Natural beauty in the heart of Hopkins
For over thirty years, Downtown Park has served as a beautiful place to take a deep breath of fresh air between 9th and 10th Avenues.
Downtown Park was created in 1976 on land that had been home to First Methodist Church from 1889 to 1954. The church had been cleared as part of an urban renewal project. The intent was to create green space and a place to gather within downtown Hopkins. Natural raised seating areas were created with large berms, making it a perfect place to enjoy an outdoor concert.
The park has been the venue for Music in the Park for over 20 years. The concert series was the creation of Chuck Redepenning and Don Bates. For the past several years Nora Davis has been the driving force behind the community event. According to Nora, the lunch time concerts have been particularly popular, drawing office workers, young families, and seniors.
Throughout the park are memorials to veterans and important City leaders such as Joseph Vesely and Jennie Marincel Arimond, the first woman elected to the City Council. A time capsule buried in the park by Katherine Curren School in June of 1986 adds a bit of intrigue.
In 2003 the park went through a renovation. Pavers, new benches and a performance stage were installed. The Hopkins Rotary and Hopkins Business and Civic Association have adopted the park and take care of much of the plantings.
Take a walk through the park, get lunch to go and enjoy it in the park, or make a point of coming to one the the great Music in the Park concerts. You will see why Downtown Park is July’s Point of Pride.
