Roundup: Minnehaha Dog Park Decommission, and a Home for Anishnabe Academy
The Park Board voted 8-1 to begin the work of decommissioning the well-used Minnehaha off-leash dog park. We tackle how this emerges from the efforts of that board to meaningfully incorporate Native folks as important community stakeholders, and also the loud backlash that the Board now must manage. Cam also reports on efforts by Minneapolis Schools to build a permanent home for the Anishnabe Academy magnet school at the former Cooper School site
We did a round-up because there are a lot of interesting things going on around the city. This is part two of our round-up conversation (the prior episode was part one).
Recorded 6/24/26.
Alert
Though the massive ICE activity dwindled in the Spring, we still face a determined wannabe-fascist regime. Mill City Hall asks you to plug in and take action:
- Donate to rent support and mutual aid funds
- Defend 612 is an entry-point to local neighborhood organizing
- Monarca continues to provide trainings for regular folks who want to help, and offers a hotline to report ICE activity: 612-441-2881
Don't forget to check out:
- Our Instagram account for clips that are easy to browse and share
- Cam's writings in the 2nd Ward Blog
- Ask Robin to do a portrait of your favorite tree
Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park Decommissioning
The Minnehaha Off-Leash Recreation Area remains open at this time.
On June 17, 2026, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board approved a resolution directing staff to decommission the area for off-leash use no later than Dec. 31, 2026. Staff are developing a preliminary decommissioning plan, which is expected to go before the Board of Commissioners in August or September. The plan will outline proposed next steps, including timing and “inform” level engagement for the decommissioning process.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Media Coverage
- Sahan Journal
- Star Tribune by Susan Du (mentioned by Cam and Jesse)
Video
All three of these are well worth the watch to get an understanding of where the proposal comes from, and public reaction.
- Wedge LIVE! interview with Commissioner Jason Garcia, an in-depth discussion of the issue
- 5/20/26 Park Board Study Session with presentations by National Park Service staff, as well as Juanita Espinosa speaking as a Dakota and Ojibwe person on relevant spiritual views.
- 6/17/26 Park Board meeting and public hearing where much impassioned testimony was heard.
History/explainers
- National Park Service page
- Parks Board Indigenous Action Plan
- Parks Board Formation of Native Advisory Committee
- Met Council: Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi engagement with multiple parks institutions
- A somewhat related recent developments around the Mni Owe Sni site arose during the ICE invasion:
Timeline that I assembled from various sources above:
- Ancestral Native American (ca 13,000 - 1600/1800s)
- Camp Cold Water - Military Summer Encampment (1820 - ca 1823)
- Camp Cold Water Settlement (1821 - 1840)
- BF Baker Trading Post and St. Louis House Hotel (ca . 1832 - 1860)
- George W Lincoln Farmstead (ca 1860 - 1899)
- Fort Snelling Waterworks (1880 - 1900)
- Coldwater Park (ca 1920 - 1949)
- 1949: Bureau of Mines core sample storage area
- 1951 transfer of land to Bureau of Mines
- 1961: state of MN established Fort Snelling State Historical Park
- 1969: admin and control of for snelling site location to MN Historical Society
- 1973: Bureau of Mines transfered 21 acres ("Camp Coldwater") site to State of MN, admin'd by MNHS
- designed as "In-preservation site" and held in stewardship, not really encouraging visitors
- 1996: Bureau of Mine eliminated
- 2010: NPS accepts former Bureau of Mines property
- Mines buildings abolished
- Ecological restoration
- consult with a couple dozen tribes incl 4 MN tribes
- 2021 MPRB adopts Parks for All comprehensive plan with indigenous truth/reconciliation strategy
- 2023 Official designation as a Traditional Cultural Place - National Parks Service
- 2024: MPRB Launch of Native American Parks Council (TAC), relationship building, MPRB leadership trainings, public communication, and initial evaluation of impact.
- Nov 2024: The National Park Service and the Minnesota Historical Society first raised an issue relating to Mni Owe Sni’s neighboring dog park to the Park Board
- Sept 2025: Placed signs on NPS property at Island 108 with QR code to learn more about significance
- May 20 2026: study report on Mni Owe Sni
- June 3 2026: resolution to close advanced
- June 17 2026: public hearing and vote
Opponents
Save Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park
Anishnabe Academy and Cooper School Site
The Minneapolis Public Schools site has a homepage for the proposal.
Anishnabe Academy has their own website
Anishinabe Academy is dedicated to serving and educating the families of Minneapolis through an American Indian, Indigenous lens, with a Native-centered curriculum, and through Ojibwe and Dakota language.