The South High PUSH (Parents United for South High) took place in the Media Center, Monday, December 12th. Site Council Co-chair Steve Richter opened the discussion about the South athletic fields. What we thought was going to happen for South in improving the safety, size and practice space that South High students have needed for years and MPS providing an equitable athletic facility....is not happening. What is happening, is the MPS is planning a building for two existing MPS programs, Adult Education (ABE) and Transitions Plus (T+). With MPS streamlining the bidding process in the first quarter of 2017 and plans for construction to happen in the second quarter of 2017, there is no time left for the South community to be quiet. If MPS constructs their building and finally comes up with a plan for South athletic facilities and says, "sorry, we needed 20 more feet, but we can't get you a properly sized field, or there is no room for lights, or the track has to stay six lanes" and so on. Richter went on to show that this is the fourth property that MPS has owned next to or near South High. Included in those properties are the YWCA, in which the agreement was to have a competition swimming pool which South High swimmers would be able to hold meets. Didn't happen. The Y fieldhouse property is still owned by MPS, yet it is often difficult to work out time for South athletes in their building. The 6.5 acre "Brown Institute" site sold by MPS in 2014 (that still has six more years available lease for ABE) was not considered with South. Number four, the Lake Street block between 21st and 20th. Adjacent to the South High field. This might be the last chance for space for South. We need to know that MPS has the space, has a plan, that will fit the needs of the students of South High and we don't have that from MPS. South High parent Scott Schluter then presented plans showing the South High fields running north/south to Lake Street. Plans utilizing the two half blocks from 19th to 21st. Plans that show the removal of 31st Street creating a inclusive and safer campus plan. Those plans also showed the school's needs and desires at that time. Those plans also addressed the need for more space in a school that had outgrown its classrooms with the addition of a third floor on part of the building. The other needs mentioned, including the athletic facility, were left on hold. Below is the plan showing the desired fields for South High. Why did no one at MPS involve South in discussions on properties that were part of their 1996 master plan? Who watches over the plan? It was then shown that since the 1996 South High Master Plan was formulated, designed and blueprinted, MPS has had EIGHT Superintendents! Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendents Since 1996 Peter Hutchinson Carol Johnson David Jennings Thandiwe Peebles Bill Green Bernediea Johnson Michael Goar Ed Graff The proverbial "ball" was dropped and it did not roll South High's way. Since then, the City of Minneapolis presented a Hiawatha/Lake Master Plan in 2000 (shown below). That plan also shows an enlarged South High athletic facility and the removal of 31st St to connect the school and the fields. The South High Foundation also submitted design plans years ago to MPS with a larger athletic fields footprint to help bring South up to an equitable facility and the money promised from MPS at that time never materialized. Even the neighborhood that South High resides in (Corcoran Neighborhood Organization) has sent a design proposal (below) to Superintendent Ed Graff to be considered as a "masterplan vision" for South. This shows that this problem is nothing new. This shows that designers, architects, city officials, alumni and neighborhood organizations for over 20 years have seen, have known and have spoken to the need for South High students to have a safe and equitable facility. Why MPS decides to build on land that was decided 20 years ago was part of the South High vision and then not include South High Adminstration, students or South High attendance area community is wrong. What can the South High community do before the streamlined MPS bidding process begins in January 2017? Go to the contact page. Email the Superintedent, the MPS Board, the MPS Athletic Dept, the South High Principal, the media, your friends, neighbors, city council. This is the fourth piece of land that MPS has owned next to South over the past 20 years, yet, for some reason, South doesn't seem be at the head of the table. 1996 South High School athletic facilities design as part of an encompassing master plan. MPS did part of this plan in adding a third story to part of the building. Hiawatha/Lake Station Master Plan 2000 http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/planning/cped_lakemidtown#P3_116 Corcoran Neighborhood Organization submitted this "Masterplan vision" to Superintendent Ed Graff 12/3/16.
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