In This Issue
St. Anthony Park Neighborhood News
September 11, 2014
St. Anthony Park resident and SAPCC Environment Committee member Stephen Mastey recently spearheaded an initiative to install 16 new rain gardens containing more than 1,600 pollinator-friendly plants along Raymond Avenue.

Planting the New Raymond Avenue: Volunteer Initiative Sews Lasting Results


 

By Kyle Mianulli, SAPCC communications coordinator

Volunteers weeded 16 rain gardens over two days to prepare for new plantings.

When it comes to improving the beauty and environmental friendliness of our neighborhood, there's no better way to get things done and done in the right way than through the power and initiative of those who live here.

 

That's a notion resident and St. Anthony Park Community Council Environment Committee member Stephen Mastey understands well. He recently spearheaded an enormous neighborhood environmental initiative to beautify and improve the environmental friendliness of one of the neighborhood's busiest routes.

 

He, along with a group of 8 other St. Anthony Park residents worked sun up to sun down over three days in August to weed, cultivate and plant 16 rain gardens with more than 1,600 pollinator-friendly plants along Raymond Avenue between Hampden and Ellis Aves.

 

"We've eliminated one acre of hardcover or impervious and converted it to green space....and then on top of that we've added 16 rain gardens. It's just a huge water quality improvement initiative," Mastey says.

 

Purple Pavement Shrub Rose's are one of the  pollinator-friendly plants in the 16 rain gardens.

Quick to recognize an opportunity, Mastey advocated for the inclusion of improved green space and the addition of rain gardens to the city's early plans for the reconstruction of Raymond Avenue. Like many things in city planning, this was no simple task, but through the sustained work of Mastey and the rest of the SAPCC environment committee, plans were eventually amended to replace one acre of impervious ground cover with new green space that included an expansion of Hampden Park (along with a new underground storm water system) and 16 new rain gardens.

 

A landscape architect by trade, Mastey took the plans a step further for the environment and ensured every plant that was to be included in the rain gardens would also provide pollinator insects like bees and butterflies with a steady source of pollen throughout the season.

 

"One of the things we really looked at in addition to beautification and civic value, was wildlife and specifically pollinators," Mastey says. "Every plant that we planted is a huge pollinator plant."

 

It's not just insects that will enjoy the new plantings, either. Mastey says pheasants and wild turkeys are known to eat the rose-hips and 38 different species of neotropical migrant songbirds enjoy the Service Berries.

 

The next time you're out and about on Raymond Avenue, take a moment to stop and smell the roses. When you see a pollinator insect or interesting bird, take note. Appreciate that far less pollution now makes its way to the Mississippi River from Raymond Avenue. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and investment of some extraordinary neighborhood volunteers.

Read the full article here
Volunteers needed for Community Cleanup

Saturday, September 20

8:00am-12:00pm

MN State Fairgrounds, Camel Lot
Drop-off entrance off Larpenteur Ave
Volunteer entrance off Hoyt Ave 

 

The annual Community Cleanup is a one day, one stop drop for all those tough to toss items like electronics, major appliances and construction materials.


 

We need your help to make it a success. Volunteers enjoy free admission and drop off, as well as complimentary food and the satisfaction of keeping our neighborhood clean and responsible with our waste. This year, thanks to efforts between the District Councils and City of St. Paul, all Community Cleanups are Citywide. Watch your mailbox for the flyer coming soon with more details and information.

Learn More Here

Missing Link Block Party

 

Click here for more information about this event  from the Friendly Streets Website.

4:00-7:00pm Tuesday, September 23

On Myrtle Ave from Pelham Blvd to Raymond Ave

 

The "Missing Link" is a title coined by the Friendly Streets team for the southernmost portion of St. Anthony Park. It's a small but important area of street connection that is used by bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike to access the many wonderful businesses, non-profits and schools in our neighborhood. They've nicknamed this area the "Missing Link" due to its importance in connecting the Grand Round bikeway from Pelham to Raymond as well as opportunities to advocate for new infrastructure and green space that can improve connections to transit, the Mississippi River, etc.

 

This project is presented by the Friendly Streets Initiative in collaboration with St. Anthony Park and Desnoyer Park. Co-hosted by Avalon School. 

 

To learn more and RSVP visit the Facebook event page

 


Welcoming the St. Anthony Park Accessory Dwelling Units Community Task Force

 

Following a thorough selection process, 10 excellent community members have been selected to serve on the St. Anthony Park Accessory Dwelling Units Task force. The group will work collaboratively to explore the possible pros, cons and other issues associated with allowing for the construction of ADUs on certain properties in the neighborhood. After receiving a number of promising applications, the SAPCC Land Use Committee utilized an anonymous ranking and selection system to ensure the resulting task force was selected based on their merits and content of their applications.

 

The final task force is made up of 10 well-qualified members who are passionate about this neighborhood and invested in seeing the neighborhood continue to flourish. The Community Task Force kicked off with a welcoming from the SAPCC Land Use Committee at their meeting September 4. Those serving on the task force will begin determining the structure, objectives and work plan as a group. The task force will operate independently of the Community Council. Join us in congratulating and thanking them for their voluntary service on this task force and continued dedication to the community.

 

ADU Task Force Members:

  • Claudia Wielgorecki
  • Glen Skovholt
  • James Stout
  • John Seltz
  • Karen Hovland
  • Mark Thieroff
  • Nancy Plagens
  • Nick Thomey
  • Phil Carlson
  • Suzanne Garfield

Thanks to all who graciously volunteered to serve as part of this important group. We are grateful for your service and look forward to watching a fruitful and thoughtful process unfold.


VIDEO: Feeding the Community Through Community Gardening
By Katie Lescarbeau, Policy Associate, MN 2020

The St. Anthony Park Community Garden was recently featured on Minnesota 2020 for it's partnership with the Keystone Food Shelf. Click the link below for more.
St  Anthony Community Gardens
St Anthony Community Gardens

SAPCC Board retreat successful time to reflect, plan

 

The SAPCC Board of Directors gathered for a full day retreat in August at Luther Seminary to reflect and plan for the future of the Council.

The St. Anthony Park Community Council Board of Directors participated in a successful retreat in August at Luther Seminary. It was the first board retreat for the organization in many years. The full day event was designed to allow the organization to bond and grow as a team while taking a thorough and honest look at itself to figure out how best to prepare for the future.

 

Board members participated in a series of team building exercises and organizational review activities facilitated by the very excellent consultant Barbara Raye, of the St. Anthony Park-based Center for Policy, Planning and Performance.

 

"The board was able to start building a vision of how to better serve the St. Anthony Park community moving forward," said SAPCC Executive Director, Suyapa Miranda.

 

"We should feel really good about what we accomplished," said one board member in a survey about the retreat. "The whole point of the retreat was to talk about who we are, what we need to do, how we must improve. The facilitator did an excellent job moving things along," said another.

 

Board members and staff also participated in the Diamond Inclusiveness Assessment--a tool designed to help organizations measure and shape their cultural inclusiveness performance.

 

The board as a whole is looking forward to continuing to work hard in service of the St. Anthony Park community with a renewed sense of purpose, while continuing to grow and improve as an organization. 

 

Neighborhood-wide garage sale
Saturday, September 13, 2014 
9:00am - 5:00pm

 

This year's annual St. Anthony Park Garage Sale is just around the corner. Every year dozens of households participate in a coordinated neighborhood-wide sale that draws people from across the Twin Cities. Pick up your garage sale map at Tim and Tom's Speedy Market, 2310 Como Ave, or the Hampden Park Co-op, 928 Raymond Ave. Happy hunting!


 

Announcing the SAPCC Civic Stewardship Apprentice Program

 

We are excited to announce the launch of a new pilot program that will introduce select area high school students to the rewarding work of civic stewardship. The Civic Stewardship Apprentice Program (CSAP) seeks to inspire youth to become involved in their community through action-learning initiatives in partnership with the St. Anthony Park Community Council. We hope this program helps to inspire the next generation of civic stewards and leaders to continue the work of bettering communities across the Twin Cities through a variety of effective practices and leadership.

 

For the first phase of this new program SAPCC will be partnering with the Jennings Community Charter School and Avalon to host three students for one-semester terms. The students will pursue a neighborhood project of their choosing, attend certain committee meetings, and help SAPCC staff pursue important projects and initiatives by helping around the office and at events throughout the semester.

 

St. Paul Open Streets is Back, Sept. 21!



On September 21 from noon - 4:00 p.m., University Avenue will be open to people biking, walking, skating, having fun and experiencing the avenue in a new way.

St. Paul Open Streets is coming back for a second year, and bringing lots to see and do with it:

  • Little Mekong Street Market, with food and local vendors
  • Live performances at two stages
  • Arts activities throughout the event
  • Local vendors and restaurants
  • 5K Run/Walk presented by the Midway Chamber of Commerce 
  • All while biking and walking down the middle of University Avenue

More attractions are being added daily. Keep an eye on StPaulOpenStreets.org, St. Paul Open Streets on Twitter or Facebook for more information.

 

St. Anthony Park Area Seniors need your input

Tuesday, September 16, 6:30-8:30 pm
Luther Seminary, Olson Campus Center, 
main floor, 1490 Fulham Street

St. Anthony Park Area Seniors (SAPAS) has set an important neighborhood conversation for Tuesday night, Sept. 16, at Luther Seminary.

In collaboration with Wilder Research, SAPAS, formerly known as the St. Anthony Park Block Nurse Program, is completing an in-depth study to learn the preferences, aspirations and service needs for older residents in our neighborhood.

After you learn about the results of their focus groups, they need your valuable input. Your voice, opinions, and feedback matter.

More information: 651-642-9052, or office@SAPASeniors.org 

Parking Possibilities on University Ave.

Provide Feedback on Parking Possibilities for University Ave.

 

 

Parking Possibilities is a community conversation that broadens the discussion from traffic congestion to a discussion about balancing the quality of living, working and traveling on University Avenue (along the Green Line) to ensure a successful commercial corridor surrounded by strong neighborhoods.

 

University Avenue currently has two driving lanes in each direction, for a total of four driving lanes. Over the next few months, Parking Possibilities will ask residents and businesses in each segment of the corridor whether one lane in each direction should be used for parking instead.

 

Your input is valuable in determining the best possible solution as the Central Corridor continues to grow and evolve. You can learn more about the options being considered and fill out a short survey that will become available in the coming weeks at www.parkingpossibilitiesmsp.com

 

New Businesses in the Neighborhood

The area around Raymond and University Avenues is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, as evidenced by the surge of exciting new businesses moving into the area. Here are four of the most recent new businesses already open or slated to open in the coming months.

Read the article in the Park Bugle this month, "A Raymond-University Shopping Tour," for more on the new golden era of the area around the Raymond Light Rail station.

Junk Love

 

Junk Love owner and partner/shop dog Penny outside their new storefront on Raymond Ave.
With its own unique flavor, Junk Love is the newest storefront to join the booming retro shopping hub at the corner of Raymond and University Avenues. Joining the likes of Succotash, Shag Studio, MidMod Men + Friends and Barely Brothers Records, Junk Love brings a distinct flair to the block with a robust collection of Americana salvage and restoration items.

 

Owner Malia Schroeder, along with her loyal partner/shop dog Penny, are excited to join the thriving scene in the heart of the Creative Enterprise Zone. 

 

"I would love it to be a great destination spot that people want to flock to," Schroeder says of the Raymond-University area. "I just see so much potential and want great things to happen and people to work together."

 

She's no stranger to the area. In fact, Schroeder has been running Junk Love as a pop-up out of her space at the Carelton Artist Lofts for close to four years now. When a pop-up Black Friday sale at Shag Studio went better than expected, Schroeder started thinking it might be time for an upgrade. When Driftwood Community Arts vacated their space earlier this year, she jumped at the opportunity to join the budding scene at University and Raymond Aves.

 

She's already up on her feet with a full shop, steady stream of customers and a full white board of ideas for unique ways to utilize the space. "I definitely want to get a visible workshop going," she says. "I want to bring that old school vibe of the craftsman in the window." Junk Love will also be a destination on the St. Paul Art Crawl in October.

 

 

WORKHORSE COFFEE BAR

 

The cries for a sit-down coffee shop in the Raymond-University district have been answered, and it seems it couldn't have been answered in a better way. WORKHORSE COFFEE BAR is set to open a full service coffee shop at 2399 University Ave. in the space formerly occupied by The Edge Coffee Shop. In addition to artisan coffee and espresso drinks, WORKHORSE will offer a rotating selection of locally-sourced sandwiches, pastries (including gluten free options) and more.

 

Co-owner Shannon Forney has experienced the need for a coffee shop in the area first hand. She's worked in the neighborhood for five years at the Minnesota Regional Arts Council in the Midtown Commons Building. Along with partner Ty Barnett, who has worked in the coffee industry for close to 20 years, including as a manager at Nina's Caf� and at Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, they are looking to satisfy the need for fresh roasted java in the neighborhood with an appropriate creative flair.

 

WROKHORSE COFFEE is a finalist in the St. Paul Knight Arts Challenge with a proposal to create a street scape gallery they call  "the tiniest museum in St. Paul." The display would be in an antique fire hose cabinet recessed into the front of the building. Whether or not her project will be funded will be announced later this month. Her commitment to supporting the arts and artists is no surprise considering her background.

 

"I definitely have a commitment to working with artists and understand the value of creative placemaking and supporting entrepreneurs both as a business entity but also as a customer profile," Forney says.

 

Forney says she already feels at home in the Creative Enterprise Zone, and looks forward to collaborating with other businesses on the block to continue fostering the sense of place and charm that has come to define the area. Forney says they are already exploring potential partnerships like doing some small batch roasting with Roundtable Coffee, which is just around the corner, but details are still coming together.

 

 

Skon Chiropractic

 

Bill and Suzanne Skon of Skon Chiropractic, which just opened at  856 Raymond Ave. Husband and wife team Bill and Suzanne Skon recently opened a new Chiropractic office at 856 Raymond Avenue with an appropriate artistic touch. The Skon's are no strangers to the area. Following his lineage of local chiropractors, Bill ran a practice in the Hamline Midway neighborhood on Snelling Avenue before recently relocating to the St. Anthony Park neighborhood where he and Suzanne live.

 

In addition to managing the office side of the business, Suzanne is also an artist and has adorned the office walls with a rotating collection of her work from the past 15 years. The chiropractor/gallery model fits nicely into the space formerly home to Chaos Art Gallery and Studio.

 

"We tried to retain the gallery feeling by having Suzanne's work throughout, which I think makes it nice for both us and our patients," Bill told the Park Bugle. "It seems appropriate since the area is regarded as a creative zone."

 

Skon Chiropractic offers a full line of services with a wholistic focus that emphasizes the importance of nutrition and exercise. Bill says he finds the ability to positively impact people's everyday lives an especially rewarding aspect of his work.

 

"What I love about chiropractic is the possibility of impacting people's lives in positive ways....Daily headaches, tightness in your neck and shoulders, and persistent pain is not normal. When patients experience relief from these conditions, it can literally change their lives," he says on their website.

 

Read more about Skon Chiropractic in the latest issue of the Park Bugle.

 

 

Lake Monster Brewing

 

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Decidedly not when it comes to local beer and breweries. Lake Monster Brewing will be the newest brewery and taproom to open shop in the Creative Enterprise Zone when it kicks off production in early 2015 at the forthcoming Vandalia Tower development by First & First.

 

Currently contract brewing in Black River Falls Wisconsin, Lake Monster brews have already garnered a loyal following in the Twin Cities with noteworthy brews like Calhoun Claw Pilsner and Empty Rowboat IPA already on shelves at liquor stores around town.

 

After things are up and running, there are potential plans to turn an open space at the center of the complex, which First & First head Peter Remes describes as a "secret garden" type amenity, into an open air beer garden.

 

Lake Monster will join already open Bang Brewing and Urban Growler Brewing in the Creative Enterprise Zone, as well as the gluten free Burning Brothers in Hamline Midway and the soon-to-open new destination Surly brewery in Prospect Park.

 

Read more about the forthcoming Lake Monster Brewing on the Hot Dish blog over at citypages.com

 


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Get Involved

Visit or join a Community Council committee! All are open to the community and new members. 
Land Use--First Thursday of the month 7-9pm 
Board of Directors--Second Thursday of the month 7-9pm 
Energy Resilience Group--Third Thursday 7-9pm (email erg@sapcc.org for location)
Transportation--First Monday of Every Month 6:30-8pm 

Environment--Fourth Wednesday of Every Month, 7-9pm

All committee meetings of the Community Council are an easy way for you to keep informed, get to know your neighbors and shape your neighborhood for the better. Committee meetings are held at the South St. Anthony Rec Center (890 Cromwell) unless otherwise noted. Community members are encouraged to join any committee- you become a member after attending only three meetings.

 

About Us

The St. Anthony Park Community Council is a non-profit citizen's organization of residents working together to maintain and enhance the quality of life, residential character, economic vitality, and physical development of St. Anthony Park. The Board meets monthly as do our three committees: Land Use, Transportation and Environment. Any resident may join the committees. The Board is elected with five delegates and two alternates each from North St. Anthony, South St. Anthony, and Business. Current Board members from North: Gary Carlson, Steve Kranz, Seth Levin, John Seppanen, Michael Russelle, Wanjiru Mugo, Mimi Jennings. From South: Kevin Caufield, Matt Hass, Annette Hyder, JoAnne Makela, Christina Morrison, Brad Englemann. The business members are Ray Brian, Chad Commers, Linda Hodge,and Stephen Mastey.