December 9, 2022 | Friday

Last Chance: 2022 Como Curb Cleanup Reporting

Como Community Council partnered with Capitol Region Watershed District on this year's Como Curb Cleanup. 

If you participated in Curb Cleaning this year, whether you registered in advance with us or not, we want to hear from you!

Tracking results helps us a lot with supporting future efforts! Once we've collected the data we'll share the result in the D10 Newsletter a well on the D10 Como Park website.

2022 Como Holiday Decoration Showcase

Help us fill Como with holiday cheer! D10 Como Community Council is compiling a map of as many festive displays in the neighborhood as possible. So get those lights and inflatables out of the closet (or buy some new ones!) and get to work decorating your house, apartment, or business to be included in our map!

We have flyers at the D10 office to nominate your neighbors to sign up, or you can print your own! (PDF)

Register your decorations to be put on the map as soon as they’re ready. You can also share your favorite photos of your décor with district10@district10comopark.org to have them featured on our website. You will be able to view the submitted homes on the map through the end of January. 

D10 Meeting Schedule Change Feedback

The D10 Como Community Council announced changes to our regular meeting schedule in July 2022 and implemented the change for a trial period from August thru December, with the intention of collecting community feedback to consider adjustments before finalizing our 2023 meeting schedule.

It's now December, we've learned a lot about running hybrid meetings and have enjoyed welcoming people in-person as well as on zoom for the past several months. We're looking forward to hearing what input community members may have about their experience at our meetings, and look forward to seeing you at a future meeting.

Lawns to Legumes: Jameson/Front Prairie Community Input

The Saint Paullinators have been distributing fliers to the neighbors of the Jameson/Front Lot (765 Front Ave). As a final piece of the Lawns to Legumes Grant, they're hoping to install a pocket prairie on the site and are providing opportunities for community input. This week they presented to the D10 Environment Committee, which you can find a recording of below. There is another community meeting planned for December 15 at 1pm at the Front Hi-Rise Community Room (727 Front).

You’re always welcome to provide direct feedback to organizer@district10comopark.org or 651.644.3889. We’re excited to hear from you!

D10 Recorded Presentations

Como House History Training - 12/03/22

Last Saturday, D10 Board Member and Como Neighborhood History Project leader Laura Oyen presented House History Training and resources at the Como Streetcar Station. You can view the entire presentation and Q&A, as well as find the presentation document, links to resources shared, and other materials for reference here on our website.

Saint Paullinators' Lawns to Legumes Update: Jameson and Front Lot

D10 Community Organizer Jessica Willman, Emilie Snell-Rood (Associate Professor and Associate Head of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Minnesota), and Julia Brokaw (Como resident and PhD Candidate, Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota) updated the Environment Committee on the Sub-District 4 Lawns to Legumes Project regarding the lot at Front and Jameson at this week's meeting. Find the recording here on our website.

Seeking 2022 D10 Como Park Neighborhood Honor Roll Nominees

Know someone who makes the Como Park area a better place to live, work, or play? Nominate them for the District 10 Neighborhood Honor Roll. The Honor Roll pays tribute to everyday people who make a sustained and lasting impact in our neighborhood or Saint Paul as a whole.

Submit your nomination by emailing district10@district10comopark.org. Tell us who you are nominating and why. Make sure we receive them no later than Thursday, January 12. The Como Community Council board will then select three of the nominees to recognize for 2022.

Volunteer Opportunity: Be a Beulah Bag Supplier in 2023

Feel like you haven't done enough in the community to get nominated for the Honor Roll? We've got an opportunity for you to start turning a new leaf!

D10 partners with Ramsey County and St. Paul Recycling to manage the Beulah Ln. Food Scraps Recycling Site. Part of our responsibility is coordinating volunteers to keep the site supplied with about 70k (yes, 70 thousand!) compostable bags a year.

The Ask: Once a month you pick up a supply of bags from the D10 office, then the next week you check the site a couple times and restock the bags. If your household uses the site already, you're already doing half the work! If you don't compost, this could be a great way to start the habit.

Email district10@district10comopark.com to get more info or sign-up!

Como Faith Organizations - Holiday Events

Como Regional Park Trail Master Plan

The City of Saint Paul's Parks and Recreation Department is engaging community members to inform and develop an updated Trail Master Plan for Como Regional Park. The master plan will emphasize improving the connection between the trails within the park to Saint Paul's Grand Round trail network. The process will prioritize connections around Como Lake, Picnic Pavilions, McMurray Fields and Outdoor Classroom areas over those within the Zoo, Conservatory, or Golf Course areas.

On the City's site you can:

• Use the Map to drop pins, share photos and leave comments on areas of the park you'd like to see improved, or places you like the most.
• Take the Survey to share how you use the park and how you would prioritize improvements to it.
• Post Comments and photos to the community Ideas Board to get the conversation going with other Como Regional Park visitors.

Como Parks & Rec Programming

Skiing and Snowboarding

Rentals are available for $12/day at Como Park Ski Center, Battle Creek Recreation Center, Highland National Golf Course and Tamarak Nature Center. Cross-country ski, downhill ski, and snowboard lessons are available at Como Park Ski Center

For more information, visit stpaul.gov/xcountryski. 

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

• ONLINE: Gardening All About Seeds - Dec. 10, 10-11:30am - Free*
• Winter Wonderland - Dec. 13, 6-8pm - Free
• Tot Time ages 1w-6 - Mondays & Wednesdays thru Dec. 28 - Free
• Senior Fitness ages 55+ - Tuesdays & Thursdays thru Dec. 29 - Free
• Pickleball ages 18+ - Tuesdays & Thursdays thru Dec. 15 - $3
• New Big Machines Art ages 18mo-4 - Weds starting Jan. 18 - $65*
• New Cooking With Dala ages 8+ - Wednesday, Jan. 18 - $15*
• New Como Blizard Breakfast w/ D10! - Saturday, Feb. 4, 10-Noon - Free
• School Year Rec Check 1st-5th Grade - Weekdays thru June 14 - Free*

Northwest Como Rec Center (1550 N. Hamline)

• Volleyball Camp ages 10-14 - Dec. 27-30, 1:30-3:30pm - $70*
• New Coding Club ages 8-14 - Thursdays in February - $60*
• New Artist Workshop ages 5-8 - Wednesdays starting Feb. 22 - $60*
• Men's Open Soccer ages 18+ - Thursdays thru Mar. 30 - $3

*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.

Are you an Xcel Energy Customer?

Climate emergency | Increasing energy costs | We can all be informed utility customers!

Saint Paul 350 invites you:

Xcel Customer Empowerment

Thursday, December 15, 6:30pm-8:00pm

Via zoom

Register: https://tinyurl.com/XcelEmpowerment

Featuring Brian Edstrom and Carmen Carruthers of Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota

Currently...

Xcel wants to raise residential electric rates 21%

(despite what recent headlines may say)

Xcel bill statements are complicated

Now what?

Take aways... 

How a rate increase would affect you

Fees and charges demystified.

Costs you can control.

Be a more empowered utlity/energy customer.

Saint Paul’s 2023 park permit lottery now open

Saint Paul residents and businesses can apply to enter the 2023 park permit lottery online or over the phone from now until 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 21 with permits being issued beginning on Jan. 3, 2023 to lottery entrants.  

Due to the high demand for certain dates and locations, the lottery system is used to give residents and businesses an equal opportunity to make reservations for in-demand picnic shelter and pavilion locations and dates. Saint Paul residents and businesses that wish to enter the lottery may submit a lottery application form by Dec. 21 by visiting stpaul.gov/parkpermits or calling Parks Customer Service at 651-266-6400. All entries received by Dec. 21 will be randomly sorted, and further instructions will be provided to entrants. Only one entry per resident allowed, and lottery numbers may not be transferred to other customers.  

Beginning January 4, permit applications will be accepted from all Saint Paul residents and businesses via phone at 651-266-6400 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Beginning Feb. 1, non-residents may apply for permits. Online shelter permits will also be available starting Feb. 1. 

Have a Green Holiday with these tips from Ramsey County!

• Holiday greenery is not accepted at Ramsey County yard waste collection sites because of the likelihood of contamination from metal wires and decorations. Please place holiday greenery in the trash.
• Ramsey County yard waste sites still accept evergreen (holiday/Christmas) trees. They are mulched and later used as fuel to generate electricity. To find a yard waste site near you, visit RamseyRecycles.com/YardWaste.
• Green Holiday Gift Guide - This year, celebrate the people you love by giving memories they’ll treasure. Gifting experiences instead of packaged presents not only reduces waste, but also gives you meaningful time with the people you value.
• How to dispose of wrapping paper - Packages, boxes, bags, cards; The holidays can be filled with single-use items. Make sure you know how to properly dispose of them.
• Think reuse first - What can you use again before disposing? Save bows, gift bags and tissue paper that can be reused. Think of creative ways to package gifts that don’t require new materials.
• Holiday cards Cards and envelopes made of only paper should be placed in the curbside recycling bin or your apartment’s recycling collection. Cards with foil, glitter, ribbons or velvet are not recyclable and should be placed in the trash. Cards that light up or play music do not belong in the trash because they contain batteries. Bring them to the year-round household hazardous waste collection site for free.
• Wrapping paper Put wrapping paper in the trash. Do not put it in your recycling bin because it does not sort easily at the recycling facility and may contain materials that cannot be recycled.

Find disposal options for other items, including cardboard boxes, real and artificial trees and string lights on our Ramsey County's A to Z Recycling & Disposal Guide? Call their Recycling & Disposal hotline at 651-633-3279 or send a message.

Smart Salting Tips from Ramsey County

Salt helps keeps roads, driveways and sidewalks safe during our snowy Minnesota winters. However, using large amounts of salt can harm the environment, including plants, soil and groundwater. Follow these tips to avoid overusing salt:

• Shovel first. Clear snow off walkways before it can turn to ice. 
• Check the temperature. Use sand for traction instead of salt when it’s below 15 degrees outside. Salt doesn’t melt ice at that temperature.
• A little goes a long way. A 12-ounce cup of salt covers about 250 square feet, which is about the size of a 20-foot driveway or enough to cover 10 sidewalk squares.
• Sweep it up. If salt is visible on dry pavement, it is no longer doing any work and will be washed away. Sweep up the salt and either reuse or throw it away.

Catalytic Converter: Catguard Program

Do you drive one of vehicles that are most targeted for catalytic converter theft? This summer the state of Minnesota launched the CatGuard program.

The program provides a CatGuard kits for the 15 most targeted vehicles or for cars that have had attempted thefts:

Chevrolet Express, Ford Econoline, Ford F250, Honda Accord, Honda CRV, Honda Element , Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota Prius, Toyota Tundra.

This kit provides you with a unique serial number for your vehicle that is registered with the state so it can be traced if stolen.

The kits are available for free at all St. Paul Police District Offices (East, West, and HQ) at the front desk. Please bring your license info, plate number, and VIN.

What's going on at the Fairgrounds?