Title
Approving the renaming of Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park to reflect Dakota cultural significance.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (“City”) completed and adopted a Cultural Landscape Study and Messaging Plan in 2020 with recommendations for centering Indigenous voices in decision making for sacred land; and
WHEREAS, Indian Mounds Regional Park and Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary are two places with great significance to the Dakota both historically and today; and
WHEREAS, the park known as Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary was named in 2005 and the park known as Indian Mounds Regional Park was established in 1892; and
WHEREAS, there was Tribal direction in 2020 to rename both Indian Mounds Regional Park and Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary to reflect the significance and sacredness of the sites to the Dakota both historically, today, and into the future; and
WHEREAS, Dakota Tribal Councils for Lower Sioux Indian Community, Prairie Island Indian Community, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and Upper Sioux Community, directed decision-making for renaming to their Tribal Historic Preservation Officers; and
WHEREAS, in 2024 and 2025 City staff worked with Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awaƞyaƞkapi to facilitate a series of Dakota Tribal consultation meetings with the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers for the purpose of reviewing alternatives, community process and informing selection of a name; and
WHEREAS, additional community engagement took place in 2024 to provide information on the renaming process and to get feedback on possible names; and
WHEREAS, Dakota Tribal representatives determined that the most appropriate names are Imniìžaska for the cultural landscape containing both sites, Waḳaƞ Ṭípi (dwelling place of the sacred, Dakota) to replace the name for the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, and Wicaḣapi (cemetery, Dakota) to replace the name for Indian Mounds Regional Park; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Commission Policy #7, Naming Parks and Recreation Sites, 2012 Update, provides criteria for naming of parks, and this recommendation complies with the spirit of the policy; and
WHEREAS, by Commission Resolution #25-07, the Parks Commission recommended approval at their May 8, 2025 meeting; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul Saint Paul City Council approves of the renaming such that the cultural landscape that encompasses the sites currently known as Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park be renamed Imniżaska, and the individual sites be renamed Waḳaƞ Ṭípi and Wicaḣapi, respectively.