Support from the Minneapolis Parks Foundation helped form a new Youth Council to shape the future of North Commons

The upcoming renovation of North Commons Park is about to change lives–especially for the nearly 12,000 youth who live within walking distance of the historic and heavily-trafficked park. 

So what do young people want to see in the park they depend on?

That’s the question Bdot, a North Minneapolis neighborhood organizer, hip-hop artist and community facilitator has been putting a group of more than 20 youth from the North Commons Park neighborhood throughout the spring and summer. Supported by the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, and major funders including the Carlson Family Foundation and CenterPoint Energy Foundation, the new North Commons Youth Council meets twice a month to talk about the $35 million renovation planned for the park. Each member, all between the ages of 14 and 19, also earn small stipends for the insight and ideas they’re bringing to the process. 

“Participation is important, and paying these stipends shows the young people that we’re committed to them and invested in the value that they bring to the space,” says Bdot. “To me, it’s exciting that the parks are actually considering young people’s perspectives and thoughts, while also wanting to educate them on the processes like city planning, fundraising and philanthropy that bring parks like this to fruition.”

With a $20 million capital campaign goal, private fundraising will play an important part in the success of the North Commons project. Earlier this summer, Jennifer Downham, chief development officer for the Minneapolis Parks Foundation conducted a philanthropy workshop for the Youth Council, exploring how contributions from the community can help shape North Commons, while making neighbors feel an even deeper sense of ownership of a park that’s been part of the community for more than five generations. 

Teens took turns making their own pitches for why it’s important to support the parks and other youth-serving organizations. In other meetings, they’ve met directly with city planners, and talked about what they want to see in North Common’s new Teen Room and other spaces. 

“At this point, we’re learning just as much from the teens in the Youth Council as they’re learning from us,” says Downham. But as the program continues, Bdot believes that the experience of talking and thinking about what’s possible through the parks will also inspire participating youth to get engaged throughout their community. 

“Seeing how these processes work is a way of showing young people how they can be part of other decision-making processes in their worlds,” she says. “It’s giving them confidence to see that they can contribute to a team in that way, and bring their skills and assets as a person into these spaces, so they can then apply them to other spaces, too.”

Learn more about Transforming North Commons Park, or make a contribution today!