Steffanie Musich (District 5)
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 fully support the Hiawatha Golf Course Area Long-Range Vision Plan and will continue working actively to implement it. Throughout the planning process, I’ve championed the dual goals of preserving golf and restoring wetlands to improve flood resilience and water quality in Lake Hiawatha and Minnehaha Creek. I’ve consistently educated my colleagues on the necessity of this land use change and secured key votes to keep the plan moving forward. If re-elected, I will continue this work to ensure the ecological and recreational vision of Hiawatha Links becomes reality.
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 will work to ensure the new parkland at Hiawatha honors its history as Rice Lake / Bdé Psíŋ by including Dakota voices and lifeways throughout the project’s development and implementation. This means supporting meaningful engagement with Dakota communities at every stage and advocating for interpretive signage, and land uses that reflect Indigenous relationships with water, land, and ceremony. I will also work to ensure safe and respectful access for Native lifeways, including gathering, ceremony, and education, by removing barriers and embedding Indigenous priorities into park policy through the ongoing work of the Indigenous Action Planning project (https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park-care-improvements/park-projects/current_projects/indigenous-action-plan/). This is not just about consultation—it’s about long-term partnership.
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?
I will work to ensure the new parkland at Hiawatha honors the legacy of Black golfers and the course’s role as a social hub by actively supporting engagement, visibility, and cultural preservation. This includes elevating the voices of Black golfers and community members throughout every stage of public engagement, and advocating for interpretive features—such as historical markers, storytelling installations, and community-led programming—that celebrate the rich history of Black golf at Hiawatha. I will also work to ensure that future park uses reflect this legacy by protecting access to golf, supporting intergenerational recreation, and continuing to accommodate Black-led golf events and gatherings. Honoring this history means embedding it into the future of the park—not just remembering it, but building on it.
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?
While I take safety concerns seriously, I believe the most responsible path forward is to prioritize implementation of the adopted Hiawatha Long-Range Vision Plan, which includes redesigning the course to resolve this issue. 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. As commissioner, I will continue to advocate for timely implementation of the approved plan so we can resolve this issue holistically, rather than piecemeal, and ensure that public dollars and staff capacity are used efficiently.
What role can the new parkland at Hiawatha play in expanding foraging opportunities for Minneapolis residents?
The redesigned parkland at Hiawatha offers an opportunity to thoughtfully expand access to culturally significant and edible plants—while protecting the ecological health of our park system. Foraging is currently prohibited in Minneapolis parks to prevent environmental degradation, especially in natural areas. With over 20 million annual visits, unrestricted foraging could lead to trampling, habitat fragmentation, and the spread of invasive species—ultimately harming the very plants and ecosystems we hope to celebrate.
That said, I believe we can honor foraging traditions and community interest through intentional design. The eastern shore of Lake Hiawatha already includes a designated Food Forest with edible fruit and nut trees, where harvesting is allowed. I support exploring additional purpose-built spaces—such as community-managed gardens or culturally informed planting areas—that allow for safe, sustainable harvesting without compromising restoration goals. These spaces could be co-designed with Indigenous leaders, cultural practitioners, and local residents to ensure they reflect diverse traditions and stewardship values.
More information about current harvesting opportunities can be found here: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/activities-events/harvesting/
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.
Coexistence with urban wildlife means recognizing that animals like coyotes, beavers, otters, muskrats, and turtles are not just visitors—they’re longtime residents of our city’s green spaces. Their presence enriches our ecosystems and helps restore degraded landscapes, but it also requires thoughtful management to protect public safety and infrastructure.
For example, beavers play a vital role in stream restoration, but their dam-building can obstruct stormwater flow in a city like ours, where water management is critical. That’s why I support a balanced approach: one that respects the ecological value of wildlife while ensuring that our infrastructure functions safely and effectively. When conflicts arise, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board consults with experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to find humane, science-based solutions.
As commissioner, I’ll continue to advocate for policies that reflect both ecological stewardship and urban resilience—because a healthy city includes space for all species to thrive.