Construction is underway on a new riverfront park in northeast Minneapolis that will feature tree-lined heated paths near the Mississippi River, a beach — and a name that comes courtesy of a nearby fluid-handling equipment company.
The 9-acre Graco Park, named after adjacent Graco Inc. thanks to a legal settlement, will be located just north of Plymouth Avenue on the east side of the river. Meg Forney, president of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, said the new park moves the city closer to her goal of continuous parklands along the river extending to the northern border of the city — even if she wishes it had a different, non-corporate name.
"I don't think we have any other option. ... It is what it is," Forney said of the 2018 deal between the park board and Graco, which followed a nearly decade-long legal dispute over easements for a path along the river. "If we had not settled with them on it, we wouldn't have gotten that land, nor the trail that goes north of the parcel."
In a statement, Graco focused on future benefits of the park to the community, and did not respond to questions about the park's name.
"This small slice of the riverfront could have a big impact on inspiring what's to come along the Minneapolis riverscape," the company's statement read. "Because of this, we are focused on continuing the positive momentum fueling this space — and are eager to enjoy the new park with the entire community."
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