Brooklyn Park EDA Voices Support for Center for Innovation and the Arts
Brooklyn Park staff say they need more space for the arts. Current classes have no room to expand.
“We are just in need of space for the arts in our community and artistic expression and we don’t have it,” said Jody Yungers, recreation and park director for the city in a recent EDA meeting.
One solution would be another venue and the city and North Hennepin Community College are moving in that direction.
This week the Economic Development Authority approved partially funding a temporary fundraising campaign director for the Center for Innovation and the Arts. The center would be located across from North Hennepin Community College, and the position would also be funded by the Minnesota State Board. The position would be housed out of North Hennepin Community College and the current timeline would have fundraising opportunities going through 2024.
The Center for Innovation and the Arts (CITA) is an $85 million project and staff working on the project are requesting $45 million of the funds to come through in state bonding money. The facility would also replace the outdated North Hennepin Fine Arts Center. The Osseo School District would also use the facility.
Visioning for the CITA project started in 2017 and a timeline calls for the design process to take place in 2022 through 2023 and construction to begin in 2023.
A group of local leaders make up an advisory council that met back in February 2020. It is comprised of members from Hennepin County, North Hennepin Community College, Metro State University, the city of Brooklyn Park, and Osseo Area Schools.
The Minnesota State Board still must approve funding the temporary fundraising campaign director position.
