Parks and Recreation Centers

Neighborhood Gems

Phalen Poetry Park is a beautiful community garden sponsored by the East Side Arts Council, playfully bench_PoetryParkdesigned as a sleepy dragon whose spikes of feather reed grass encircle a dry pebble pond where children hop from stone to stone. Benches cast in the shape of open books invite contemplation and enjoyment of the plantings. A path winds to both the Poetry Post, a sculptural piece featuring local poets and students, and to the Marimba Benches, welcoming you to tap out a tune. The Phalen Poetry Park is located at the south end Phalen Regional Park. It can be easily accessed from the parking lot of the Phalen Recreation Center, 1000 East Wheelock Parkway, or the Minnesota Humanities Center’s parking lot, 988 East Ivy Avenue.