For the third straight year, Minneapolis, Minnesota has been judged to have the best city parks in the country. But this year, it’s sharing that distinction with a familiar rival: St. Paul.
At a news conference Wednesday, leaders of both cities will meet near their border off East River Parkway to announce they’ve tied for first place in the Trust for Public Land’s annual ranking of big city parks.
The fix wasn’t in, officials insisted. The rankings are strictly driven by wide-ranging data on park access, acreage and facilities.
In the end, the two cities that scored highest, each with 84 out of a possible 100 points — and perfect 5.0 scores — just happen to occupy the same metro area.