Overview
- The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted 8-1 Wednesday to decommission the Minnehaha off‑leash area and directed staff to end off‑leash use no later than Dec. 31, 2026.
- Park leaders cited an archaeological study and the site's 2023 National Register listing as evidence that Mni Owe Sni, also called Coldwater Spring, is a Dakota sacred area vulnerable to harm from off‑leash activity.
- The board moved after its planning committee advanced the resolution and after consultations with a Native American advisory council that included Dakota representatives who described cultural and spiritual impacts from dog use.
- Longtime dog‑park users have organized petitions with more than 1,000 signatures and raised concerns about transparency and lack of nearby alternatives while Commissioner Cathy Abene asked for more community engagement before implementation.
- The resolution requires park staff to begin a planning process to identify replacement off‑leash locations and to work with the community on siting alternatives, a change that could force many users to travel farther for river access and free running space.