Monthly Archives: March 2011

TWO MPLS PARKS SET FOR $2 MILLION MAKEOVER

The following article by Tom Meersman was published in the March 21, 2011 issue of the Star Tribune:

TWO MPLS PARKS SET FOR $2 MILLION MAKEOVER

Boom Island, a 22-acre park on the Mississippi River just north of downtown Minneapolis, is set to get a $1.2 million makeover.

Its little-used neighbor, B.F. Nelson Park, will receive $800,000 worth of improvements.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board approved a contract last week that will spur those changes, many of them within the next few months.

In addition to serving adjacent neighborhoods, Boom Island’s East Bank location and amenities make it a popular draw for larger gatherings, including school outings, corporate events and races.

The improvements come as the park district eyes long-term redevelopment along the Mississippi River and seeks to alleviate growing recreational pressure on popular parks elsewhere in the city.

Michael Rainville, a veteran leader and board member at St. Anthony West neighborhood organization, called the changes “the start of great things on the upper river. These parks are going to become a jewel for the blue-collar people who live in north and northeast [Minneapolis].”

About $1 million of the rehab funds will come from the Legacy Act, sales tax money approved by voters in 2008 that’s dedicated, in part, to parks and trails. The rest of the money comes from the Metropolitan Council, which helps to fund regional park acquisition and development.

Boom Island, which the park system acquired in the mid-1980s, includes picnic shelters, trails, children’s playground, boat launch, promenade near the river and an excursion dock used by a commercial paddlewheel company.

However, the park is flat and open, and its trees have not thrived in the poor soil along the river. Its restrooms don’t meet federal standards for people with disabilities, and the boat launch needs to be dredged.

Rehabilitation and landscaping will fix many of those problems, said Liz Wielinski, park board commissioner who represents the area.
Independent of that effort, which has been in the works for three years, the park board hired a design firm this month to work on development along the larger stretch of riverfront between the Stone Arch Bridge and the city’s northern boundary. Wielinski said that group may propose additional Boom Island changes in the future.

Little-used B.F. Nelson Park is nestled next to Boom Island, bordered on the east by Marshall and Main Streets between 3rd and 6th Avenues. Its 12 acres includes open spaces that slope from the river up to city streets. Large elms and cottonwoods line the riverbank just across a channel to Nicollet Island.

Acquired in 1986, the park lacks an entrance and underwent several years of soil pollution clean-up. The property has a history of industrial use, including by its namesake, B.F. Nelson Manufacturing Co., a long-time roofing, lumber and paper business.
Improvements planned include two paved entrances to the park — one for cars and one for bikes and pedestrians — and a small parking lot. Funds also will be spent to light the trails and develop a plaza, bike rack and drinking fountain around Pioneers Monument, which overlooks the river.

“It’s kind of nice to see things turning around,” said Wielinski, noting improved access to the park and river.

Jayne Miller, superintendent of the Minneapolis parks system, said several parks and parkways are over-capacity for special events and other uses so it’s a great time to take advantage of less-utilized parks along the river.

“If we can create this portion of riverfront to be as attractive to people as the chain of lakes are, what an incredible opportunity this is,” Miller said.

That would be fine with Rainville, who said he and others have been working for years to make that happen.

“Our children don’t necessarily have the ability to go north to cabins on the weekend, but we have parks in Minneapolis,” he said. “Families can grab a sandwich and go down to Boom Island and look at the Mississippi River and play in the park, and they deserve that. We all deserve that.”

March 16, 2011 Park Board Meeting

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 16, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME. Speakers need to sign up before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.

A couple of highlights:

The Board will be voting to receive and file the financial status report of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for year ending 12/31/10.

The Board will also be voting to award a $2,355,761.53 contract to Rochon Corporation for completing Phase I of BF Nelson/Boom Island Park Improvements and Above the Falls. This agenda item which is listed under “New business” is puzzling. Why is it not going through committee first for review and approval?

The complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting for Wednesday, March 16, 2011 is at:

http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=721

MPRB meetings are telecast live from 5-9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The regular meetings are retelecast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing under “Webcast Archives” at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 16, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 16, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME. Speakers need to sign up before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.

A couple of highlights:

The Board will be voting to receive and file the financial status report of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board for year ending 12/31/10.

The Board will also be voting to award a $2,355,761.53 contract to Rochon Corporation for completing Phase I of BF Nelson/Boom Island Park Improvements and Above the Falls. This agenda item which is listed under “New business” is puzzling. Why is it not going through committee first for review and approval?

The complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting for Wednesday, March 16, 2011 is at:

http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=721

MPRB meetings are telecast live from 5-9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The regular meetings are retelecast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing under “Webcast Archives” at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch

MARCH 9, 2011 M P R B COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

HEADS UP FOR THE MARCH 9, 2011 MPRB COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

The meeting, which will not be televised, is open to the public. It will be held at Park Board headquarters in the Minnehaha Room next to the Board Room and will begin at 5:00 pm.

At this Committee of the Whole Meeting, there will be no voting. The study/report topics will be:

1. STAFF REPORT: PERMIT PROCESS REPORT–this is a 53 page report based on a review of policies, procedures, budgeting and security service management of the special event permits area by HLB Tautges Redpath, LTD, a certified public accounting firm. A copy of the report is in attachment five on page 43. Recommendations for implementation are on page 7.

2. STAFF REPORT: SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE TEAM CHARTER

The complete agenda can be viewed at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=724

HEADS UP FOR THE MARCH 9, 2011 M P R B COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

HEADS UP FOR THE MARCH 9, 2011 MPRB COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING

The meeting, which will not be televised, is open to the public. It will be held at Park Board headquarters in the Minnehaha Room next to the Board Room and will begin at 5:00 pm.

At this Committee of the Whole Meeting, there will be no voting. The study/report topics will be:

1. STAFF REPORT: PERMIT PROCESS REPORT–this is a 53 page report based on a review of policies, procedures, budgeting and security service management of the special event permits area by HLB Tautges Redpath, LTD, a certified public accounting firm. A copy of the report is in attachment five on page 43. Recommendations for implementation are on page 7.

2. STAFF REPORT: SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE TEAM CHARTER

The complete agenda can be viewed at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=724

MARCH 2, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 2, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME. Speakers need to sign up before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.

The link to the complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting for Wednesday, March 2, 2011 is http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=720

Park meetings are broadcast live from 5-9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The regular meetings are rebroadcast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing under “Webcast Archives” at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 2, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

HEADS-UP FOR THE MARCH 2, 2011 PARK BOARD MEETING

5:00 P.M. REGULAR BOARD MEETING. The meeting will be held in the boardroom at Park Board headquarters, 2117 West River Road, just north of Broadway Pizza.

5:30 P.M. OPEN TIME. Speakers need to sign up before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting.

The link to the complete agenda, with staff reports, for the MPRB Board of Commissioners’ meeting for Wednesday, March 2, 2011 is http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=37&calid=720

Park meetings are broadcast live from 5-9 p.m. on the City of Minneapolis Government Meeting Channel 79 on Comcast cable and online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The regular meetings are rebroadcast on Channel 79 at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Webcasts for the recent two months are posted two to five business days after the meeting and are available for viewing under “Webcast Archives” at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/webcasts.

The Park Board’s website is http://www.minneapolisparks.org. The phone number is 612-230-6400.

Arlene Fried, Co-founder of Park Watch