Wakan Tipi Visitor Center to open in fall 2025 The Metropolitan Council is committed to recognizing the history and impact of American Indian Tribes and communities. More importantly, we’re turning our declarations into actions – with a lot of help from prominent partners. The Met Council is supporting a collective effort to steward land at the 27-acre Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, including construction of a visitor center near the Wakan Tipi cave. The cave – a sacred site for the Dakota Peoples – is located on the east side of the sanctuary at the base of the bluffs in Indian Mounds Regional Park. The Wakan Tipi Center is being built near the entrance to the nature sanctuary. “We know from our oral history and cultural practices that this is a significant and sacred place,” said Maggie Lorenz (Dakota and Anishinaabe). Lorenz is executive director of Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi, a Native-led nonprofit group with a mission to engage people to honor and care for our natural places and the sacred sites and cultural value within them. “Sites like Wakan Tipi are sacred and should be respected as such, not just by Dakota People, but by all people.” Multiple groups have been involved in the Wakan Tipi site restoration project. In October 2024, Mayor Melvin Carter announced a co-management agreement between the City of Saint Paul and the Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi. The project has received significant funding from a wide range of sources, including a sizeable grant from the Bush Foundation. In addition, the Minnesota State Legislature has allocated a total of $6.5 million in state bonding funds for the project. Met Council passes through state funding to support construction The Met Council will work with City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation to appropriate the state funds to finish construction on the 7,500-square-foot visitor center. The center will include a reception area, classrooms, exhibits, gallery, community gathering spaces, and more. It’s slated to open in fall 2025. “This is a true restoration project,” said Emmett Mullen, senior manager for regional parks and trails at the Met Council. “We must do our part in helping to restore the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and culturally cherished and hallowed heritage sites. We also need to restore our relationship with all Indigenous People in the region and with the land. The Wakan Tipi Center is just one way to honor the legacy of the Dakota People.” American Indian Advisory Council is driving force for Met Council Last September, the Met Council’s American Indian Advisory Council – comprising 11 regional Indigenous leaders – delivered a set of actionable recommendations to the Met Council policy board. One of the recommendations was for the board to adopt an overarching Tribal relations policy that recognizes the historical and present significance of American Indian communities. The recommendations were the culmination of eight months of meetings, where the Advisory Council learned more about the Met Council’s areas of responsibilities, identified areas for improvement, and developed the actionable items. “Actions matter,” said Mullen. “The Wakan Tipi project highlights and honors the original stewards of the land and natural systems in the region.” The project includes the transformation of outside spaces from traditional regional park amenities to places for reflection to honor displaced and killed Native Americans. Changing policy to restore land and natural systems The Met Council has added many of the Advisory Council’s recommendations to its next regional development guide, Imagine 2050. The guide shapes how the Twin Cities region will grow over the next 30 years, with input from a wide range of technical experts, local officials, advocates, and residents. Following the recent public comment period, authors are now finalizing content before adoption in February 2025 and implementation. Imagine 2050 includes the Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan, which highlights a few of the Advisory Council’s recommendations for the Met Council: Develop a cultural landscape designation and related policies grounded in Tribal sovereignty and recognition of Dakota homelands and sacred sites. Support waived fees for entry, activities, and events for the American Indian communities and facilitate conversations with regional park implementing agencies. Work with partners to do a historical and cultural inventory of the regional parks and trails system, including surveying the location, name, and history of the parks as well as cross-referencing locations with inventories of possible burial mounds. Create a training program for staff from regional park implementing agencies about Indigenous land management practices. Assess the regional parks Equity Grant Program to encourage pilot programs that develop harvesting practices and policies. Convene conversations with American Indian partners and implementing agencies to develop policies and processes to ensure harvesting is respectful and meets community needs. Partner with American Indian organizations and Tribes to lead an inventory of harvestable plants in regional parks to increase understanding of existing resources and open conversations with implementing agencies. Posted In: Parks