The first of two Imagine events, community block parties linked to the campaign to “Bring Back 6th,” is this Saturday at Sumner Field Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our Streets, the transportation advocacy organization that started this event series in 2021, seeks to gather community input on Olson Memorial Highway while celebrating the neighborhood with live music, a Northside small business market, local art, and family-friendly activities.
Imagine Heritage Park will feature musical performances from Northside artists, including CANDI and DJ SoSupreme. Attendees can enjoy free food and shop at a pop-up market hosted by The Dream Shop featuring more than 20 Northside artists and makers. Kids will be able to get their faces painted and play in a bouncy house.
However, the event is more than just fun and games. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is evaluating options for the future of Olson Memorial Highway in Near North Minneapolis. As part of the event, attendees will be prompted to share feedback on tangible street design alternatives “rooted in repair, reconnection, and community ownership.” These designs were developed through a collaborative process between Our Streets, technical consultants and a coalition of neighborhood organizations advocating for community-led redevelopment, neighborhood reconnection and reclamation of highway land.
“This event is a time for the community to come together and envision what it would be like for spaces of food and fun in the neighborhood every day,” says Anndrea Young of Heritage Park Neighborhood Association. “We’re there for a one-day celebration, but imagine if the restaurants and vendors could stay.”
Our Streets has done extensive public history research on how racial covenants, housing and zoning policies and decisions, and the construction of Olson Memorial Highway impacted and displaced the neighborhood’s residents. That history has connected present realities to past harms, fueling the demand for immediate safety improvements and infrastructure change that advance environmental and racial justice. The coalition worked with technical partners to refine three street design options heavily informed by years of community engagement, which will be on display for further feedback at the event.
Both Our Streets and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) received federal funds through the Reconnecting Communities Program to support their respective work on Olson Memorial Highway. MnDOT is evaluating options for the corridor’s future in tandem with Our Streets and has committed to incorporating the design concepts into its process.
In 2023, The Minneapolis City Council passed a unanimous resolution in support of highway removal. Last year, transportation safety experts from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO) toured the Olson Memorial Highway corridor to document safety failures and recommend interventions.
Our Streets is working with the following community partners: Harrison Neighborhood Association, Heritage Park Neighborhood Association, Urban Strategies, Green Garden Bakery, Summit Academy OIC, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, and The Lao Center of Minnesota.
Our Streets is working with the following technical partners: Toole Design Group, NEOO Partners, Smart Mobility, and the New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO).
Imagine events are sponsored by The Minneapolis Foundation, Butler Family Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board.