Minneapolis is stepping up its game with the upcoming opening of The River Hub at Graco Park this spring. Located at 810 Sibley St. NE, the park's new 4,000-square-foot building is setting the stage for a confluence of environmental education, arts, and technology within the community. Mark your calendars – the hub will throw open its doors by the end of April with operations spanning Wednesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and weekends from noon to 6 p.m., according to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
Apart from presenting a serene backdrop of the Mississippi River, The River Hub features the fourth location of Spark’d Studios, a haven for young creatives looking to dip their toes into multimedia arts – complete with a recording booth, 3D printer, and gaming stations. A Grand Opening for the site is in the works, details of which will be shared later this spring. In addition, traffic alert: prepare for a four-month closure of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge starting April 21, 2025, as construction for a new trail connection to Boom Island Park plows ahead. The bridge isn't just shuttering for the trail work but also to allow for some much-needed maintenance.
Where the River meets technology, Spark’d Studios at Graco Park promises to offer a myriad of resources like a laser cutter, photography gear, and Mac computers loaded with creative software – all to encourage career readiness in the digital art space. For a taste of the action, follow Spark’d Studios on Instagram or YouTube, and get ahead of the curve on their programs and youth-directed projects.
Not to fall by the wayside, the Boom Island Trail Connection is shoring up the connection points between the city's parks. People longing for a picturesque run, a leisurely roll, or a stroll will soon have a seamless off-road riverside trail connecting Sheridan Memorial Park to Graco Boom Island Park, and Nicollet Island. As part of this project, safety measures like sidewalk bump-outs and a flashing beacon are in the pipe to make crossing Plymouth Avenue at Sibley Street NE a safer bet, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board states.
As for Graco Park itself, it's a sprawling nine-acre expanse sitting snugly between the headquarters of Graco Inc. and Boom Island Park. Opened back in September 2024, the park is a testament to the city's commitment to repurposing industrial zones into green spaces, fostering community engagement and ecological restoration, a venture set in motion with the acquisition of the former Scherer Bros Lumber Co's site back in 2010. Today, it stands transformed, offering trails, picnic spots, and a chapter of local history with its "Timber Markers".
