Van Cleve Park features many family-friendly amenities including a colorful playground and tot lot, a wading pool and several athletic fields and courts. It also offers space for picnicking, a drinking fountain and restrooms. Explore the park for public art and gardens. In the winter, there is an ice-skating rink, a hockey rink and a broomball rink. New playground equipment was installed during the summer of 2022. The new equipment is more ADA compliant and lighting improvements have been added along the park’s southwest path. While a train theme is not part of the new playground, kids can get a close up view of trains from behind a chain-link fence to keep them safe. Best viewing is from the platform behind the little league field near the parking lot on the south end of the park. If you miss the train-themed playground, we have a few alternatives: Minneapolis/St. Paul: A Train Lover’s Destination Van Cleve’s wading pool is zero-depth entry, but it does not have any spray features. Because it does not share property with a school, the pool opens Memorial Day weekend and closes on Labor Day. Pool hours are 10 am to 9 pm daily. Minneapolis wading pools are unguarded. Community gathering spaces in the rec center include a community kitchen, a computer lab, a craft room, a gym and meeting rooms. When the rec center is open families can drop in for arts & crafts, board games, computer lab, foosball, gym games and ping pong. Families can also find a variety of camps, programs, activities and events in the seasonal activity guide. Van Cleve Park has participated in the summer meals program when school is out of session. Room rental available for birthday parties and other family gatherings. The public is encouraged to make use of the facility for self-directed activities, like birthday parties. Permit requirements vary by use. Contact the rec center manager at vancleve@minneapolisparks.org.
Van Cleve Park Playground
There is still some train fun to be had
Van Cleve Wading Pool
Van Cleve Recreation Center
Summer Meals at Van Cleve Park
DIY Birthday Parties in the Rec Center
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