Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Meg Forney, At Large

After the Hiawatha Golf Course flooded in 2014 and unpermitted pumping issues were discovered, MPRB Commissioners directed a citizen advisory committee (CAC) to work with park staff to develop a new master plan to guide the future of the site. The master plan was presented in 2020 and the MPRB Commissioners voted on it twice in 2021, failing to pass the plan each time. As of now, no master plan exists for the Hiawatha Golf Course Area, and the pumping issues and flood risk remain unaddressed.

1. What are the next steps MPRB should take with regards to planning for the future of the Hiawatha Golf Course Area?

A supported Master Plan is essential and one that specifically addresses the water issues of the area.

2. According to the master plan document, “Water management alternatives that address fully the range of issues faced by a property situated below the elevation of an adjacent lake render the opportunity to create an 18-hole golf course impracticable, if not impossible.” Would you support a plan for the site that retains 18 holes of golf and does not address pumping levels or flood risk?

I most definitely support a plan that mitigates the water related issues, broadly and holistically.

3. Would you support a plan for the site similar to the master plan developed in 2018-2019 that provides a 9-hole golf course and integrates other land uses (such as walking, cycling, paddling, and picnicking) when possible?

Yes.

4. Would you support a plan that removes golf entirely from the site and replaces it with other land uses, such as walking, cycling, paddling, picnicking, and natural space?

No. I most definitely support golf at Hiawatha in balance with addressing the water issues.

5. Hiawatha was a historically important course for black golfers in Minneapolis in an era when they faced widespread discrimination. How should plans for the site honor this legacy and serve current communities of color?

I supported the naming of the club house in honor of Solomon Hughes. Robust acknowledgment of our deep racial history is critical throughout our community. White narratives have dominated our history. Greater opportunities for people of color to attain golf management skills and positions is one of many action steps to be taken.

6. What should be done about trash entering Lake Hiawatha from the “north pipe”? More generally, how should MPRB address water quality concerns in Lake Hiawatha?

The whole comprehensive planning process raised the awareness of the vast size of the Minnehaha Watershed and the north pipe’s . The trash that lands in the golf course is the tip of the iceberg. MPRB can not be a silo in addressing the mitigation of water level fluctuation, increasing pollutants, managing stormwater management, as well as climate change. Leveraging MPRB partnerships of the City of Minneapolis, the Watershed District, Hennepin County is essential.

7. Two major issues MPRB is facing at this site and citywide are correcting historic inequities and planning for a more variable future climate. How would you balance the needs of MPRB properties to be sustainably designed and managed with the need to equitably serve all Minneapolis communities?

Climate change has impacted those most economically challenged and people of color.

Our park system should be the catalyst for addressing these issues. To address the inequities of our City, we need to point our focus where the majority of these inequities lie. Designing tree canopies mitigates our heat islands through first identifying potential “hot spots,” then employing land use and zoning controls, as well as consideration of tree canopy, site design, and vulnerable populations. Rising temperatures are intensified in developed areas due to a lack of vegetation and more roads, rooftops, and parking lots. Extreme heat can increase health risks in vulnerable populations that often live in densely populated urban areas.

The Tree Levy that is expiring removed over 40,000 Ash trees and replaced them over eight years. Yet, the canopy hasn’t expanded in numbers. To do so, our existing trees must be preserved and also new trees need to be planted at a greater rate. The Climate Resiliency Initiative I am spearheading’s scope is 7,000 trees planted over a one-year period including street trees and park trees.

Parks are the best tool for enhancing air and water quality and mitigating heat islands. Increasing vegetation is our best line of defense.