Our Vision for Parks

Standing With Organized Labor

Minneapolis parks rank among the best in the country because of our park workers. Organized labor built our parks, runs their programs, and keeps them clean and accessible.

As Park Board Commissioner, Colton will stand shoulder to shoulder with our unions, not against them.

Vision:

  • Negotiate fairly, transparently, and in good faith with our unions

  • Fight for higher wages and stronger union protections

  • Expand year-round staffing to improve services and programs - providing stability for our workers, their families, and the entire park system.

  • Safety for park workers - park provided PPE, union-park hazard identification process, and improved training

Climate Justice Starts In Distict 5

Minneapolis parks are a major force in addressing climate change. Our parks must continue investing in sustainable projects and programs that protect the environment and our communities.

Vision:

  • Liaison with city, county, state, and metro-transit partners to advocate for increased density and public transit around parks, increasing access to our park system.

  • Build and upgrade green stormwater systems alongside expanded native plantings and increased tree canopy

  • Expand renewable energy use and energy-efficient upgrades in park facilities

  • Supporting and Implementing the Hiawatha Links Program (9-hole Hiawatha Golf Course)

  • Improve Minneapolis Lakes water quality through regular clean-ups and infrastructure investments

Safe and Accessible Parks for All

Parks should be welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant spaces that connect people with nature and each other. By prioritizing accessibility, sustainability, and community engagement, we can ensure our parks truly serve everyone.

Vision:

  • Advocate for reduced fees for those who need help affording park programs

  • Increase outreach to historically marginalized communities

  • Prioritize programming and resources to marginalized communities

  • Build more bike paths, public restrooms in every park, and park re-wildings - improving park infrastructure and adding good union job

Public Safety - a core need for our parks

Whenever I’ve participated in a clean up in a park there is one thing that myself and my co-workers always find, needles. We are in the middle of an opioid crisis and an homelessness crisis. Safety is for all our neighbors - from park workers cleaning up used needles, to our unhoused neighbors accessing the parks, and families taking their children on walks.

Vision:

  • Have parks adopt harm reduction strategies, public health, and care based models to safety: ensuring safe parks for all our neighbors

  • Approve park grounds for needle kiosks with proper language

  • Work with the city and other partners to bring in violence interrupters, care workers, and resources into the parks

  • Hire additional year-round staff to for regular park cleanups

  • Free up park police capacity to focus on our core safety needs