Minneapolis Park and Recreation Commissioner District 3
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The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board serves as an independently elected, semi-autonomous body responsible for governing, maintaining, and developing the Minneapolis Park System. City of Minneapolis voters elect nine commissioners every four years: one from each of the six park districts, and three that serve at-large.The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board performs its many duties through the contributions of elected Commissioners and the leadership of the Superintendent. Their actions are guided according to the following roles and responsibilities. Commissioners:Develop park policiesEnact ordinances governing the use of neighborhood and regional parks, parkways, beaches and lakes, and special use facilities such as pools, ice arenas and golf coursesAppoint the SuperintendentA candidate forum for this race will be held on October 29, 2025 (location) (livestream).
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Kedar Deshpande
(NP)
Biographical Information
What role does the Park Board play in reaching, engaging and supporting our city's youth? What ideas would you propose for reaching, engaging and supporting our youth?
How would you make our parks more accessible to *all* members of our community?
What steps would you take as a Park Board member to work with the City to mitigate water pollution, such as stormwater runoff?
How would you recommend increasing safety in parks, especially when there are large public gatherings?
The Park Board creates jobs, recreation and mentorship opportunities for youth. I will promote extensive and varied youth programming to attract young people (from sports to nature explorations to internships) and give them outlets for their energy and passions. I will push for deeper collaboration with Minneapolis Public Schools to achieve better outcomes for kids and extend education beyond the classroom. Lastly, with a growing understanding of the physical and mental health damage caused by being chronically online, I want the Park Board positioned to offer even more outdoor activities.
Parks and parks programming should be designed to meet the needs of different stakeholders. I will engage in extensive community feedback sessions to make our parks welcoming, ecologically-sound, and cohesive. I will also emphasize both youth and adult programming that engages a wide swath of interests and focus on free or low-cost options for financial accessibility (be it sports, classes, nature explorations, or other activities). Lastly, as District 3 is the most diverse in Minneapolis, I will ensure programming in multiple languages, and culturally-varied activities drawing upon the richness of neighbors from all over the world.
Clean lakes and rivers are paramount and the Park Board must lead on the issue given the amount of land it owns, and its natural subject matter expertise. I will emphasize increasing porous surfaces within all parks, installing rainwater capture systems, and planting pollinator areas to absorb water and reduce runoff. Also, now that the City has passed new boulevard planting guidelines, I will ask the Park Board to work with residents on the best options for pollution mitigation and water diversion and capture.
Parks are safest when they are well-used. To do that, we must make sure they have quality programming and infrastructure that attracts a mix of people of different ages engaging in various activities. This is already the case at neighborhood parks, but our regional parks, where much of the recent violence has occurred, need similar options. That requires investment, but the payoff is increased safety and reduced violence, making it a worthwhile investment. Commonsense measures such as prudent closing times, and a visible uniformed security presence (which doesn't necessarily have to be Park Police), can also contribute to safety, which will in turn encourage more people to use the parks.
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