Last Thursday, W along with the city of St. Paul presented design plans for the proposed Mississippi Learning Center to the public. The learning center will be a recreation and education center that aims to connect residents to the river. The center is river-focused, and would include classrooms, canoe rentals, hiking trails, and an elevated ‘canopy walk’ to connect to the riverbank.

W’s proposal also includes excavating a channel on the river’s edge to create an island, which would be ecologically restored so visitors can explore. Other portions of the riverbank would be infilled to create a more gentle slope to the water.

Read more about the meeting and the design scheme here. Another meeting will be held in October, where a final design plan and cost estimates will be revealed, and construction could start as soon as 2024 with an opening date of 2026.