Jason Garcia (District 4)
The Hiawatha Golf Course Area Master Plan (aka Hiawatha Links) was approved by MPRB in 2022, calling for 9 holes of golf and the ecological restoration of Lake Hiawatha. As commissioner, will you support the master plan and work actively to move forward implementation of the plan?
Yes, I support the plan for the ecological restoration and will work to move that forward if elected.
How will you work to ensure that the new parkland at Hiawatha honors the lake’s history as Rice Lake / Bdé Psíŋ with the Dakota people who have stewarded this land since time immemorial, and ensures safe access for Native lifeways?
I want to work with local Indigenous groups, particularly Dakota-led groups, to ensure their thoughts, concerns, and ideas are included in the implementation. It has been my honor to work with local Dakota people and I place a high value on their input. I would also solicit feedback from elders at Prairie Island, Shakopee, and the Mendota communities.
How will you work to ensure that the new parkland at Hiawatha honors the history of Black golfers and the course’s legacy as a social hub for Minneapolis’ Black golf community?
As we look at the final form the golf course will take after course reconstruction, I would encourage exhibits in both the clubhouse and on the course highlighting this history, along with the history of the lake prior to the golf course construction. I also believe we can make the course a piece of living history by featuring the stories of the early Black golfers in Minneapolis, and the way the Hiawatha course helped break down racial barriers.
A recent Star Tribune article covered the problem of stray golf balls from the course hitting houses along 43rd St. What would you do as commissioner to address that issue prior to the projected 2030 course reconstruction?
I would look into the possibility of raising barrier netting or another form of prevention.
What role can the new parkland at Hiawatha play in expanding foraging opportunities for Minneapolis residents?
The new parkland provides exciting opportunities to develop land for plantings that can offer foraging to people in the area. There are many native plants that thrive in wetland-type areas that could be reintroduced, such as wapato (duck potato) and psín (wild rice). Other plantings like wild blueberries or sunchokes or fruit trees could also be integrated into new landscaping.
How should we balance coexistence with other species in urban green spaces, even when doing so might causes challenges for humans? For example, beavers are native to the area and restore degraded streams, but can inconvenience us when they cut down trees.
My general philosophy is that we need to restore our connection to nature, including local flora and fauna. While we have built a large city here, we still need to live in reciprocity with the animals and plants that make up the natural systems of our environment. I think it’s eminently possible for us to create and allow more natural areas to thrive in the city with minimal interference. When disruptions to human constructions and habitat happen, we can address those on an “as needed” basis. We can train and trust our naturalists and park workers to implement and maintain this philosophy.