April 30, 2026
Minneapolis, MN — WSB is proud to announce that the Mississippi Gateway Regional Park project has received a 2026 Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects Minnesota Chapter (ASLA‑MN). The award recognizes the collaborative work completed for Three Rivers Park District and the City of Brooklyn Park, honoring excellence in landscape architecture within the General Design category.
Located along a significant stretch of the Mississippi River corridor in Brooklyn Park, MN, Mississippi Gateway Regional Park represents more than a decade of planning, design, and implementation. The project reimagines a heavily used but long‑underinvested park into a cohesive regional destination that balances ecological restoration, public access, and inclusive recreation.
WSB partnered closely with Three Rivers Park District beginning in 2015, assisting with an extensive master planning process rooted in community engagement. Over the course of more than 30 public meetings and stakeholder discussions, input from park users and residents helped shape a unified vision focused on reconnecting people to the Mississippi River, enhancing year‑round use, and protecting sensitive natural systems. Implementation followed from 2021 through 2025, with WSB remaining engaged from concept through construction.
As prime consultant, WSB provided landscape architectural leadership for the full redevelopment of the park’s core areas. Key project elements include a new Gateway Center serving as both a visitor hub and nature center, an elevated Treetop Trail offering access to the forest canopy and river views, and a series of nature‑based play experiences designed to encourage exploration and learning. Additional improvements include the Mini‑Mississippi interactive water feature, expanded trail connectivity, new picnic shelters, an upgraded archery range with accessible lanes, an expanded dog off‑leash area, and the South Pond Learning Lab—an outdoor classroom and dock set within a floodplain pond ecosystem.
The project required careful coordination and phasing to allow the park to remain open throughout construction. WSB worked closely with the client and project team to manage sequencing, adapt to post‑pandemic cost fluctuations, and ensure new amenities were made available to the public as they were completed. This approach minimized disruptions while maintaining community trust and continued access to one of the region’s most valued public landscapes.
The ASLA‑MN Merit Award recognizes Mississippi Gateway Regional Park as an example of long‑term collaboration, design stewardship, and landscape architecture’s role in shaping resilient, community‑centered public spaces. The project demonstrates how thoughtful planning and sustained partnership can translate shared values into an enduring park that will serve the region for generations.
