A Minneapolis City Council committee voted to approve a motion that would table a plan to reopen George Floyd Square to traffic. Instead, they're going to pursue the idea of turning the intersection into a pedestrian mall.
"For me, I think the most important thing is honoring the sacred nature of George Floyd Square and ensuring that people can safely gather in this space for years to come," said Councilmember Katie Cashman. "And for that I believe we need a strong pedestrian component to be formalized in the design."
That option is opposed by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who says it is not supported by either neighbors or business owners in the area.
"We cannot afford to waste more time. We need to listen to the community, support our local businesses, and prioritize progress. It’s time to move forward — together," Frey said on social media.
It is also opposed by Councilmember Andrea Jenkins who shared he frustration with a process that has been going on for years.
"I'm really disgusted by this political game that's being played," Jenkins said.
The motion now goes to the full city council.
Minneapolis Public Works Director Tim Sexton says any further delays will prohibit the project from being completed this year.
"There has been four and a half years of meaningful, authentic engagement with community members," Jenkins says. "Community members have considered a pedestrian mall and have said that is not what is desired."
Not everyone in the neighborhood is against the latest proposal. In fact, Bridgette Stewart with Agape Movement classifies her views as neutral.
"The reason why I say I'm very neutral is because Agape Movement lived inside of both worlds," she explains. "We lived in the world when we closed off the intersection on May 26th of 2020, but then you fast forward to June 3rd of 2021 when we realized we needed to open the intersection."
But after the council advanced plans two weeks ago to build that pedestrian mall, 15 of the 20 business owners along the intersection voiced their disapproval. The main issue is that they don't want it closed to traffic.