June 3, 2022 | Friday

Know Your Como:

Midway Garden Club History

By Laura Oyen

While digging through some papers recently I was reminded of a young mother (me) who was looking for a way to meet others in the community and frankly, get a few moments away from two young children at home. That was over 25 years ago, and marked the beginning of my participation in the Midway Parkway Garden Club. The papers I found included a 1997 and 1999 list of the ‘Summer Weeding Schedule’ and a list of 18-20 neighbors who were willing to weed, deadhead flowers, remove trash, stones and plant refuse for the Como Garden Club. For over 30 years the Gardens on Midway Parkway have brought joy to our neighbors and visitors alike. Read More...

D10 Meeting Updates

Neighborhood Relations Committee Meeting - Tuesday, June 7, 7pm

The D10 Neighborhood Relations Committee typically meets on the first Tuesday of every month. All D10 meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion.

Next week we will be debriefing this weekend's Pick Up & Party! event and the May Community Garage Sale and discussing details for the June Como Homo LGBTQ+ event and the July 8 Ice Cream Social.

2 Vacancies on D10 Board

Fill out an application to join the board

Interested in getting more involved with the Como Community? Our board has two vacancies to fill:

• Subdistrict 3 Seat
• At-Large Senior (62+) Seat

To be considered for the board, submit a board member application.

Vacancies are appointed by the board, all appointed board seats are automatically included in the next annual election, and appointed board members may not serve as officers.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about being a board member you can reach out to D10 Como Park at district10@district10comopark.org.

Sign-Up: Como Tree Trek June 25

Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 25, 10am-Noon, for the District 10 Environment Committee’s 2022 Tree Trek.

This walking tour will be led by Minnesota Master Naturalist Stephanie Mirocha. She will provide fascinating facts, uses, and histories of many of the diverse tree species in the park. The event is free, but please register in advance. Attendance will be limited to 20 participants.

Dress for walking and the weather and meet between the Butterfly Parking Lot and the Labyrinth (adjacent to the restored Lily Pond – just across the pedestrian bridge on the west side of Lexington Parkway).

Of course, you can use the Tree Trek Tree Tags to go on a self-guided Tree Trek anytime! Find a map of the marked trees on our website.

D10 Owl Mascot Design Competition - Last Chance to Vote

Last year, our community voted on the Great Horned Owl as the District 10 mascot. This past month we asked the community to help us with a design for our Great Horned Owl mascot, and now it's time to vote for the winning submission!

You can vote for your favorite online or at our upcoming events through June 5. We will reveal the winning design at the Ice Cream Social on July 9th!

3rd Annual Plant Sale to Benefit the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center Food Shelf

June 4, 9am-3pm at 1138 Churchill St.

Veggie and annual seedlings will be grown mostly by Saint Paul gardener Alison Goetzman, who is also hosting the fundraiser, but plants and seeds will also be donated by local gardeners and businesses. Seeds available this year include interesting varieties of squash, cucumber, watermelon, bean, carrot, flowers and herbs.

Nothing has a price -- everything is pay what you can. All proceeds will be donated to the food shelf at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Pay what you can means there is no minimum or limit on prices of plants. Cash, check and Venmo are accepted. There will be a cash drop box, so no change will be given. The plant sale goal is to reach $1,000 in donations. Follow the event on Facebook to learn about updates and plants available.

The sale will be held outside at 1138 Churchill St, Saint Paul, MN 55103. Easy to reach by bike or

the 3 and 83 buses. Off street parking is available.

Como Pavilion Parking Lot Construction

As mentioned last week, the south lot is complete and reopened for parking. There are a few items to complete including landscaping and finishing the kayak/canoe boat ramp south of the pavilion.

The North lot demolition began this week and the project will move along quickly. Minimal trail closure is anticipated and there are notes on the pictured map to indicate areas of concern. Trail closure will likely occur the week of June 13. Access to the upper parking area above the Hamm Waterfall will be sporadic depending on work underway on the northern lot. They can not guarantee there will be access for the duration of construction of the northern parking lot.

The construction schedule is weather dependent, but the North lot is expected to be completed by early July.

The golf course parking lot will begin construction on September 6, just after Labor Day. It will be fully closed while it is under construction. The city is working with the contractor to complete the parking lot construction before the end of 2022, though it will continue to be weather dependent.

The city will continue updating the project page on their website as the construction dates solidify. The final plans were presented to the D10 Land Use Committee back in October, you can watch the recording here on our website.

Como Parks & Rec

North Dale Rec Center (1414 N. St. Albans)

• STEAM Camp ages 7-11 - Week of June 20 - $210*
• StarEye Camp ages 8-12 - Week of June 27 - $50*
• Volleyball Camp ages 13-17 - Week of June 27 - $50*
• Jr Engineering Camp: Crazy Gears and Wheels ages 6-9 - Week of July 11 - $100*
• Basketball Stars Girls Camp ages 11-14 - Week of July 11 - Free*
• Super Mario Game Coding Camp ages 9-12 - Week of July 11 - $110*

Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)

• Badminton Camp ages 9-13 - Week of June 13 - $82*
• Jr Full Speed Ahead Camp ages 5-9 - Week of Jun 21 - $138*
• Multiplayer Minecraft: Mini-Game Builder ages 8-11 - Week of June 27 - $110*
• 3D Printing & CAD Camp ages 11-14 - Week of June 27 - $120*
• StarEye Art Camp ages 8-12 - Week of July 11 - $50*

*Registration Required

St. Paul Parks & Rec Fee Assistance Program

The City of Saint Paul operates a special program that helps families pay for Parks & Recreation youth classes and activities. Fee Assistance can be requested by families who meet program requirements when registering for youth activities. To be eligible for the program, youth must live in Saint Paul, be 18 years old or younger, and qualify for free and reduced lunches.

Fee Assistance can be used toward most recreational sports or activities offered by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. To view the online catalog of all available activities offered, click here.

Neighborhood Notes

Upcoming License Renewals

• D&L Food and Gas (626 Larpenteur Ave): Gas Station license is up for renewal July 28. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen: ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
• Como Zoo & Conservatory (1225 Estabrook Dr.): Liquor license is up for renewal July 28. Anyone with input should email the Como Community Council or contact the office of Ward 5 Council Member Amy Brendmoen: ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

Looking for a summer job? 

Parks and Rec has seasonal job openings, and they need you! The Parks Worker I position performs routine manual labor in a park, on a playground, or at other public grounds or buildings; and performs related duties as required.  

Locations include Parks Golf Maintenance, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Parks Operations at various locations, and the Public Works building on Dale Street North. View details of the locations and pay, and watch a video to learn more about the role governmentjobs.com/careers/stpaul/parks-worker-seasonal.

Must be at least 16 years of age. 

Must possess and maintain a valid Minnesota Class D Driver's License or equivalent out of state driver's license. A provisional driver's license (without restrictions) will be accepted.

They are only at about 25% seasonal maintenance workers needed to operate facilities. If you aren't looking for a job pass this along to someone that might be looking.  

City of Saint Paul, Great River Passage Conservancy to host second community meeting on River Learning Center June 9

The City of Saint Paul and Great River Passage Conservancy invite members of the public to attend a community meeting on the River Learning Center Thursday, June 9, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Watergate Marina (2500 Crosby Farm Rd.). Three different design concepts will be presented for the River Learning Center – a mixed-use, river-focused space with a National Park Service headquarters at Crosby Farm Regional Park. At the meeting, the project team will present the design concepts as well as a list of guiding design principles based on feedback gathered from the first community meeting and survey conducted in April. Community members will be asked to share their preference for and feedback on each concept, and will be able to engage in smaller groups with project team members to ask questions and share thoughts following the presentation. Snacks will also be provided.

About the River Learning Center schematic design process

The City and Conservancy are working with W Architecture, who is leading a team of design and engagement experts to complete schematic design for the River Learning Center. Schematic design includes a site analysis, exploring design concepts, providing an overview of the River Learning Center’s basic features and programming, and getting a general idea of the look and feel of the project. The final schematic design will be shared in the fall. For more information and updates on the project, visit the Great River Passage website. 

HomeHelpMN Accepting Applications for Mortgage Assistance

The HomeHelpMN program began accepting applications for assistance this week. The application period will be open through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 17, but homeowners should not wait to apply.

HomeHelpMN provides assistance for homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage or other eligible housing-related expenses due to effects of the pandemic. Eligible homeowners may receive up to $35,000 in assistance for past-due expenses.

Funds for the program are limited, and need is expected to be high. If applications received during the application period exceed available funding, applicants may be put on a wait list. Homeowners should submit their applications as soon as possible after the application period begins.

For more information about the program, including who is eligible to apply and what expenses are eligible, visit HomeHelpMN.org or call 1-800-388-3226. The Call Center is open Monday – Saturday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The website is available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. The call center supports these languages and more – when you call you’ll be prompted to select a language.

Save The Date: Pride Party for Seniors

The Como Park Falcon Heights Block Nurse Program would like to invite you to a first ever LGBT Senior Pride Gathering on June 16 at 5pm at Phalen Pavilion (East Side). 

This event is for all people. If you're an ally, elder or part of the LGBT community and want to celebrate Pride with us, this is the place for you. 

The space is accessible and there will be a free meal provided by the Eggroll Queen and a wide assortment of nonalcoholic beverages.

For more information, call: 651-642-1127

Ramsey County Bicycle & Pedestrian Survey

Ramsey County would like to hear about your walking and biking priorities.

Share your input by taking the Pedestrian & Bicycle Priorities Survey to help Ramsey County prioritize future pedestrian and bicycle projects in your community.

Share input via an online survey: https://tinyurl.com/5n7wwjp4