This Minnesota Tourist Attraction Destroyed By Fire Has Reopened
By Trent Jonas|Published March 17, 2024
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
A beloved, historic Minnesota lake pavilion in Minneapolis was destroyed by a fire in 2019. After several years of planning and construction, the new Bde Maka Ska pavilion opened in October 2023, and it’s ready for you anytime you’re ready to the hit the lakes.
The iconic original pavilion was built on the shores of then-Lake Calhoun in 1930.
Over the decades, it became a cornerstone of the Minneapolis chain of lakes, where people flocked for refreshment, boat rentals, or to simply sit and enjoy sunsets over the lake.
By 2019, the lake had been renamed Bde Maka Ska to honor the Dakota people whose former territory Minneapolis now occupies.
Sadly, though, in May of that year, a negligent smoker sparked an overnight fire at the pavilion that destroyed the historic structure. It was unsalvageable and, eventually, razed to the ground.
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However, after a 15-month, $6.5 million construction project, a new, expanded pavilion opened on October 20, 2023.
The new pavilion consists of two separate buildings, as well as an additional 3,000 square feet of covered, outdoor seating space and a performance area.
The pavilion also showcases works by indigenous artists and offers several other nods to the history of the Dakota people and the land on which the facility sits.
The pavilion's anchor tenant is a new outpost of the popular Pimento Kitchen family of restaurants. Pimento on the Lake serves up bold Jamaican and Caribbean flavors, as well as wine and beer, with views over the city's largest and most-visited lake. Pimento Market, which offers items largely produced by BIPOC vendors, is a new concept that has also opened in the pavilion.
We’re so glad to have a replacement for the old pavilion up and running (and that the construction on this busy corner of the lake has ended)! For more information and updates, check out the website for Pimento on the Lake or the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Have you had a chance to visit this new Minnesota lake pavilion at Bde Maka Ska, or do you plan to stop by this spring or summer? Let us know in the comments!
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