Hiawatha for All

Photo of Lake Hiawatha looking southeast towards the beach.

Be sure to vote today! Polls are open until 8pm. Check out our voter guide for info on Park Board candidates! www.hiawatha4all.com/2025-candida...

Make sure you have your picks for Mayor and BET as well. @naomikritzer.bsky.social has a comprehensive candidate guide if you'd like more info.

Amber Frederick (At Large):

“Coexistence requires humility—recognizing that parks are shared ecosystems, not just human spaces. When species like beavers create challenges, we should lead with adaptation and coexistence rather than removal.”

Kedar Deshpande (District 3):

“[I] will look to simple and non-harmful interventions that allow animals to express themselves fully without damaging parks or assets like trees (in the case of beavers, moving the trees inland helps, as does wire mesh, as does scents, and does abrasive paint).”

Meg Forney (At Large):

“the balance of Mother Nature should always be delicate. The protocol used throughout the park system should be followed but also adapt as we navigate this redesigned asset”

Tom Olsen (At Large): “Generally, I think humans could stand to face a great deal more inconvenience. Our climate crisis is rooted in humanities’ need for more and more convenience. I think we can make a lot more ‘sacrifices’ to benefit these species.”

We asked park board candidates how we should approach coexistence with wildlife such as beavers. Here are some of the answers. See all the responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025/questio...

Cathy Abene (District 6):

“Foraging is currently not allowed and changing the policy would require a broader community conversation.“

Kedar Deshpande (District 3):

“I am an urban forager and a community gardener. [...] I would like to see a variety of plant species available in the new Hiawatha plan to encourage foraging training and classes, especially for kids.”

Jason Garcia (District 4):

“There are many native plants that thrive in wetland-type areas that could be reintroduced, such as wapato (duck potato) and psín (wild rice).”

Michael Wilson (At Large):

“Foraging is about more than recreation – it's about sovereignty, sustainability, and connection to land. [...] I want to learn from indigenous leaders how MPRB land management practices relate to treaty rights and how MPRB as an organization can honor these treaties.”

Kay Carvajal Moran (District 5): “I believe we can expand the imagination of what our park system can be. The new parkland at Hiawatha can and should play a role in supporting our local food system, sustaining edible native plants and those with medicinal benefits.”

We asked park board candidates what they think about foraging at the reconstructed Hiawatha park land. Here are some of the answers. See all the responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025/questio...

Jeanette Colby (District 4):

“Park properties should improve, not detract from, the quality of life in Minneapolis.”

Kedar Deshpande (District 3):

“Moving the tee location seemed to work for a time. It's unclear to me why that can't be done again, and I will seek answers as to why.”

Steffanie Musich (District 5):

“Reconfiguring the hole before 2030 would require significant funding and staff resources—diverting both from the long-term plan that already addresses the stray ball problem through a comprehensive redesign.”

Michael Wilson (At Large): “This is a real and unacceptable safety issue [...] The situation calls for more thorough oversight ensuring safe tee placement, not merely limiting liability through blaming the victims and unskilled golfers.”

We asked park board candidates how they will address stray balls leaving the course along 43rd St. Here are some of the answers. See all the responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025/questio...

Justin Cermak (District 5):

“I will honor the history of Hiawatha Golf Course by KEEPING it an 18 hole championship course. Once the ‘Master Plan’ is gone, the course will be revitalized with private funds whilst keeping it a public course.”

Mary McKelvey (At Large):

“I will work to ensure that the Solomon Hughes Clubhouse is open for Black community gatherings and Black youth golf as a priority.”

Colton Baldus (District 5):

“I will work as partners with the Black golf community to co-design the new parkland [...] integrating public art, storytelling, and dedicated gathering spaces that celebrate the course’s vital role as a social hub”

Amber Frederick (At Large): “Preserving this history isn’t just about memory—it’s about continuing to make golf and park spaces accessible and welcoming for everyone.”

We asked park board candidates about honoring Black golf at Hiawatha. Here are some of the answers. See all the responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025/questio...

Matthew Dowgwillo (At Large):

“I recognize that many people value this land the native Americans Should be valued. However, I don’t really understand this question.”

Jason Garcia (District 4):

“I want to work with local Indigenous groups, particularly Dakota-led groups, to ensure their thoughts, concerns, and ideas are included in the implementation.”

Dan Engelhart (District 1):

“By being in community with our Native Dakota Relatives, listening to community leaders and all in our community committed to this goal. I am an organizer skilled and trained in deep listening.”

Adam Schneider (At Large):

“I would like to work with the MPRB’s Native American Parks Council to engage and consult Minneapolis’ indigenous communities, as well as those across the state of Minnesota.”

Michael Wilson (At Large): “Honoring the lake’s original name and its significance to the Dakota people requires more than symbolic gestures. It requires structural commitments to indigenous visibility, leadership, and access.”

We asked park board candidates about honoring Dakota history. Here are some of the answers. See all the responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025/questio...

Matthew Dowgwillo (At Large) — Hiawatha For All Matthew Dowgwillo has made contradictory statements about his stance, sometimes claiming to have not decided and sometimes stating he opposes the 9-hole plan.

Update: due to contradictory statements made by the candidate, we are changing our evaluation of Matthew Dowgwillo's support for the Hiawatha plan from UNDECIDED to NO. We do not believe voters can trust him to see the plan through to implementation. www.hiawatha4all.com/2025-candida...

Did you know you can spark a political movement by getting Engineering Mad? Sometimes all it takes is one 🔥🔥🔥 whitepaper.

A big thank you to the candidates for taking time in a busy election cycle to respond! The incoming park board will take on a big responsibility to seeing this plan through, so we're glad to see candidates who are serious about engaging with the issue.

Graphic of At-Large candidate stances on the 9-hole plan. Supportive: Meg Forney, Amber Frederick, Mary McKelvey, Tom Olsen, Adam Schneider, Michael Wilson. Unknown: Averi M. Turner No position: Matthew Dowgwillo

Graphic of District 1 to 4 candidate stances on the 9-hole plan. Supportive: Dan Engelhart, Dan Miller, Kedar Deshpande, Jeanette Colby, Jason Garcia Unknown: Charles Rucker, Andrew Gebo

Graphic of District 5 and 6 candidate stances on the 9-hole plan. Supportive: Colton Baldus, Kay Carvajal Moran, Steffanie Musich, Cathy Abene, Ira Jourdain Opposed: Justin Cermak

We asked the candidates if they support the ecological 9-hole plan for Lake Hiawatha, as well as other topics related to the area. Pleased to have responses from 16 of the 21 candidates running this year! See their full responses here: www.hiawatha4all.com/2025-candida...

One more day to add feedback on the Hiawatha area concepts! Think the new park should have a reserve for harvesting berries or sweetgrass? Submit a comment!

content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNP...

Something else to add in your feedback on the concept plans: any new golf course design MUST arrange the direction of play to eliminate the stray ball problem. It's totally unacceptable to treat your neighbors the way the current golf course does.

I hope you're commenting with that feedback on the plans! That's exactly the kind of thing we should make sure to surface now so the design team takes it seriously.