Dakota-led restoration project at Owámniyomni set to begin in Minneapolis
Five-acre project near St. Anthony Falls will restore prairie, shoreline and Dakota cultural plants
A Dakota-led nonprofit plans to begin construction this month on a five-acre restoration project at Owámniyomni, also known as St. Anthony Falls, along the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, according to reporting by MPR News. Owámniyomni Okhódayapi announced the start of construction during a site tour Monday after more than a decade of planning, fundraising and tribal engagement.
According to MPR News, the first phase will replace a parking lot, an unused restroom building and part of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers control station with native prairie, oak savanna and traditional Dakota medicines. Shelley Buck, a member of the Prairie Island Indian Community, said the project is focused on restoring Dakota presence along the river. Construction is expected to begin in mid-May and take about 13 months, according to Loeffler Construction project manager John Barrick. A second phase planned for 2028 would restore shoreline flow and create a 25-foot waterfall.
- 1.Melissa Olson. MPR, .
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