Brooklyn Park was the Resilient Communities Project's partner community for the 2016–2017 academic year. A northwestern suburb of the Twin Cities, Brooklyn Park’s mission is to be “a thriving community inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all.” Brooklyn Park is located in Hennepin County, and is the sixth-largest city in the state. In 1990, just 10% of Brooklyn Park’s residents identified as people of color. Today, Brooklyn Park is already as diverse as the rest of Minnesota will be by 2040. More than half of the city’s 79,000 residents are people of color, and 20% of residents are recent immigrants to the United States. Strikingly, 10% of residents are immigrants from Liberia, giving Brooklyn Park (when combined with Brooklyn Center) the largest population of Liberians outside of Liberia.
The RCP–Brooklyn Park partnership involved collaboration on 24 projects that were matched with 47 courses spanning 21 academic departments at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Duluth campuses, engaging more than 250 students in meaningful real-world projects, and providing Brooklyn Park with information, ideas, and new perspectives on local sustainability and resilience issues. The partnership involved 48 organizations, groups of community members, and governmental bodies and departments, with partners ranging from North Hennepin Community College and the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth to local food entrepreneurs and the African Development Center. Projects were designed to further the city’s strategic planning priorities, which include financial sustainability, focused redevelopment and development, community image, adapting to changing demographics, public safety and strong neighborhoods. Almost half of the projects were focused on the City's goal of adapting to changing demographics.
University and city personnel gathered at the McNamara Alumni Center for an end-of-year celebration on May 12, 2017. You can view a brief summary of the partnership and projects, a video about the partnership, or learn more about individual projects and read news items about the partnership below.
Community Identity and Engagement
Challenging Conceptions of Brooklyn Park: Branding & Public Art
Goal: Create a branding strategy and public art policy to promote and foster a positive community image.
Project Lead: Angelica Klebsch, Project Facilitator, City of Brooklyn Park
IDES 2604: Interior Design Studio IV (Instructors: Abi Asojo and Justine Pliska) Final Posters
DES 3331: Street Life Urban Design Seminar (Instructor: Carrie Christensen) Final Report and Presentation
PA 5311: Program Evaluation (Instructor: Jodi Sanfort) Final Report + Poster + Presentation
Community Engagement Plan for Comprehensive Plan Update
Goal: Develop a community engagement plan to broaden community outreach and improve the engagement process around Brooklyn Park’s 2018 comprehensive plan update.
Project Lead: Cindy Sherman, Planning Director, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5145: Civic Participation in Public Affairs (Instructor: Kathy Quick) Final Report
Evaluation of the City’s Community Engagement Initiative
Goal: Assess the impact of Brooklyn Park’s 2010 Community Engagement Initiative.
Project Lead: Josie Shardlow, Community Engagement Coordinator, City of Brooklyn Park
PUBH 7094: Culminating Experience: Community Health Promotion (Advisor: Keith Horvath) Final Report and Poster
Creation of a Community-Oriented PAFR
Goal: Develop a popular annual finance report (PAFR), with community input, to improve transparency within city government and broaden understanding of government finances.
Project Leads: Korrie Johnson and Pa Thao, Accountants, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 8081: Public Affairs Capstone (Instructor: Greg Lindsey) Final Report and Design Template
Neighborhood Stability
Stable Neighborhood Action Plan Update
Goal: Update the City's Stable Neighborhood Action Plan (SNAP) to evaluate neighborhood improvements since creating the original SNAP document in 2005.
Project Lead: Emily Carr, Development Project Coordinator, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 8203: Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies and Theories (Instructor: Neeraj Mehta) Final Report and Presentation
PA 5271: GIS Applications in Planning and Policy Analysis (Instructor: Geoff Maas) Final Presentation
DES 3331: Street Life Urban Design Seminar (Instructor: Carrie Christensen) Final Report and Presentation
Foreclosure Recovery Impact in Brooklyn Park Neighborhoods
Goal: Assess the impacts of Brooklyn Park’s Foreclosure Recovery Program.
Project Lead: Erika Byrd, Economic Development Specialist, City of Brooklyn Park
GEOG 5564: Urban GIS and Analysis (Instructor: Ying Song) Group 1 Final Report + Poster + Presentation | Group 2 Poster and Presentation
PA 5261: Housing Policy (Instructors: Ed Goetz and Tony Damiano) Final Report + Poster + Presentation
Creating Thriving Neighborhoods Through Greater Renter Engagement
Goal: Develop strategies to improve outreach to renters and create more equitable access to community information and resources.
Project Lead: Lidiya Girma, Neighborhood Relations Specialist, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5145: Civic Participation in Public Affairs (Instructor: Kathy Quick) Final Report and Engagement Diagram
Music and the Arts
North Hennepin Community College Performing Arts Center
Goal: Create design and programming options for a proposed Performing Fine Arts and Education Center and develop strategies for joint financing of the center.
Project Lead: Kim Berggren, Director of Community Development, City of Brooklyn Park
SW 8551: Advanced Community Practice: Assessment, Organizing, and Advocacy (Instructor: Jennifer Blevins) Final Report and Presentation
Public Safety
Pedestrian Safety in the Village Creek Neighborhood
Goal: Identify opportunities for making the Village Creek neighborhood more walkable, increasing access to transit and other neighborhood amenities, and improving public spaces in the the area.
Project Lead: Todd Larson, Senior Planner, City of Brooklyn Park
DES 3331: Street Life Urban Design Seminar (Instructor: Carrie Christensen) Final Report and Presentation
Diversifying the Brooklyn Park Police Department
Goal: Investigate current demographic trends in law enforcement candidate pools and develop strategies to attract more applicants of color in an effort to make the Brooklyn Park police force more representative of the community.
Project Lead: Deputy Chief Mark Bruley, Investigations Commander, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 8081: Public Affairs Capstone (Instructor: Greg Lindsey) Final Report and Presentation
PSY 5701: Employee Selection and Staffing (Instructor: Deniz Ones) Final Report
Senior and Youth Services Projects
Senior/50+ Civic Engagement: An Age-Friendly Initiative
Goal: Identify barriers to seniors volunteering with organizations, and develop a program to train and engage both new and return senior volunteers.
Project Lead: Pat Busch, Program Supervisor, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5145: Civic Participation in Public Affairs (Instructor: Kathy Quick) Final Report
SW 8551: Advanced Community Practice: Assessment, Organizing, and Advocacy (Instructor: Jennifer Blevins) Final Report and Presentation
Shared-Use Mobility Possibilities in Brooklyn Park
Goal: Develop strategies to improve access to shared forms of transportation, such as bike- and car-sharing programs, among low-income residents.
Project Lead: Emily Carr, Development Project Coordinator, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5232/CEGE 5212: Transportation Policy, Planning, and Deployment (Instructor: Andrew Guthrie)
Existing Models: Final Report and Presentation
Public Data: Final Report and Presentation
Community Engagement: Final Report and Presentation
North Hennepin Community College (NHCC) Site Concepts: Supportive Off-Campus Services
Goal: Provide recommendations for potential developments on the NHCC campus that will serve student needs, including private off-campus housing and student support services.
Project Lead: Kim Berggren, Director of Community Development, City of Brooklyn Park
SW 8551: Advanced Community Practice: Assessment, Organizing, and Advocacy (Instructor: Jennifer Blevins) Final Report and Presentation
PA 8081: Public Affairs Capstone (Instructor: Greg Lindsey) Final Report and Presentation
PA 5261: Housing Policy (Instructors: Ed Goetz and Tony Damiano) Final Report and Presentation
Workforce Development and Employment Projects
Measuring Youth Employment in the Brooklyns
Goal: Define and measure youth unemployment in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center to inform programs that will increase youth access to employment opportunities.
Project Lead: Ivan Lui, Data & Quality Coordinator, Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth
PA 5251: Strategic Planning and Management (Instructor: John Bryson) Final Report and Presentation
Workforce Development Strategies
Goal: Identify gaps in current workforce delivery models, create targeted workforce development strategies in areas with high unemployment, and identify suburban transit-oriented workforce development strategies.
Project Lead: Erik Hansen, Economic Development & Housing Director, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5512: Economic and Workforce Development (Instructor: Neal Young) Group 1 Report | Group 2 Report | Group 3 Report
OLPD 5296: Internship in Human Resource Development (Instructor: Rosemarie Park) Final Report
Environmental Stewardship Projects
Long-Term Sustainability of Natural Resources
Goal: Develop a natural resource management plan to ensure long-term care of natural resources in Brooklyn Park.
Project Lead: Jodi Yungers, Director of Parks and Recreation, City of Brooklyn Park
ESPM 5245: Sustainable Land Use Planning and Policy (Instructor: Mae Davenport) Final Report and Presentation
EnEd 5325: Sustainability Issues Investigation (Instructor: Ken Gilbertson) Final Report
Potable Water: Supply, Use, and Conservation
Goal: Assess current water usage patterns, identify best practices for education around water conservation, and develop recommendations for development practices that support water conservation.
Project Lead: Jon Watson, Public Utilities Superintendent, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5721: Energy and Environmental Policy (Instructor: Stephen Rose and Vivek Bhandari) Final Report and Presentation
Restaurants & Food Waste: Reuse & Disposal
Goal: Evaluate the financial impacts of creating a city-wide food waste recycling program and identify best practices for food waste recycling and reduction.
Project Lead: Dan Opsahl, Environmental Health Specialist, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5213: Introduction to Site Planning (Instructor: Fernando Burga) Final Report
PA 5712: Science to Action: All Paths (Instructor: Steve Kelley) Final Report and Presentations
Parks and Recreation Projects
Community Change & Sustainability of Athletic Fields
Goal: Conduct a needs assessment for athletic field use and develop recommendations for athletic field surface materials and scheduling.
Project Lead: Brad Tullberg, Parks & Facilities Manager, City of Brooklyn Park
REC 3281: Research and Evaluation in Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies (Instructor: Tony Brown) Group 1 Flyer and Presentation | Group 2 Report and Presentation
HORT 4061: Turfgrass Management (Instructor: Eric Watkins) Compiled Final Report and Presentations
PUBH 7194: Culminating Experience: Environmental Health (Advisor: Betsy Wattenberg) Final Report and Presentation
SMGT 3881W: Senior Seminar in Sport Management (Instructor: Lisa Kihl) Group 1 Final Report + Poster + Presentation | Group 2 Report and Presentation
Nature-Based Recreation: A Recipe for Community Health
Goal: Create a design and site recommendation for a new nature play area at Eidem Farm, analyze risks associated with nature play areas, and develop strategies for integrating nature play into existing parks programming.
Project Lead: Brad Tullberg, Parks & Facilities Manager, City of Brooklyn Park
EnEd 4315: Operations and Management (Instructor: Ken Gilbertson) Final Report and Presentation
REC 3281: Research and Evaluation in Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies (Instructor: Tony Brown) Central Team Report and Presentation | East Central Team Report and Presentation | North Team Report and Presentation | Southeast Team Presentation | Southwest Team Report
HPER 3100: Risk Management (Instructor: Danny Frank) Final Report and Presentation
Master Planning for Historic Eidem Farm and Homestead
Goal: Identify strategies for engaging the public in master planning for the farm, investigate opportunities for preserving the heritage and history of the farm, and compile an oral history of the farm.
Project Lead: Pat Busch, Program Supervisor, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5145: Civic Participation in Public Affairs (Instructor: Kathy Quick) Final Report and Process Diagram
OLPD 5204: Designing the Adult Education Program (Instructor: Catherine Twohig) Final Report + Poster + Presentation
Food Access
Evaluation of a Potential Community Kitchen Project
Goal: Determine community goals for a shared commercial kitchen space, assess obstacles to new community kitchens, and evaluate the economic viability of a stand-alone community kitchen space
Project Lead: Jason Newby, Code Enforcement & Public Health Manager, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5213: Introduction to Site Planning (Instructor: Fernando Burga) Final Report
FDSY 4101: Holistic Approaches to Improving Food Systems Sustainability Final Poster
Assessing Access to Healthful Food
Goal: Determine barriers to accessing fresh foods and identify ways to increase consumption of healthy foods.
Project Lead: John Nerge, GIS Coordinator, City of Brooklyn Park
PA 5271: GIS Applications in Planning and Policy Analysis (Instructor: Geoff Maas) Final Report
PA 5213: Introduction to Site Planning (Instructor: Fernando Burga) Final Report
PUBH 7696: Field Experience: Maternal and Child Health (Advisor: Jamie Stang) Final Report + Presentation + Poster
FDSY 4101: Holistic Approaches to Improving Food Systems Sustainability (Instructor: Julie Grossman) Final Report and Poster
RCP–Brooklyn Park Partnership in the News
- RCP-Brooklyn Park Project Wins APA MN Outstanding Student Project Award, RCP Blog Post, September 29. 2017
- Nourishment from nature, UMD News, July 31, 2017
- RCP-Brooklyn Park 2016-2017 (video), City of Brooklyn Park video, May 11, 2017
- Celebrating the RCP–Brooklyn Park Partnership, RCP Blog Post, May 23, 2017
- Planning for Food Justice in Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog Post, May 21, 2017
- U of M helps Brooklyn Park shape city’s future (video), CCX Media, May 15, 2017
- Brooklyn Park taps into U student research to solve problems, Star Tribune, May 14, 2017
- Diversifying Brooklyn Park's Police Department, RCP Blog Post, April 10, 2017
- Playing towards a Healthier Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog, Post, March 23, 2017
- Engaging Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog Post, February 1, 2017
- Transportation Connections in Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog Post, December 5, 2016
- Urban Planning Students Examine Equity and Development in Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog Post, October 27, 2016
- Initiative aimed at creating a more resilient community kicks off in Brooklyn Park, ABC News/Sun Post, October 5, 2016
- Conference focuses on individual, community resilience, MPR News, September 26, 2016
- Introducing our 2016-2017 Partner: The City of Brooklyn Park, RCP Blog Post, September 7, 2016
- Resilient Communities Project: Partnership with the University of Minnesota, Park Pages (Brooklyn Park newsletter), July/August 2016
- Brooklyn Park Mayor's Minutes (video—RCP starts at 00:45), Northwest Community Television (CCX Media), July 13, 2016
- Resilient Communities Project: A partnership with the University of Minnesota (pdf), The Chamber View (North Hennepin Area Chamber of Commerce): Summer 2016
- Announcing RCP's 2016–2017 Partnership with Brooklyn Park (pdf), CURA Reporter, Spring 2016
- Brooklyn Park Selected for University Program (video—RCP starts at 04:53), Northwest Community TV/Channel 12 News, November 16, 2015
- Brooklyn Park Selected for Resilient Communities Project, ABC News/Sun Post, November 16, 2015
- Brooklyn Park Named U of M 'Resilient Communities Project' Partner, KSTP/Channel 5 News, November 12, 2015