April 28, 2023 | Friday

D10 Meeting Updates

Environment Committee Meeting - Wed., May 3, 6pm

Hybrid on Zoom and at the Como Streetcar Station (1224 Lexington Pkwy)

The Environment Committee typically meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 6pm. All D10 Como Park meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion.

Next week we will have a presentation from Tricia Wherle, St. Paul Parks & Rec Volunteer Coordinator. We will also debrief the Citywide Parks Cleanup Day, and finalize plans for tabling at the D10 Pick Up & Party event at Orchard Rec (May 13)

Neighborhood Relations Committee Meeting - Wed., May 3, 7:15pm 

Hybrid on Zoom and at the Como Streetcar Station (1224 Lexington Pkwy)

The Neighborhood Relations Committee typically meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:15pm. All D10 Como Park meetings are open to the public and have space for community members to bring topics for discussion. 

Next week we welcome Ari Dahlager, the NEW Community Rec Director for Northwest Como, North Dale, & Langford Park Rec Centers. We'll also be finalizing Pick Up and Party plans, and starting preliminary discussion on Como Homo (June 25) and the Ice Cream Social (July 14). Now is a great time to jump into the conversation with us!

Save the Date: Pick Up & Party

Saturday, May 13, 2-5pm @ Orchard Rec (875 Orchard Ave)

The Como Community Council will be hosting the 2nd Annual Pick Up & Party event at Orchard Rec Center.

We’ll kick off the event with a neighborhood pick up and then meet up at Orchard Rec Center for a FREE Community Meal, bird-house building, bookmobile, ice cream truck, community organization fair, and much more!

Community members are welcome to volunteer with us for the event. If you're interested in helping to plan our community events, you can join our Neighborhood Relations committee meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:15pm.

Sign Up: Como Garage Sale May 17-21

D10 Como Community Council is once again coordinating a community sale weekend from Thursday, May 17 to Sunday the 121. If you would like to be included in our map, please fill out the Como Community Sale Form with your information before May 11.

We will be promoting this effort in our Weekly Newsletter, Facebook, and flyering some local community spaces, directing people to find the map on this page: District10ComoPark.org/GarageSale. You can also download and print this flier PDF to post in your community spaces.

Como Community Blood Drives

Thursday, May 25, 9am-3pm @ Como Zoo

D10 Como Park is partnering with the American Red Cross and the Como Zoo & Conservatory to host a community blood drive at the Zoo Thursday, May 25, 9am-3pm. Space is limited, reservations required.

The Red Cross just opened the online reservations for the Thursday, May 25 drive from 9am to 3pm.

Please consider giving blood, with so many still working from home, workplace blood drives have all but vanished, these community drives make a huge impact!

Get Involved: Lake Como Cleanup - May 23

THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to last weekends Como Park Cleanup event, we counted about 142 amazing volunteers, including 33 from the Twin Cities German Immersion School, that's huge!

We're planning our first 2023 LAKE Cleanup for Tuesday, May 23, 5-8pm. These events, in partnership with the Capitol Region Watershed District, focus on the shoreline and Lake Como itself.

District 10 provides trash-grabbers, rakes, buckets, nets, trash bags, and nitrile gloves for those who need them. Or, feel free to provide your own gear. Registration (before May 22) is not required, but it helps us plan and communicate if changes come up.

Holy Childhood Rummage Sale

May 4 & 5 @ Church of the Holy Childhood (1435 Midway Pkwy)

Get some practice in for the Como Garage Sale weekend by participating in the Rummage sale over on Midway Pkwy!

• Thursday, May 4 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, May 5 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Bag day Friday. Lots of household items, furniture and clothing. If you have questions you can call the church office at 651-644-7495.

Get Ready for Gardening Season at the Power of Flowers

Saturday, May 6 - 12-2pm @ Como Lutheran Church Parking Lot (Corner of Hoyt and Hamline)

• Bring your excess seeds for a Seed Exchange
• Swap gently used, clean, working garden tools to trade for a new garden essential.
• Help your neighbors fight food insecurity and join Como Grow a Row
• Find out all about the Zinnia with the Zinnia Collective
• Taste the sweetness of local honey and vote for your favorite
• Play flower games
• Plant some flowers for a beautiful growing season and to feed our pollinator friends
• And More…

“Without flowering plants we would have very few seeds for the future of our planet. Join us to

find out more about the blossoms that produce all the fruits you love like your apples,

cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers” says Dawn Lamm, organizer for Como Community Seed

Library.

If you’d like to volunteer for this event we’ll have a sweet thank you for your effort. Sign up

here!

Thank you to Thrivent Financial Services for their generous support for this event and to District 10 Como Community Council for helping make the Power of Flowers a zero waste gathering. Most of all our deepest gratitude goes to Como Park Lutheran Church and their community minded celebration of an abundance for all.

Get Involved: Midway Parkway Gardens

All are Welcome! All days! All Locations!

Please join us this summer for planting, weeding and community building.

Location: Hamline and Midway Parkway

• Spring cleanup & planting: Wed., May 24 at 5pm
• Group weeds: 2nd Weds: June 14 & July 12 at 5pm
• Group weeds: 4th Weds: June 28 and July 26 at 7pm
• Questions: Contact Molly O’Rourke at mollyfo.rouke@outlook.com

Location: Arona and Midway Parkway

• Spring plant & weed: Sat, June 3 - 10am-Noon
• Group weeds: 2nd Weds: June 14 & July 12 at 7pm
• Group weeds: 4th Sats: June 24 & July 22 at 10am
• Questions: Contact Jennifer Victor-Larsen at jennifer@larsentag.com

Controlled Burns @ Lake Como

The Saint Paul Natural Resources team has initiated prescribed burns within fire-dependent plant communities – predominantly prairies. This includes the east shore of Lake Como.

Fire is one of the most cost-effective and beneficial management tools we can use to protect and rejuvenate prairie habitat. Burning helps to knock back cool-season weedy species, it exposes the ground layer to sunlight so native warm-season grasses can thrive, and it returns nutrients to the soil (fertilizes). The burns will take place around the city over the next couple weeks, but the exact schedule is dependent on wind and weather conditions.

Festival of Cultures at TCGIS (and Brick Oven Pizza)

Twin Cities German Immersion School is hosting Festival of Cultures on May 11. This inaugural event will showcase the variety of cultures of TCGIS families. While attendance is limited to only TCGIS families this first year, the community is welcome to support the Brick Oven Pizza Food truck, which will be on site from 5-7PM.

2023 Summer Camp and Activity Registration Open

Como Parks & Rec Programming

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

• New Taekwondo Jr June ages 6-8 - Mon & Wed in June- $60*
• New Taekwondo June ages 9-21 - Mon & Wed in June - $60*
• ONLINE: Planting for Pollinators 18+ - May 13 10-11:30am - Free
• Cribbage ages 18+ - Mondays thru May 22 - Free
• Senior Day ages 50+ - Thursdays thru May 25 - Free
• Senior Fitness ages 55+ - Tues & Thurs thru May 25 - Free
• Pickleball Tu/Th ages 18+ - Tues & Thurs thru May 30 - $3
• Senior Gamers ages 50+ - Tuesdays thru May 30 - Free
• Pickleball Fri ages 18+ - Fridays thru May 26 - $3
• School Year Rec Check 1st-5th Grade - Weekdays thru June 14 - Free*

Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)

• New Taekwondo June ages 9-21 - Tue & Thur in June - $60*
• New Taekwondo Jr. June ages 6-8 - Tue & Thur in June - $60*
• New Gardening with Bill & Robert ages 7-12 - Misc dates June-August - $20*
• New Basketball Skills Camp ages 8-14 - Tue & Thur in July - $15*
• New Swimming Field Trip ages 7-12 - Tue, July 11, 12:30-4:30pm - $10*
• New Artist Workshop Camp Ages 6-10 - July 17-21, 10am-Noon - $80*
• New Easy & Fun Snacks with Luke ages7-11 - Tuesdays starting July 18 - $10*
• New Artist Workshop Camp ages 11-16 - Aug 14-18, 10am-Noon - $80*

*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

• Como Lakeside Pavilion (1360 Lexington Pkwy): Liquor and Entertainment licenses are up for renewal June 4. 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.

*While license renewal dates serve as community reminders, feedback on a business license can be submitted at any time.

City Takes On Recycling Customer Service

Starting Monday, May 1, 2023, Saint Paul residents should contact the City’s recycling team for any customer needs related to recycling collection, cart service, or general recycling program questions.

• Call: 651-266-6199
• Online form at: stpaul.gov/recycle
• Email: recyclingprogram@ci.stpaul.mn.us

Just in time for the D10 Executive Director, who lost a wheel on his cart last week, to test it out!

St. Paul Begins Spring Street Sweeping

Public Works will sweep more than 530 miles of residential streets and 330 miles of alleys starting April 27

This week the city began its annual spring residential street sweeping operations. This process is expected to take approximately six weeks, weather permitting. This year, Public Works is starting the spring sweep a little later to focus more resources on pothole patching throughout the city. Given the extraordinary pothole patching needs after this winter, Public Works will be reducing the number of sweeping crews to allow the city to keep three pothole patching crews active throughout Saint Paul.

Street sweeping is an important city service that not only removes dirt and garbage from the streets, but also clears additional organic debris such as leaves, dirt, and grass clippings from entering Saint Paul’s storm sewer system. This protects the city’s storm sewer system, and prevents excess debris from polluting our streams, lakes, and rivers.

Businesses and residents can help the citywide sweeping efforts:

• Move vehicles and follow all posted “No Parking” signs. The city will post temporary “No Parking” signs 24 hours in advance of sweeping operations. Vehicles parked in areas with “No Parking” signs could be ticketed and towed.
• Do not push any materials, including leaves, grass, or debris into the street. Please properly bag and dispose of any leaves, dirt, and grass clippings. Residents can take materials to Ramsey County compost sites, use their residential yard waste services, or if the resident is part of the Citywide Garbage Service, they can put out compostable yard waste bags with their garbage service to be collected at $3 per bag.
• Do not put garbage or recycling carts in the street. Please make sure carts are only placed on the boulevard, not the street.
• Adopt A Drain. Residents can help protect our waterways by adopting a storm drain in their neighborhood. By adopting a storm drain (or two), these residents promise to help keep it free of debris in the coming months. Learn more at www.stpaul.gov/adoptadrain

For more information, including a map and schedule about Saint Paul’s street sweeping operations, visit www.stpaul.gov/sweep.

Community Members Invited to Help Shape 2024 City Budget 

The City is hosting a series of community conversations to help shape the 2024 City Budget.

Led by the Office of Financial Services in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, these community conversations held in different wards are free and open to the public. Community members interested in participating can register here. For the best experience participants are encouraged to bring a smart phone or other web-enabled device. 

The dates, times, and locations of these sessions include:  

• Tuesday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. at Rondo Library (461 Dale St. N) 
• Monday, May 8, 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Hills Community Center (1200 Payne Ave.) 
• Tuesday, May 16, 6:30 p.m. at Rice Rec Center (1021 Marion St.) 
• Thursday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. at Merriam Park Library (1831 Marshall Ave.) 
• Tuesday, May 23, 6:30 p.m. at Highland Park Community Center (1978 Ford Pkwy.) 

Summer (Youth Programming) Choice Fair

May 7 from 12-3pm @ Conway Community Center Dome (2090 Conway St.)

The city is organizing a Summer Choice Fair to help parents find summer programming.

Families are invited to the Conway Dome to attend the Summer Choice Fair, your one-stop-shop to learn about exciting summer programs offered by organizations all across Saint Paul. This is a free event and all are welcome. Food and fun will be served! 

Do you offer summer programs? We are seeking Saint Paul organizations to come table at this event. Apply by filling out the vendor form. 

Pothole Patrol

You can report potholes in the following way, depending on whether they are on a city street, county road, or state highway:

• City of Saint Paul: Email potholes@ci.stpaul.mn.us
• Or call 651-266-9700. 
• Ramsey County: Online or by calling 651-266-7100
• Minnesota Department of Transportation: Online

What's Happening at the Fairgrounds?