Community members provide input into future of George Floyd Square
WCCO
By Jason Rantala
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The City of Minneapolis says it should have a plan in place for the future of George Floyd Square by the end of the year.
Thursday night, the city held a dinner dialogue to gather community input on how to move forward. Though the city originally planned to have project proposals by spring of last year, that didn’t pan out because they didn’t have a unified vision.
The city said the dinner at Sabathani Community Center was meant to start the conversation — to gather a more community-centered vision — for the future of George Floyd Square.
Planners say the vision would both honor George Floyd, incorporating memorials and artwork, while ensuring that the street accommodates foot traffic, cyclists, transit, and nearby businesses.
City officials say their initial feedback from community members shows interest in things like safety, social justice, and respect for memorials. They want to keep the space as a communal gathering area. The goal is to incorporate all these values into the future design.
“I would argue that this is the most important intersection in the world, based on what’s happening. And we see how this space is used right now, how much of it is a space for gathering, for people locally and internationally,” said Alexander Kado, Senior Project Manager with the City of Minneapolis.
“The community is absolutely committed to this being an expression of healing and that may be our tallest order — to make sure that is expressed in what we build, and how we bring people together,” said Anthony Taylor, Development Lead at the Cultural Wellness Center.
The city says their purchase of the People’s Way property last summer will help plans move forward. They say all the pieces are now in place to implement a final vision by 2025.
There will be workshops throughout the year to better define the future of George Floyd Square.
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