[4] Minneapolis was rated the #1 park system in the country for the sixth year in a row by The Trust for Public Land in 2018 and again in 2020.

[13] Wirth was an advocate of active recreation in all city parks and put up signs saying "Please Walk on the Grass."

[15] [16] In was from 1966 to 1978, during the tenure of superintendent Robert W. Ruhe, when the board built the city's neighborhood parks and recreation centers in underserved areas.

The change in policy came after several hundred people took up residence in Powderhorn Park in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

However, the Powderhorn situation became untenable after numerous sexual assaults, fights, and drug use reported at the encampment generated alarm for nearby residents, leading to the eviction of many people in tents.

[23] On July 2, 2024, MPRB employees announced a week-long strike, citing insufficient wage raises and hazard protections in recent contract negotiations.

[25][26] The park system's 6,084 acres (24.62 km2) make up 15% of the total area of Minneapolis, equal to the national median.

A parkway for cars, a bikeway for riders, and a walkway for pedestrians runs parallel along the 52 miles (84 km) route of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.

Among the board's youth work programs, Teen Teamworks[28] has provided on-the-job training for green careers to ages 14 to 24, since 1986.

The outdoor pool does not use any chemicals, rather it uses natural filters and plants in several container ponds to keep the water clean.