Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/09/2025

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Northfield Public Art Opportunities: The following recommendations for public art and creative placemaking in Northfield.. MN are based on the unique character of this beautiful river community. The Opportunities include a set of public art and creative placemaking typologies that offer up a way of defining these opportunities in the unique context of Northfield. The Public Art Opportunities map builds on the existing public art collection and makes recommendations on sites and typologies of public art and creative placemaking that could be integrated into the river loop to help celebrate the community and create unique spaces that represent the past, present, and future of Northfield. This map can also be considered a curation of spaces in Northfield, both existing and potential, anchored in the new infill development proposed by BUILD:PUBLIC and the Lander Group. This document builds off the work of BUILD:PUBLIC as well as municipal planning documents like the Northfield 2020 Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan. The Riverfront Enhancement Action Plan calls for the following that are integrated into the next steps recommendations for Northfield and public art. 1) ESTABLISH Northfield's Cannon River Regional Park 2) ENHANCE and activate your riverfront parks 3) COMPLETE your local and regional trail system 4) EXPLORE Ames Mill Dam reconstruction options 5) PROMOTE economic development and tourist destination Reflecting Northfield Today: Ecology, Industry, and Education Northfield, MN is a vibrant small, college town on the Cannon River in central Minnesota. It is surrounded by an agricultural area and has roots in related industries. The town is also an academic centerpiece for the state boasting several renowned local colleges. Downtown has a unique character that is a walkable, human scale, with a historic feel. The river flows along the back door of main street, and the area is full of opportunities for deeper connections to the riverfront. The public art opportunities analysis of Northfield builds off the plans for new and enhanced connections to the river through a celebration of what is uniquely Northfield -- an intersection of ecology, industry, and education.