The Minneapolis Parks Foundation gave an update on what it has been doing over the last few years that it has been active, at Wednesday's Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board committee of the whole meeting.

The foundation has invested more than $250,000 for projects over the last three years, said Cecily Hines, the foundation president, who will be stepping down from her post at the end of this month.

Some of the foundation's highlights since 2009, have been to develop a partnership with the Walker Art Center and College of Design at the University of Minnesota for its Next Generation of Parks initiative, launch Minne, the lake creature, in several lakes and partner with the park board as a co-sponsor of the Riverfront Design Competition.

Next up on its plate, the foundation is embarking on a visioning and implementation study of the Waterworks site (former Fuji Ya location) and discussing a future Next Generation of Parks initiative focusing on north Minneapolis.

At the beginning of November, Hines will be replaced by Mary deLaittre, the founder of Groundwork City Building and project manager of the Riverfront Design Competition.

Hines came on board in 2008. She will continue to have a roll in the organization as a member of the board of directors.

Minne

On Monday, the foundation is having a fundraiser to help replace trees destroyed by the tornado in north Minneapolis. The event will be at the Wise Acre Eatery from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more info, go here.