How did the city of Minneapolis develop?
RYBAK: Minneapolis has one of the most extraordinary, natural environments of any city in the world. We have the source of the only natural waterfall on the Mississippi and a 60 square mile area filled with lakes and rivers and waterfalls. It is where the big woods meet the prairie. When the city began, it was led by people with tremendous vision who made sure that every natural amenity was put in to the hands of the public and not private owners. So the 14 lakes within the city limits, Minnehaha Falls and Minnehaha Creek are all surrounded by public parkways. There are over a 100 miles of bike trials within the city that circle all of those amenities, but also now go through the core of the town including the former railroad right-of-way called the Midtown Greenway which is now become a bike super highway. Since the beginning of time this is the city which has been strong because of the extra ordinary lakes and parks. The city sits on the edge of the prairies, so it can spread great d
