It's not exactly a walk in the park managing Minneapolis's green spaces this spring. According to a recent announcement from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), the city has waved goodbye to drought thanks to a notably soggy spring; however, this weather pattern has left park turf bogged down with persistent, muddy conditions that have thrown a wrench into routine mowing schedules.

The unrelentingly damp earth has been a spoilsport, leading to grass growing as though it's in a race, and staffing limitations have only made it tougher for MPRB to keep their blades in line, and, well, everything has put the park system's 4,660 acres of turf behind the eight ball when it comes to the community's expectations of trim and tidy grass. "We have been adjusting schedules to prioritize mowing in dry conditions, and hiring and training additional staff," the MPRB statement hedges, keenly aware of how unkempt parks might rankle local nature enthusiasts.

"Current conditions in some areas are not ideal," MPRB conceded, a nod to residents who might be less than thrilled about wading through urban meadows rather than neatly mown lawns; nonetheless, the board is doubling down on its commitment to put parks to rights in the nearish future. Help wanted ads are still plastered, by the way—their park maintenance team could use a few good hands on deck.

As Minneapolis locals play the waiting game, the MPRB is rolling out its plan to tackle wild and woolly patches, promising that efforts are afoot to restore the greenspaces to prime picnicking, frisbee-flinging, and leisurely-strolling conditions, and patience, meanwhile, remains the virtue du jour for those eagerly eyeing their calendars and the weather forecast, hopeful for a return to less adventurous parkland exploits. MPRB ensures the public they're mowing down the obstacles as quickly as can be managed: "We are and will be making every effort to get all 4,660 acres of turf in the park system mowed and in acceptable conditions in the coming days and weeks," they said, aspiration tinged with the realism that Mother Nature still calls the shots.