Rounds Byway as you can take these paths around the entire city of Minneapolis.
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Amenities
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• Bandstand
• Basketball Court
• Biking Path
• Boat Dock
• Display Fountain
• Drinking Fountain
• Garden
• Ice Rink
• Picnic Area
• Public Art
• Restroom Facilities
• Sculpture
• Tennis Court
• Tot Lot/Playground
• Wading Pool
• Walking Path
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