McRae Park is a neighborhood park that features a small prairie and wandering paths. Other family-friendly amenities include a playground and tot lot, a wading pool, space for picnicking and sports fields and courts. It’s skating rink is available year-round with ice in the winter and inline skating in the warmer months. The wading pool is usually open 10 am-9 pm daily beginning Memorial Day weekend and closing after Labor Day. Wading pools in Minneapolis Parks do not have lifeguards on duty. This pool is an older style rectangle that was built in the mid-1950s. It is not scheduled to be updated with the current park updates. McRae Park historically participates in the summer meals program, where kids 18 and under can receive free week-day meals all summer long. Summer meals run from mid-June to late August and meal times are usually released in early June. This recreation center is not air-conditioned nor does it offer a formal gym. However, it does offer community gathering spaces where some fitness classes can be held. Other public spaces include a computer lab, a craft room, a meeting room and a community kitchen. The natural turf field has been recently updated to include better drainage and a working drinking fountain. The old field had drainage issues that would result in water pooling in the center of the football field. The field consists of a football and soccer field, three ball fields, two broomball areas and a skating rink. There are also nearby basketball and tennis courts that were not part of the update. In 1998, MPRB installed a permanent hard-surface skating rink that can be used for year-round skating. In winter it is maintained as an ice rink and in summer it is available for roller skating. Various rooms in the rec center can be rented for birthday parties and other private events. Some events will require special permits and current rental fees for park use can be found on the MPRB website. MPRB completed several park improvements to McRae in 2023, including new playground equipment. The former equipment was installed in 1969 and 1996. New playground equipment arrived in fall of 2022.
Related Articles:
McRae Park Wading Pool
Free Summer Meals at McRae Park
McRae Park Recreation Center
McRae Park’s Natural Turf Field
Year-Round Skating at McRae Park
Birthday Parties at McRae Park
Playground Updates
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