Supply-chain delays puts a pinch on park improvements, openings in Minneapolis

The perfect playground weather has finally arrived, but in some cases, the equipment for it has not.

Supply-chain issues are holding up as many as five different Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board projects across the city.

At Phelps Field Park, a new splash pad is delayed until all the materials arrive. It is supposed to open later in June. 

“It’s a bummer to have some things delayed, but the reason we live here is that there are three parks we can walk to from our house,” resident Tyler Heinz-Amborn said.

A few miles to the west at Pearl Park, the park board was planning to replace the playground equipment in the spring but is still waiting on delays in manufacturing and delivery.

“I am constantly emailing the vendor trying to see how we can speed things up or when we can start,” said Francisca Pass, the project designer with MPRB.

Pass says that once the materials arrive it could take five to six weeks to construct the new playground.