By Janet Moore, Star Tribune.
The Mississippi River’s blue-brown water lapped against the hull of Cory Parkos’ solar-powered leisure boat as he steered it away from Boom Island Park in Minneapolis toward the wide expanse of the mighty river.
Parkos, captain of the Minneapolis Water Taxi service, stared thoughtfully toward shore.
“Why isn’t there more activity out here?” he wondered aloud.
The stretch of the Mississippi between the upper St. Anthony Falls and Minneapolis’ northern border is poised for a once-in-a-generation transformation, as the river transitions from an industrial shipping corridor to a place beckoning boaters, kayakers, revelers and residents. A key trigger for the potential metamorphosis was the closing of the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in 2015, effectively ending commercial river navigation north of downtown Minneapolis.
Read the rest of the story from the Star Tribune here.
