Editor's note: This story was originally published with Southwest Connector

This year’s election will bring new faces to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB). Four of the current commissioners (Billy Menz, Becky Alper, Elizabeth Schaffer, and Becka Thompson) are not running again, and other incumbents face serious challengers.

Seven candidates are running for the three at-large city-wide seats, including two incumbents, Meg Forney and Tom Olsen. Olsen, Michael Wilson and Amber Frederick secured the Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) endorsement in July and will be running along with the Green Party’s Adam Schneider. Forney, Mary McKelvey, and Matthew Dowgwillo are running without party endorsement.

Both Southwest districts, 6 and 4, have credible candidates actively campaigning.

Well-known challenger in district 6

In district 6 the incumbent, Cathy Abene, is being challenged by former school board member, Ira Jourdain, who secured the DFL endorsement in July.
This district covers most of the southwest quarter of the city. It includes all or some of the Armatage, Cedar-Isle-Dean, East Bde Maka Ska. East Harriet, Fulton, Kenny, Kingfield, Linden Hills, Lyndale, Lynnhurst, South Uptown, Tangletown, West Bde Maka Ska and Windom neighborhoods.

Jourdain lives in Kingfield, is a parent of three, is an enrolled tribal citizen of the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, and represented the same area on the Minneapolis Board of Education from 2017-2024. In addition to the DFL, he is endorsed by school board members Kim Ellison and Greta Callahan.

Abene lives in Lynnhurst, is also a parent of three, and works as a water resource engineer at the University of Minnesota. She was first elected in 2021 and served both as vice president and president during the term. This year she has been endorsed by the Minneapolis Firefighters Union, the Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus, Minneapolis Council Member Linea Palmisano and Park Commissioner Elizabeth Schaffer.

Jourdain lists “respect for park workers and their union” as one of his four priorities. “MPRB workers make the best parks in the country happen and therefore should be the best compensated as well,” he said.

Jourdain also prioritizes recreation opportunities for youth and seniors, responding to federal government actions that could hurt the parks, and environmental stewardship and tree canopy.

Abene said that maintaining a focus on youth will remain her number one priority, and cites successful work around water quality as one of her proudest accomplishments as a park commissioner as well as helping pass a new “pay-what-you-can” model for youth programs.

“My messages are pretty simple,” she said when asked about her campaign themes. “The Park Board should be mission-focused, it should work in good faith on behalf of the residents of Minneapolis, and it must take seriously its responsibility to future generations.”

Three way face-off in District 4

‍In district 4, two candidates – Jason Garcia and Andrew Gebo – are actively campaigning for the open seat currently held by Elizabeth Schaffer (who is running for city council). A third recently filed to be on the ballot.

District 4 covers much of downtown, most of Ward 7, and some of Ward 10. It includes all or parts of Kenwood, Bryn Mawr, Lowry Hill, Loring Park, East Isles, Whittier, Stevens Square, Cedar-Isle-Dean and Lowry Hill East.

On Aug. 6, Jeanette Colby filed to also be on the ballot for district 4 commissioner. Colby is on the Kenwood Neighborhood Organization Board and served on the MPRB Community Advisory Committee for Southwest LRT project, but does not appear to be actively campaigning yet.

Park worker relations is also an issue in this race with all three of the active candidates advocating for better relationships.

“We saw the first park workers’ strike in the history of MPRB last summer, in large part because the relationship between the park board, park admin, and park workers has become so strained,” said the DFL endorsed Garcia, who lives in Lowry Hill East. “I want to make sure that as the body setting strategy and budgets, MPRB is leading with a mindset that includes workers as a priority.” Garcia is the only candidate endorsed by labor groups including the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, SEIU MN and LUNIA, as well as Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai.

Gebo, who relocated from San Francisco in 2018 and now lives in the Loring Park neighborhood, lists empowering park workers as one of the three main messages of his campaign. “Park workers are the backbone of our city’s thriving park system. Supporting them means more than backing unions,” he said. “It’s about listening to their voices, understanding their needs, and ensuring their contributions are valued and reflected in Park Board decisions.”

Labor relations is not the only priority issue for these candidates.

Gebo also puts a premium on community involvement. “Many residents aren’t fully aware of the park board’s role or impact,” he said. “By expanding community outreach and actively engaging with residents, I will ensure that your voices shape the Park Board’s vision for our parks.”

Gebo added, “I will fight to protect and enhance our green spaces, ensuring our parks and parkways remain a gold standard for the nation. I am committed to maintaining its legacy while building for future generations.”

Garcia also prioritizes environmental sustainability and accessibility.

“We need equitable, accessible parks across our city that take into account the needs of our increasingly diverse community,” said Garcia. “That means more inclusive programming for people who are living on low incomes, better facilities and paths and walkways for disabled people and parents, and development of parkland with those needs in mind.”

Garcia continued, “This summer has shown the effects of climate change on Minneapolis. Temperature fluctuations, excessive rain, and days with AQI over 150 have been common. We need to make sure we’re taking care of our historic areas while also planning our parkways and urban tree canopy to help mitigate the difficulties of this summer.”

Gebo thinks that the Park Board’s failure to act on the redevelopment of “The Mall” near Bde Maka Ska was a mistake. “

This project, part of the Southwest Parks Plan, would have created bike paths and recreational spaces that connected Uptown to Bde Maka Ska, which would have been a transformative enhancement to our park system,” he said. “With the Metropolitan Council’s sewer project presenting a unique opportunity to implement this plan without cost to the Park Board, the decision not to act reflects a lack of vision and leadership.”

Gebo remarked, “Five years ago, amidst the pandemic and civil unrest, I made a personal pledge to be part of building a better future for Minneapolis. Running for District 4 Park Board Commissioner is my way of turning that promise into action. I am committed to serving the residents of District 4 and the city as a whole – not special interest groups or ideologies. My goal is simple: to make Minneapolis an even better place to live by enhancing our parks, supporting our park workers, and fostering deeper connections between the Park Board and the community.”

“We’re at a crucial time in Minneapolis, at all levels of government,” said Garcia. “We’ve already been singled out by the Trump administration and are facing cuts in funding and attacks in the media. We can’t afford to maintain the status quo that we’ve had for the past several years. We have to collaborate with our partners at Minneapolis Public Schools; with the mayor, city council, and city government; and with our governor and state legislature to ensure we’re safeguarding our city for the future. It’s the time for us as neighbors to help each other out, and build a strong, supportive community we can all be proud of.”

Park Board District Changes

Find information and a graphic about park board district changes here

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