MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 in July 2023.
Four years after the pavilion at Bde Maka Ska was destroyed by fire, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) officials say the wait for a new and improved space on the lake is finally over.
The MPRB announced the new pavilion will open to the public on Friday, Oct. 20, with two new buildings that will feature a restaurant and market run by Pimento Jamaican Kitchen, Indigenous art displays and the return of naval artifacts that were part of the space before it was remodeled.
“We could not be more excited to open the new Bde Maka Ska Pavilion and provide another welcoming, open space in our park system,” said Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura in a statement. “As beloved as the original pavilion was, I believe this new building will quickly become a favorite gathering space and a Minneapolis icon.”
According to the MPRB, the project cost the city $6.5 million to replace the original pavilion — first built in 1930 — was destroyed by fire in 2019. In addition to food service and art displays, the new pavilion also includes improved outdoor seating, a small performance stage, upgraded landscaping and trail safety, and a six-stall, year-round restroom.
In its statement, MPRB officials said the project could not have been completed without a lot of help from the community.
“We’d like to thank the partners who contributed to make this project possible, including Louis King, Tomme Beevas and the Pimento Jamaican Kitchen team, Cunningham, Concrete Pig with Juxtaposition Arts, Hennepin Theater Trust, Native American Community Development Institute and the upcoming muralists, artist Adrienne Zimiga-January, who created the ‘We are on Dakota / Native Land’ decals, Morcon Construction, and, of course, the dedicated MPRB staff members who spent countless hours making this a reality,” said MPRB President Meg Forney. “It was truly a team effort.”
For more information about the new, 4,400-square-foot facility, visit the MPRB's website.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist: