With the closure of the Upper St. Anthony Falls lock, questions have been swirling about the long-term future for the lock site, currently owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The site is at the exact center of a string of parks near the riverfront, including Gold Medal Park, Mill Ruins Park, and the planned Waterworks park. For now, the National Park Service has seized the opportunity to offer tours of the lock during the summer – but the question remains of what the long-term plan for the site will be.

The Friends of the Lock and Dam has formed to build a community coalition to push for re-purposing the lock and dam to a world class visitor’s center and interpretive center, consistent with the Central Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan. In June, more than 25 river area stakeholders representing community, non-profits and governmental organizations convened to discuss the future of this area. At a recent Board meeting, the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership voted to endorse the following vision for the area approved by that coalition of public and private partners.

A shared vision for the Upper Lock:

We support the St. Anthony Falls Upper Lock as the centerpiece of an iconic civic and cultural destination, reflective of our shared history, for the use and enjoyment of all.