Join the conversation to shape the future of the Upper Lock
We aim to provide engagement opportunities for all Minneapolis communities – especially those who have been historically excluded, under-represented or under-resourced – so all can participate in public planning and decision-making to achieve equitable consensus on this project.
Friends of the Falls has also partnered with the Native American Community Development Institute to train our staff and board members on issues sensitive to the Native American community and create meaningful engagement with First Nations people.
Early Summer 2020
Get Involved
You are invited to attend a series of online webinars and community presentations about The Falls Initiative. Learn about the site, meet our team, and find out how to get involved.
Late Summer & Fall 2020
Concept Design
Tell us what you think by attending a community event, hosting a Meeting in a Box, taking an online survey, or joining a design charrette. Your input informs the creation of multiple design and programming alternatives for the Upper Lock.
Winter 2020-2021
Prioritize
Together, we’ll turn community priorities into a preferred concept design, shaping an iconic riverfront that embraces its natural & cultural significance.
February 2021
A Shared Vision
The community conversation will culminate with the release of a preliminary concept design at our city’s biggest community event of the year, the Community Connections conference.
Opportunities
Thoughtful and inclusive engagement is especially difficult today, as we must limit group gatherings and respect social distancing protocols. For the time being, we have moved most of our engagement opportunities online. Engage with us through a series of webinars, round table discussions, presentations to neighborhood associations and digital surveys. We look forward to a time when we can gather together again and envision the future of the Upper Lock.
Coalition
Join the growing community of non-profits, neighborhood associations and civic institutions who share our vision for transforming the Falls.
Friends of the Falls has convened coalition meetings with over two dozen organizations and government entities in the spirit of coordination and shared visioning for the Lock and its broader context, including the Central and Upper Riverfront.
“We support the St. Anthony Falls Upper Lock as the centerpiece of an iconic civic and cultural destination, reflective of our shared history, and our stewardship of clean water, for the use and enjoyment of all.”
The organizations represented below have endorsed our coalition statement by formal action of their leadership board or committee.
Resources
Project Downloads
Related Plans
- Central Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
- Downtown Public Realm Framework Plan City of Minneapolis
- Destination Transformation 2030 Plan Meet Minneapolis
- Changing Relationship to Power of the Falls: West Bank Minnesota Historical Society
- Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan mpls downtown council
- RiverFirst Initiative Minneapolis Park Foundation
- Transforming the Lock Ideas Book National Parks Conservation Association
Other Riverfront Initiatives
- Water Works Minneapolis Park Foundation / Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
- Hall’s Island Minneapolis Parks Foundation / Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
- Upper Harbor Terminal City of Minneapolis / Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
- Grain Belt Riverfront Redevelopment Area City of Minneapolis
- Great Northern Greenway River Link Minneapolis Parks Foundation / Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
- Visitor Center on the Lock National Park Service
- Mississippi River Day Canoe Trip Wilderness Inquiry
- Mississippi River Paddle Share
- Minneapolis Water Taxi
- Mississippi Park Connection