Monthly Archives: January 2016

Heads-Up for the February 3, 2016 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.  Visitors to Park Board meetings can find at the back of the meeting room the agenda book with all the printed materials for the meeting

5:30 P.M.  OPEN TIME. Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time”

Some agenda items of interest are:

Continue reading

Xcel’s Letter to FERC Regarding A-Mill (and others) Proposed Water Usage

The following item has been provided by Doug Verdier:

Xcel’s Letter to FERC Regarding A-Mill (and others) Proposed Water Usage

Here is the attachment with the comments Xcel has filed with FERC regarding the proposed water flow/usage proposed by the A-Mill project. The letter, dated January 14, 2016, also mentions the proposed usage by Crown Hydro, should that project proceed.

XcelcommentsonA-Millproposedwaterusage

Why is the Downtown East Commons Park Such a Tough Sell?

The following article by Lee Schafer was published in the January 26, 2016 edition of the Star Tribune.

Why is the Downtown East Commons Park Such a Tough Sell?

1-29-16

 Hargreaves Associates and the City of Minneapolis

It’s going to take $22 million in donated money to fully realize the plan for the Downtown East Commons park, envisioned as the kind of civic jewel that should inspire the generosity of the corporate community.

There are enough Fortune 500 public companies in the state, along with giants like privately held Cargill and Ireland-based Medtronic, that a million bucks from each would wrap up this campaign pretty quickly.

Well, that was wishful thinking.

The organization in charge of the fundraising for the Downtown East Commons, called Green Minneapolis, this month announced that it had raised not quite half of what’s needed to complete the project, including some money for operations. And some of the more ambitious features of the park’s design have been put on hold.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune

Why is the Downtown East Commons park such a tough sell?

CAC Meeting for Draft Recommendations for Lake

CAC Meeting for Draft Recommendations for Lake
Calhoun & Lake Harriet Master Plan

The attached draft recommendations for the Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet
master planning process will be discussed at the February 16 CAC meeting
at Jones Harrison Residence from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend and speak.

This project description highlights the environmental costs of increased
usage of these park lands, and especially concerns about water quality:

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/park_care__improvements/park_projects/current_projects/calhoun-harriet_master_plan__improvements/#group_3_244639

Business Donations Help New Downtown Park Get Halfway to $22M Goal

The following article by Kristen Leigh Painter was published in the January 13, 2016 issue of the Star Tribune.

Business Donations Help New Downtown Park Get Halfway to $22M Goal

Some of the Twin Cities’ most recognizable corporations have kicked in to build the new park on the east end of downtown Minneapolis, helping to get the project about halfway to its financial goal, fundraisers said Tuesday.

The two-block park, called the Commons, is the hallmark of the Downtown East redevelopment project near the new U.S. Bank Stadium. But it has been challenging to pull together because of questions about funding and maintenance.

To continue reading, click on the link to the StarTribune

Business donations help new downtown park get halfway to …

Several Commons’ Features Put on Hold for Park’s Debut

The following article by Sarah McKenzie, updated on January 25, 2016, was published in the Southwest Journal.

Several Commons’ Features Put on Hold for Park’s Debut

Image courtesy of Hargreaves Associates
An illustration of the Commons park, which will open this summer.
Not all planned features, however, will be ready when the park opens.

A number of design elements planned for the Commons park next to the Vikings stadium will
not be part of the project’s first phase when it opens this summer given the pace of fundraising
for the project.

To date, fundraisers have raised $10.5 million for the 4.2-acre Downtown East park — nearly 50 percent of their goal. The total includes an additional $2 million from the Vikings, bringing the team’s total contribution to $3 million.

Two buildings, terraces along the park’s Great Lawn and the wet plaza feature envisioned for the park by designer Hargreaves Associates will be put on hold until additional funding becomes available, according to a report to the City Council’s Community Planning & Regulatory Services Committee.
Continue reading

Minneapolis Parks to Seek $300 Million From Taxpayers

The following article by Steve Brandt was published in the January 21, 2016 issue of the Star Tribune.

Minneapolis Parks to Seek $300 Million From Taxpayers


Next, Minneapolis City Council approval or other options would get measure on ballot. 

Minneapolis park commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to ask voters this fall to authorize raising $300 million over 20 years to repair and replace aging neighborhood park facilities and improve maintenance cycles.

“This is something that is going to be critical to the city of Minneapolis, and each of our neighborhoods,” Commissioner John Erwin said.

To continue reading, click on the link to the Star Tribune
Minneapolis parks to seek $300 million from taxpayers

Park Board Will Seek $300M in Referendum

The following article by Eric Best, dated January 21, 2016, was published in the Southwest Journal.

Park Board Will Seek $300M in Referendum


Commissioners have four options to get the proposal on the November ballot.

 

Minneapolis park commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to ask for a voter referendum that would raise roughly $300 million over two decades in order to close a growing funding gap in neighborhood park maintenance.

The vote comes after a year of outreach on the needs of the city’s nearly 160 neighborhood parks, which the board estimates are facing a roughly $111 million backlog of aging assets — everything from wading pools and athletic fields — which could otherwise close.

“This is something that’s going to be critical for the future of the City of Minneapolis, and it’s incredibly important for each of our neighborhoods,” said Commissioner John Erwin.
Continue reading

Heads-Up for the January 27, 2016 Park Board’s Legislative Breakfast Meeting

Heads-Up for the January 27, 2016 Park Board’s Legislative Breakfast Meeting

8:00 A.M. at the Nicollet Island Inn.  The meeting is open to the public.

The agenda for the MPRB Board’s Legislative Breakfast meeting on January 27, 2016 is at http://minneapolisparksmn.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx

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

Arlene Fried
Co-founder of Park Watch
www.mplsparkwatch.org

 

Heads-Up for the January 20, 2016 Park Board Meeting

4:45 P.M.  CLOSED SESSION for discussion Regarding Proposed Workers Compensation Settlement

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.  Visitors to Park Board meetings can find at the back of the meeting room the agenda book with all the printed materials for the meeting

5:30 P.M.  OPEN TIME. Speakers can call 612-230-6400 before 3:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to sign up or they can sign up at the Board meeting prior to the start of “Open Time”

6:30 P.M.  PUBLIC HEARING. Powderhorn Park Wading Pool and Playground Improvements.  Those wishing to speak can sign up at the meeting.

Agenda items of interest are:

Continue reading