CAL RIPKEN, SR. FOUNDATION TO BRING TWO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PARKS TO MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Multi-Purpose Fields to Help Address Growing Needs of Minneapolis-Area Youth

Minneapolis, Minn. – The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation today announced they are developing two multi-purpose Youth Development Parks in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board at North Commons and Farview Parks. The new field at North Commons Park will be a high quality facility for baseball, softball and other youth and community recreation activities. At Farview Park, where a replica of Nicollet Field will be built, the multi-purpose fields will serve baseball, softball, football, soccer and other youth and community recreation activities.

Construction will begin in mid-June and is projected to take approximately 4-6 months to complete both facilities, with efforts from Foundation partner FIELDS, Inc, a sports general contractor building sports fields of distinction. Upon completion, the fields will be managed and maintained by the Park Board. The Ripken Foundation will continue to work with the Park Board to create programs to engage at-risk young people. The programs will address a variety of youth development needs through team sports, which include character development, anti-bullying, respect, nutrition, health and physical education.

“We are excited to work with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and community members to bring this unique opportunity for its youth,” said Steve Salem, President of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. “This is a great day for the Minneapolis community and the youth who will soon have new state-of-the- art facilities where they can play, grow and learn. I’d like to particularly thank the Phillips family for their leadership and support. Their involvement in these projects has been in memory and honor of their father and grandfather, the late Eddie Phillips, who had a passion for the game of baseball.” 

Generous donations have been made to the projects by The Edward J Phillips Family Foundation, The Pohlad Family Foundation and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.

“We are thrilled to honor our father’s legacy by combining three of his great passions; baseball, kids and North Minneapolis.  This project is an example of the cooperation that makes our community so remarkable, and we are grateful to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, the Pohlad family and the wonderful residents of North Minneapolis whose support made it all possible,” said Dean Phillips.

In the community surrounding Farview Park, the childhood poverty rate is over 41% for children between 0 and 17 years old. At North Commons Park, it ranges from 26 to 40%. With some of the highest childhood poverty rates in the city, the need is high for access to safe and positive facilities, afterschool programs, and mentors or coaches who care about their well-being and success.

“I would like to thank the Cal Rikpen, Sr. Foundation, The Edward J Phillips Family Foundation, The Pohlad Family Foundation, and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund for their generous donation to the Minneapolis park system,” said Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Commissioner Jon Olson. “The North Commons and Farview Park fields are valued features for of the parks and community surrounding them. We look forward to the ongoing partnership with Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to provide high quality fields and programming for youth.”

The initiative is part of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s national Youth Development Park initiative, developed to provide at-risk youth with safe places to play and learn.  The goal is to develop several unique, multi-purpose, low maintenance fields with synthetic turf that will provide a cohesive recreational and educational experience for underserved young people across the United States. With plans to build 50 fields in five years, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation currently has 14 Youth Development Parks actively in use and numerous on-going projects throughout the country.

About the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation uses baseball- and softball-themed programs to help build character and teach critical life lessons to underserved youth residing in America’s most distressed communities. Founded in 2001 by members of the Ripken family in memory of their patriarch Cal, Sr., the Foundation works to create programs that positively impact at-risk youth through active community partnerships with America’s most successful youth service organizations. The Ripken Foundation uses the baseball and softball field to help teach life’s critical lessons such as perseverance, loyalty, nutrition, hard work and leadership to young people residing in disadvantaged communities. In 2012, the Foundation impacted more than 154,000 youth in 47 states around the country through Badges for Baseball.
 
About the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB)
Approximately 5,000 youth play in the MPRB’s baseball, softball, football and soccer programs and countless organized groups and other neighborhood youth use MPRB athletic fields. The MPRB owns, operates, and maintains approximately 400 outdoor athletic fields in various park locations throughout the city of Minneapolis.  Athletic fields are enjoyed by multiple leagues and individuals, including MPRB sponsored adult and youth leagues, adaptive recreation leagues, the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), and numerous private organizations.  Community demand for use of athletic fields outweighs current supply within the Minneapolis park system. Annually, an estimated 903 volunteer coaches devoted their time and leadership to MPRB youth sports. With 197 park properties totaling nearly 6,744 acres of land and water, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board provides places and recreation opportunities for all people to gather, celebrate, contemplate, and engage in activities that promote health, well-being, community, and the environment. 
 
 
CONTACTS: Katy Fincham – Maroon PR    Marlene Alvarez – Maroon PR
443-864-4246      443-864-4246
Katy@MaroonPR.com      Marlene@MaroonPR.com

MPRB CONTACTS: Questions from the public:
Jennifer Ringold, Manager Community Engagement & Citywide Planning
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
612-230-6464
jringold@minneapolisparks.org

Questions from media:
Dawn Sommers, Communications and Marketing Manager
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Office: 612-230-6407, Cell: 612-221-9155
dsommers@minneapolisparks.org