In the most exuberant shovel-fest ever witnessed, ground was ceremonially broken March 21 for a new recreation center at Northeast Athletic Field. The huge, rambling area south of 16th between Johnson and Fillmore (and beyond) has been without a building since the park board and former Putnam School parted ways.
This first phase of the park’s redevelopment will include a gym with indoor walking track, classrooms, activity space and a community learning kitchen. A $100,000 donation by Barbara Lupient through the Minneapolis Parks Foundation helped get the project underway. Northeast Athletic Field Park has longtime support from the Lupient family, which was also instrumental in funding the construction of Jim Lupient Water Park and youth scholarships for programs at the water park.
Also present at the event were parks planner Dana Murdoch and Doron Clark, who facilitated the community process that made a 25-plus-year master plan for the area to be executed as funding comes available. The recreation center will open in early 2018.
Below: Tarraf Construction Supervisor Todd Monson, Barbara Lupient, Jeff Lupient, 1st District Park Commissioner Liz Wielinski, Park Superintendent Jayne Miller, 3rd District Park Commissioner Scott Vreeland, and the children of Jennifer Downham and Kristen Petersen tossed the ceremonial dirt. (Photo by Mark Peterson)
