June 2004 Inside This Issue: Family Friendly Dayton’S Bluff Garden Contest
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Volume 17, No. 4 www.daytonsbluff.org June 2004 Inside This Issue: Family friendly Dayton’s Bluff Garden Contest..................Page 2 Mounds Theatre...............Page 3 Branch Library opens for business Vento Nature Sanctuary......Page 3 By Steve Trimble Memorable MN Meals......Page 4 There was a lot of activity at 645 East Seventh Street on Saturday, May Little questions..................Page 5 15th, as a new neighborhood institution was officially launched. And, as one The Clothes Line................Page 6 rock group once put it, “It’s been a long time coming.” For the first time The House......................Page 6 in anyone’s memory, Dayton’s Bluff residents had easy access to a library. Suzanne Nielsen, writer.....Page 7 It was not really the first time. Back in the day, as young people say, there New CLUES Building......Page 8 was a branch library for the general public at Van Buren School, located on the grounds of today’s Dayton’s Neighborhood Bluff Elementary. In the early years of the twentieth century, there were Sale and Car several such branches. The new library had actually opened Wash its doors five days earlier. The Saint Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, shown here with Dayton’s Bluff Community Coun- Saturday open house, labeled ”Kid’s cil member Sharon McCrea (l) and Community Organizer Karin DuPaul (r), Kick Off,” was an event designed to took a turn as a celebrity reader and then entertained children with his guitar The Dayton’s Bluff Community showcase the new building and to playing and singing. Photo by Greg Cosimini Council will be holding a preview a summer reading program Neighborhood Sale and Car Wash on called “Track it Down At Your at least according to the many kids in school mostly used inter-library loan Saturday, June 12. The Neigh- Library.” attendance, was Magical Mia. She programs and electronic technology borhood Sale is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. performed a series of musical and that drew on area library collections. th According to the staff, the library at Hamm Park, located at East 7 has approximately 12,000 books and magical illusions using colorful However, as the student body Street and Greenbrier. The Dayton’s other materials, such as videotapes, butterflies and silk streamers. boomed, the University decided to ask Bluff Car Wash is from 10:00 a.m. to DVDs and magazines. The librarians Mixed in with the noises of kids and the Legislature to include a library for 2:00 p.m. at the Budget Tire Shop at visiting crowds was the muffled sound them in the bonding bill. This is when th said that they had assembled what they 705 East 7 Street. called a “family-friendly” collection, of electric power tools. Even though the idea of having a building that The Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood with around 70% of the holdings aimed the library is open for business, a few housed both a university and a Sale will feature many great items for at parents and children. areas still need finish work and community library surfaced. While the the home and family. This is an open The Kick Off, which ran from 11:00 molding was being installed full story is too long to include here, it event, and if you have something to a.m. to 2:00 p.m., was filled with throughout the day. The community can be said that it took a decade of sell, each family participating is asked activities. The day started with area meeting room is not yet completed and effort to overcome various legislative for a $10 donation to help cover City Council member Kathy Lantry the homework center will not be and financial barriers to finally make advertising and other expenses. For taking a turn as a “celebrity reader,” opened officially until next January. the dream a reality. those who are selling items, set up in followed by Library director Gina La Until then, it will be a quiet spot for A special library card will be issued Hamm Park at East 7th and Greenbrier Force, who settled into the reading people to read books and magazines. for neighborhood residents that will is at 8:00 a.m. on the 12th. chair just before noon. So how, after decades of neglect, did allow them to use some of the more Or if you have items you want to Other activities featured the Teddy the neighborhood finally get a branch than 100,000 items owned by get rid of and do not want to spend the Bear Band, vocal performances by facility? A little background may be Metropolitan State University. The day selling, donate them to the Voce Fresca, a choral group and a visit helpful. Starting in the 1920s, the Dayton’s Bluff library will be open Dayton’s Bluff Community Council by Mayor Randy Kelly. The highlight, earlier-mentioned branch facilities in every day except Sunday. For and they will sell them as part of their schools were discontinued and information on hours or other fundraiser. This is a great way to clear neighborhood libraries were opened. questions, call 651-793-1699 or visit out clutter and find new treasures. Except in Dayton’s Bluff, of course. www.stpaul.lib.mn.us. Come meet your neighbors! Call the The community was always told that There must have been several Dayton’s Bluff Community Council at there was no need for one, since the hundred people visiting throughout the 651-772-2075 for more information. downtown library was so close. Close, late morning and afternoon. The maybe, but not really convenient. comments were all very positive. So for years, residents and their While the small parking area was Fly the flag on various groups, including the Dayton’s filled, many families were seen Bluff Community Council, tried to arriving on foot and walking away Flag Day convince city officials of the need for with bulging book bags. June 14 a neighborhood library. What finally If the Saturday May 15th event is any led to the successful undertaking was indication, the Dayton’s Bluff library the proposal for a unique university- will be a very positive and popular community collaboration. local landmark. Remember Dad on It seems that Metropolitan State Many city library activities will now University, which had come to the be easily accessible to local residents. Father’s Day Dayton’s Bluff area, had the dubious For example, Summer Reading June 20 A young Dayton’s Bluff resident, distinction of being the largest such Program Performers will be at the Dyamond Jarrett, reads one of the institution in the nation without a library every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. new library’s new books. major library building. Instead, the starting July 7. Page 2 Dayton’s Bluff District Forum June 2004 Enter Dayton’s Bluff 2004 Home Tour was a big success Landscape Ecology garden contest Awards Program Greening Dayton’s Bluff will hold a nominations garden contest this summer. Be on the look out for outstanding gardens in LEAP into spring and nominate your area. Then either email yourself or a neighbor for encouraging [email protected] or send your nature in the yard! nomination to: Dayton’s Bluff District The Landscape Ecology Awards Forum, 798 East 7th Street, Saint Paul Program (LEAP) was developed by MN 55106. Include the address, name the Ramsey-Washington Metro of the gardener, description of garden, Watershed District to recognize local your phone number and the phone landowners, including private number of the gardener. The judging residences as well as public and will be in the late summer. commercial properties that use good We are also looking for judges for land management practices to preserve the garden contest. If you are and improve water quality and natural interested call Karin at 651-772-2075. resources. Top properties are ones that use Johnson Brothers Volunteers help out at one of the homes on the 2004 Dayton’s Bluff Home Tour. Minnesota native plants in the Left to right: Rich DuPaul, Carla Riehle, Colleen Ashton and Susan Rust. landscape to create buffers and natural site senior housing Photo by Karin DuPaul habitats, have areas where rainwater project to begin soon The weather was great and hundreds of people visited Dayton’s Bluff during is infiltrated, and require limited use the Home Tour and marveled at the beautiful homes and great people in our of fertilizers and pesticides. neighborhood. Winners will receive an attractive Construction on the new senior sign to be placed on their property, a housing project on the old Johnson Homeowners mentioned that they were very happy about meeting neighbors who they did not know before the Home Tour. Home Tour highlights included plaque, a gift certificate for native Brothers site at 1145 Hudson Road plants, and recognition in local should start around July 1. the Arts and Craft show at the Mounds Theatre. Thank you to everyone who helped make the tour a great success. newspapers and on the District The project consists of a four-story website. apartment building to be built on 4.5 This year the Minneapolis – St. Paul Home Tour was sponsored by the Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). The City of Saint Applications are due July 1st. acres of land, with 160 independent Winners will be selected in mid- senior housing rental units. The new Paul did not sponsor it as in past years. Brett from the NRP called the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council and asked us to participate in the tour. We were very September. To obtain an application development will include 109 or to learn more about good land underground heated parking spaces, 51 happy to be able to be part of the Home Tour once again.