The latest: Nearly 50 people turned out to a District 10 Land Use meeting at Holy Childhood parish to hear Travis Bistodeau, from the Saint Paul Department of Safety and Inspections, give an update on the former Sholom Home property at 1554 Midway Parkway. Residents also saw initial architectural plans to convert the adjacent firehouse, at 1290 Snelling Ave., into a residence for NFL player Billy Turner.
Digging Themselves a Hole
Victoria St., East Como Lake Drive, and the walking and bicycle paths on the east side of Como Lake will close north of Wheelock Parkway beginning this Monday, March 19.
The shutdown will last until the end of April, while crews finish installing a 42-inch storm sewer and filtration system. Their work, which began last fall on the east side of the intersection, will replace a 24-inch sewer that is, to put it politely, less than adequate.
A temporary bike and pedestrian path will be built through the construction zone for the first three weeks or so (see the blue Reroute #1 the map). City crews say the path will be paved and protected by concrete barriers, and that ADA ramps will be installed where necessary. For the rest of the project, cyclists and walkers will be detoured back and forth across the intersection (see red Reroute #2).
The official detour for cars will be via Wheelock, Grotto, and Ivy. The city's construction website will post updates.
Take the Next Step This Sunday
Fact: Drivers in Saint Paul hit more pedestrians in 2017 than they did in 2016. They hit more in 2016 than they hit in 2015. They hit more in 2015 than they hit in 2014.
Fact: A state law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians at every crosswalk. But only about one-third of drivers actually stop, according to a University of Minnesota study. In fact, a crosswalk in District 10 -- at Dale and Jessamine -- has the lowest compliance rate of crosswalks studied: Fewer than 20 percent of drivers stop. It's even worse during rush hour.
What can we do to change that? How do we
make our streets safer for pedestrians?
Let's talk about it this Sunday, March 18. Fay Simer, the city's new pedestrian safety advocate, and Sgt. Jeremy Ellison, who leads enforcement in the citywide Stop for Me campaign, share their ideas and invite yours. "Pedestrian Safety: The Next Step" is part of District 10's Sunday Series. The free presentation is 1-2:30 p.m. in the upstairs auditorium at the Como Zoo and Conservatory's Visitors Center.
Saint Paul is surveying residents on their walking priorities. Take the survey
Mac's Fish & Chips would get new digs (and a new neighbor), according to plans submitted to the city.
Dunkin' Donuts Eyes D10
Mac's Fish/Chips/Strips and Midtown Cleaners will be torn down and replaced with a new building housing
Mac's and a
Dunkin' Donuts, according to initial plans released this week by the city's Department of Planning and Economic Development. Paperwork says the project will require several setback variances and a conditional-use permit for a drive-thru window. Architectural drawings show the building will have connected storefronts facing Larpenteur, a drive-thru lane on the south and east sides of the new building
(which customers access from Hamline), and parking on the south end of the lot (where Midtown Cleaners is now). A hearing date at the zoning board is scheduled for March 29.
Now we'll know what's going on inside this building and behind this fence.
Metro Deaf School is Moving
Metro Deaf School is purchasing the property at 1125 Energy Park Drive and will move in before the end of 2018, according to paperwork filed with the Minnesota Department of Education. I
t intends to sell its current location at Brewster and Pascal, which is next to Hmong College Prep Academy. Metro Deaf School, which now has about 100 pupils from kindergarten to beyond 12th grade, says it needs a larger building; it expects enrollment to grow an additional 20 percent in the next five years.
The new location, just north of Gabe's by the Park, is mostly vacant. The school will remodel the site, including creating "recreation space" on what is now a covered parking area. It will continue leasing about 17,000 square feet to a private company that operates a data center on site.
It's Your Neighborhood: Make a Difference
Eight positions on the Como Community Council board are up for election this April -- and incumbents are not seeking re-election in at least seven of them. That makes this year
a great opportunity for new activists -- because you can run for an open seat without
, you know, all the awkwardness of, like, challenging an incumbent. Positions up for election
:
Vice-chair
Treasurer
One representative from each of the four geographical sub-districts
Two at-large representatives from the community as a whole
Any resident of District 10 who is age 18 or older is eligible. So are authorized representatives from a business or nonprofit organization in District 10. If you are interested, fill out the application by Tuesday April 10. Terms run until April 2020. Learn more
Board meets Tuesday: The monthly meeting of the Como Community Council is this Tuesday, March 20. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. All community members are welcome to attend and participate. If the technology works, we'll also
stream it live on Facebook.
See the preliminary agenda
Improve Your Credit Score
Learn how to understand and improve your credit and credit score at a free
Financial Literacy Workshop this Wednesday, March 21. Join LSS Financial Counseling and TopLine Federal Credit Union for a workshop to learn:
How to get and read your credit report
How your credit score is calculated, and ways to increase your score
Ways to offset negative credit and build good credit
Your fair credit reporting rights and how to correct errors
The workshop begins at 6 p.m. at the Como Park Streetcar Station, which is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton. To register, call 763-391-9494.
Waiting for a Kermit Sighting
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory take the "wearin' of the green" in a new direction this weekend. The Zoo celebrates frogs, toads, reptiles and "
All Things Green"; the Conservatory opens its
Spring Flower Show.
Zoo activities include a scavenger hunt, noon story times, crafts, and rarely seen frog and toad species. The Conservatory's Sunken Garden unleashes a jolt of color -- green and otherwise -- from tulips, daffodils, hydrangea, hyacinth, Asiatic lilies, calla, and crocus.
They've Got It Covered
Got a
pothole (or three) that needs to be patched? You've got no excuse: You can report it to Saint Paul Public Works whichever way works best for you:
online, by email at
potholes@ci.stpaul.mn.us, or by calling 651-266-9700.
Don't Go Weavin' Home, Laddie
Saturday is St. Patrick's Day. When you're finished confusing outsiders by how you design Saint Paul's streets, catch a
free ride home on any Metro Transit bus or train. The free rides, sponsored as always by Miller Lite, are good from 6 p.m. March 17 until 3 a.m. March 18.
Photo: Milwaukee Magazine
Your Own Piece of Land
Want to protect part of Como Park? Then think about becoming an
EcoSteward for the Woodland Outdoors Classroom. EcoStewards oversee their own parcel of the woodland, preserving or restoring the land's natural elements. You work on your own schedule (typically 4-8 hours a month during the growing season); Parks and Recreation provides the training and tools you need.
Training for this season is this Thursday, March 22, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. If you're interested,
email coordinator Tricia Wehrle (or call her at 651-632-2411) to ask questions, cover expectations, and sign up.
This 'Mermaid' is for Real
"Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr." is this year's Murray Musical. Though they get adult guidance, students create the entire production, including sets, props, and costumes. They stage it at Murray Middle School, 2200 Buford Ave.
Performances are next Friday-Saturday, March 23-24, at 7 p.m., and next Sunday, March 25, at 2 p.m. Advance tickets are $8 for adults and children ages 12-17, $4 for children ages 5-11. If you dawdle, you'll pay $10 and $5 at the door.
Photo: US Apple Association
Give Them a Dose of Healthy Feedback
Ramsey County is trying to get feedback from real people about what helps you and your family stay healthy (or not).
Take their survey -- they do this only once every five years.
The Haitian dance troupe Afoutayi leads one of the library's spring break activities.
What Are You Doing on Spring Break?
The Saint Paul Public Library's
Spring Break workshops are starting to fill up. The free hands-on workshops, for school-age children, run April 2-6. They include:
Afoutayi Haitian Dance and storytelling, at Rice Street, Arlington Hills, and Sun Ray
Bee Real, Bee Everywhere, at Saint Anthony Park
Cookies & Canvas, at Merriam Park and Hayden Heights (advance registration required)
Japanese Folk Art, at Riverview (advance registration required)
Spring-Roll Making, at W. 7th and George Latimer Central (advance registration required)
West African Patterns in Cloth, at Dayton's Bluff (advance registration required)
Winter Sowing with Frogtown Farms, at Rondo
So Much to Look Forward To
Tonight, Friday March 16: Shamrock Shake Dance, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Northwest Como Recreation Center, 1550 N. Hamline. For children ages 7-11 (plus their adult guardian). $10
This Tuesday, March 20: Spring starts (astronomically, at least)
Next Saturday, March 24: Lunch with the Bunny, 11:30 a.m. North Dale Recreation Center, 1414 N. St. Albans. Includes lunch, an egg hunt, and a craft project. $2 ($5 per family)
Next Saturday, March 24: Ramsey County Fix-It Clinic, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. West Minnehaha Recreation Center, 685 W. Minnehaha Ave.
Once the snow disappears for good, here are other events in the works in District 10:
Sunday April 15: District 10 Sunday Series: Crime Prevention through Landscape Design, 1-2:30 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station.
Friday April 20: Lyngblomsten Foundation
Spring Gala, 5:30 p.m. Vadnais Heights Commons, 655 E. County Road F. $50 before March 31; $75 after that.
Saturday April 21: Parks and Recreation Spring Cleanup, 9-11:30 a.m., Como Lakeside Pavilion.
Saturday May 5: Como Community Seed Library May Mosaic, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Como Park Streetcar Station.
Saturday May 19: Rain Barrel Workshop, 1-3 p.m. Twin Cities German Immersion School.
Sunday June 3: District 10 Sunday Series: Como Park Tree Trek, 1-2:30 p.m. Outside the Lakeside Pavilion.
Saturday June 9: Citywide Drop-Off, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. State Fairgrounds.
Saturday June 16: Como Neighborhood Garage Sale.
Saturday June 23: Workshop on Boulevard Rain Gardens, 9 a.m.-noon. Como Park Streetcar Station.
The Weekend Watch at the Fairgrounds
Minnesota Weapons Collectors Show and Sale: This Saturday-Sunday, March 17-18, Warner Coliseum. Hours: Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: $5 teens and adults (cash only). No one under 18 admitted without adult supervision.
Riders and Ribbons Horse Show: This Sunday, March 18, AgStar Arena. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Flat Track Motorcycle Racing: Next Friday, March 23, Warner Coliseum. 3-10 p.m. Admission: $15 teens and adults. VIP and children's rate available.
District 10 is one of Saint Paul's 17 citizen participation districts. The District 10 Como Community Council is a nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors who are elected by members of the community. The Council's mission is to inform, educate, and connect the neighborhood to increase community pride and confidence.
You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in District 10 activities.
