Parks, People, and Preservation
I dry-ran the Parks, People and Preservation field session, on an absolutely beautiful day (I don't think we've mentioned this, but we have had the most glorious weather since we've been here). We explored how the Minneapolis Parks System balances the needs of the landscape, the many MANY users of the parks (we were there mid-to-late morning on a weekday - there were a huge number of people using the parks. What do these people DO for a living???) and the preservation of park buildings and landscapes as they were intended.
Not an easy balance to maintain. We started out on the Winchell Trail, which is just over the Minneapolis/Saint Paul border. Mary Lynn, the session manager, took me to a place where she could describe the ways that the park system maintains the landscape - challenging, thanks to a huge number of invasive plant species (in fact, invasive species of plants have come up in several field sessions). She encouraged me to gather bunches of garlic mustard, as it makes great pesto. I'll pass on the pesto, but was interested to hear that they have agreements with neighbors to come and gather the stuff periodically, as it is an evil invader. Those neighbors better get busy, it's EVERYWHERE.
Not an easy balance to maintain. We started out on the Winchell Trail, which is just over the Minneapolis/Saint Paul border. Mary Lynn, the session manager, took me to a place where she could describe the ways that the park system maintains the landscape - challenging, thanks to a huge number of invasive plant species (in fact, invasive species of plants have come up in several field sessions). She encouraged me to gather bunches of garlic mustard, as it makes great pesto. I'll pass on the pesto, but was interested to hear that they have agreements with neighbors to come and gather the stuff periodically, as it is an evil invader. Those neighbors better get busy, it's EVERYWHERE.
I found it interesting that they choose not to mow in many places, and do not treat for dandelions (some fields looked absolutely yellow with them - hey, it's two weeks and it's over). Kids everywhere thank you.
Minnehaha Falls were running strongly at our next stop, where we also saw a real restaurant that Mary Lynn said was actually very good - does your city's park system have a restaurant? I thought not. We'll endeavor to try it before
we leave, but, hey, we're only three mouths here.
There were many cool preservation stories at the Falls, including a 3/5 scale replica of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's House....in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Huh? Ask about it.
We then toured the other 9,999 Lakes in Minnesota. OK, not quite that many. Four. It's only a half-day session, so we kept it moving and saw much of the 50 or so miles that make up the Grand Rounds - a really unique urban park system. At Lake Harriet, we saw the band shell, and used a ladies room that was built in the late 1800s. OK, we used it when we were on the Overview tour dry run the NEXT day, but the important thing is that it was saved. And that it has a fireplace.
Some of the loveliest neighborhoods I've ever seen surround these lakes. There are a few stories of teardowns, and a few comical new homes (and what city doesn't have those), but overall the flavor of the era has been maintained.
Minnehaha Falls were running strongly at our next stop, where we also saw a real restaurant that Mary Lynn said was actually very good - does your city's park system have a restaurant? I thought not. We'll endeavor to try it before
we leave, but, hey, we're only three mouths here.There were many cool preservation stories at the Falls, including a 3/5 scale replica of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's House....in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Huh? Ask about it.
We then toured the other 9,999 Lakes in Minnesota. OK, not quite that many. Four. It's only a half-day session, so we kept it moving and saw much of the 50 or so miles that make up the Grand Rounds - a really unique urban park system. At Lake Harriet, we saw the band shell, and used a ladies room that was built in the late 1800s. OK, we used it when we were on the Overview tour dry run the NEXT day, but the important thing is that it was saved. And that it has a fireplace.
Some of the loveliest neighborhoods I've ever seen surround these lakes. There are a few stories of teardowns, and a few comical new homes (and what city doesn't have those), but overall the flavor of the era has been maintained.
When you all are here in October, the leaves will be changing, and the landscape will be absolutely beautiful in this very green part of the Midwest.
Want more? Watch the video about Minnehaha Park, starring your field session leader, MaryLynn Pulscher.
~Lori
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