Renaming Marcy Park
The first Public hearing on renaming Marcy Park to Dinky Park took place on Wednesday, August 20th.
A second public hearing on the renaming of Marcy Park to Dinky Park will be held on Thursday, September 25 at 5:45 pm at Mary Merrill Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters.
Marcy Park is located at 711 11th Ave. SE, near the University of Minnesota campus and Dinkytown area. The park was named for Marcy School which once occupied the land. The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (now the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership) placed Dinky Park into nomination after engaging with community members on possible names.
Participate in the 2nd Public Hearing
Speak in person: Go to Mary Merrill MPRB Headquarters on the day of the hearing and add your name to the sign-up sheet at the front desk. You can also call 612-230-6400 before 3 pm on the day of the hearing to sign up to speak.
Email written comments: Email your comments to opentime@minneapolisparks.org by 3 pm on Thursday, September 25th. Comments will be included in the public record of the meeting.
Next Steps
This is the second public hearing of two required by the MPRB Naming Policy.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612-230-6400 | info@minneapolisparks.org
Located at the intersection of 11th Avenue SE and 7th Street SE, Marcy Park recently underwent a significant transformation to better meet the needs of our evolving neighborhood. While the park still features its original small playground, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board has added several new amenities, including a full basketball court, the city's first dog park in 10 years, a hammock area, pollinator-friendly plantings, and new bike racks.
Despite these much-needed improvements, the former Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (now the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership) initiated an effort to rename the park.
Historically, the site was home to Marcy School before the institution moved—first briefly to the Como neighborhood and later to its current location near Holmes Park. After the school was relocated, the site became a park, retaining the name "Marcy." However, this has led to confusion among residents and visitors, as many mistakenly believe Marcy Park is located next to the current school, approximately 15 blocks away. The goal is to eliminate this confusion once and for all.
Additionally, the park’s name honors William Learned Marcy, who served as Secretary of War under President Polk and later as Secretary of State under President Pierce. Marcy is often credited with coining the phrase, "to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy," but he never visited Minnesota. This historical connection has led to reflection on whether the park should continue to bear his name.
In response, the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) began a process to explore alternative names that better reflect the community’s values and identity. While the MHNA can propose suggestions, the final decision to rename the park rests with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.
Further Reading:
Marcy Park in the News: