A NEWSLETTER OF THE MIDTOWN GREENWAY COALITION Volume 13, Issue 4 k October, November, December 2008 PR OS

La Coalición PECT Coalition Completes First completa el primer PA

n Green Way to GO Programa “Green Way RK Lo Biking Program to GO” de ciclismo

Calhou By Nate Kerr, Lutheran Volunteer Corps Por Nate Kerr, Organizador comunitario de Community Organizer Lutheran Volunteer Corps st st

As the leaves are beginning A medida que comienzan a ng

to fall in the Twin Cities, the caer las hojas de los árboles en fe

Coalition is wrapping up its first las ciudades de Minneapolis ll ow Se

We ever Green Way to Go Biking y Saint Paul, la Coalición está Program! Having two successful llegando al fin del programa summers running a walking Green Way to Go de ciclismo. Dean program under its belt, the Go El program Green Way to

les Program expanded to biking this Go de caminatas ya tuvo dos

past summer, partnering with temporadas estivales exitosas, y wa r Is local youth serving organizations este verano pasado se expandió Ea rd da to get kids on bikes and out on a ciclismo, colaborando con Ce the Greenway, usually riding una organización local que to the Chain of Lakes. The Go ofrece servicios a jóvenes para Program is for low-income youth animarlos a andar en bicicleta who otherwise would not be able A group of youth and their adult leaders from the Division of Indian en el sendero Greenway,

Work getting ready to set out on their ride. Ph st les to have access to such bike rides. generalmente en el circuito de Is As of mid-September, 71 kids rode bikes as part of the Green la Cadena de Lagos (Chain of Lakes). El programa Green Way st st Way to Go Program this year on 13 different rides, with ages to Go es para jóvenes de bajos recursos, que de otra forma no il li

ranging from nine all the way up to 19 on our fleet of 15 bikes. hubieran podido tener acceso a estas excursiones en bicicleta. ps

The Coalition hopes to expand the program next year, hopefully Hasta mediados de septiembre de este año, 71 jóvenes, de 9 a 19 adding bike maintenance and commuting courses. años de edad, realizaron 13 excursiones en bicicleta como parte

n Ea del programa Green Way to Go haciendo uso de nuestra flota de The Coalition partnered with the following organizations 15 bicicletas. El año próximo, la Coalición espera expandir este

(and more are in the works): programa ofreciendo cursos de mantenimiento de bicicletas y

Calhou • Andersen Elementary School de ir a trabajar en bicicleta. • Bolder Options an st st or • Division of Indian Work La Coalicion se asoció con las siguientes rc • Holy Rosary Church organizaciones (y muchas más en el futuro): Co • Skills For Tomorrow School • Andersen Elementary School • Youth Care • Bolder Options

G Ea horn • Division of Indian Work er RA nside

Special thanks go to Freewheel Bike for helping us to purchase • Holy Rosary Church wd i

CA and maintain our bikes. Also, this program was made possible • Skills For Tomorrow School Po with funding from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, • Youth Care < ps an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield li More Greenways? (continuado en il Association. We would especially like to thank the staff and Phillips West Improvements st st la página 5) n Ph volunteers involved in leading the rides this summer: Simon w Spin-A-Thon Ea Blenski, Kim Reed, Tim Springer and me, plus all the youth Traducción: to Urban Ventures Urban Paradise

ll Franklin Curbelo, serving organizations and their staff that accompanied the kids Acentos Mid Patagonia Grant on each ride. Translation

y Hi Make the Greenway Safer st by Accentos e The Coalition Would Like To Thank . . .

wr W If you are interested in helping plan the program or ps li Lo volunteering to be a ride leader for next year, please contact il Nate Kerr at [email protected] or (612) 879-0106.

Whittier Lyndale CANDO Ph LOVEOURPATHWAYS.COM 2 More Greenways? By Todd Sample, Coalition Board Treasurer Midtown Greenway usage is at an all time high. One need only • An east-west route across St. Paul near University Avenue, step onto the Greenway itself to see this in action. Every day, which would directly connect the Gateway Trail and cyclists, walkers, roller bladers and runners use the Greenway to Downtown St. Paul to the Midtown Greenway and the commute, recreate and connect to their neighborhoods. Minneapolis U of M campus

Because of the Midtown Greenway’s success, some have asked, There are synergies between the Midtown Greenway Coalition “What’s next?” An active group of advocates has been working (MGC) and TCGI. Several MGC board members have provided to answer this question. We call ourselves the Twin Cities advice and volunteer time to help get TCGI rolling. Some Greenways Initiative (TCGI). The idea behind TCGI is simple— elements of TCGI’s vision include trail segments that the MGC let’s build more Greenways in the Twin Cities. Our vision is to is already pursuing, such as the north-south connection to promote several new Greenways as listed below. Building these Powderhorn Park and a Midtown Greenway bridge across the new Greenways will add important connections to the existing Mississippi. It is possible that these organizations will become pathway system. more closely aligned. For example the MGC may act as a fiscal • A north-south Greenway running through North Minneapolis agent for TCGI’s initial grant applications or TCGI could even become a program of the MGC rather than a separate group. • A north-south Greenway running through South Minneapolis • A Greenway in Northeast Minneapolis connecting the For now, the TCGI is a group of volunteers in its early stages Northeast Diagonal Trail to Downtown Minneapolis that has reached out to stakeholders for feedback. So far, the • An extension of the Midtown Greenway across the river to responses have been very positive and we hope to maintain this Ayd Mill Road momentum by reaching out to as many people as possible. If you would like to learn more about the proposed greenway routes and designs or help with TCGI, please visit our Web site: www.tcgreenways.org.

For many of us who use the Midtown Greenway, it is easy to zoom by on Urban Ventures our bikes for recreation or to get from point A to B. Yet, as important as the Greenway is for exercise and transit, it is far more important as a social Urban Paradise gathering node and a source for civic involvement. As you may or may not know, the Midtown Greenway is divided into numerous sections and each section is taken care of by adopters. In some places along the Greenway, there are gardens, murals and other works of art. One block west from the intersection of 5th Avenue and the Greenway, Urban Ventures has a beautiful garden full of an assortment of flowers, vegetables and fruit trees. Accompanying these natural works of art are some that are man-made. Some things to look for are a fountain and two murals. The children from Christo Rey Jesuit School put in the fountain (please do not drink the water as its quality is uncertain) and the mural in honor of Will Gove. The mural along the bridge was painted by local artist, Jimmy Lingouri. Urban Ventures does some great things for the neighborhood and the local community. Please refer to their Web site listed below for more information on volunteering and learning about their civic programs. By Joseph Kennedy, Greening Intern Urban Ventures www.urbanventures.org

Street access

10th mississippi river cedar Ramp access lake Stairway access hiawatha bridge 27th 30th 29th lake 26th of the isles w. river pkwy. Dean hennepin ave. I-35W 11th 13th bryant 5th park chicago bloomington cedar lyndale 18th Parkway nicollet Kenilworth Trail Chain of Lakes Trail

Calhoun Midtown 34th lake st. Village Exchange 38th

lake st. lake st.

excelsior lake calhoun abbott 3

Public Invited to Comment on Proposed Greenway Improvements in Phillips West Phillips West Neighborhood Organization Midtown Greenway Coalition View East at Columbus Ave nue By Dawn Wangen, Midtown Greenway Coalition Portland Avenue Rim Walkway board member from Phillips West If you like the new trail entrance ramp between 10th and 11th food and share ideas for design elements of the future walkway. Avenues, you’ll also like what the Midtown Greenway Coalition We had an interesting selection of people who attended and the Phillips West Neighborhood Organization (PWNO) are including about three guys from Ebenezer Tower, 40 Somali dreaming up. You can help shape it too. The idea is to install boys, a few other residents, Mad Dads, the staff of MGC, and a street-level pathway along the Greenway’s north rim between several Lutheran Volunteer Corps helpers. All came for the food, Chicago and Portland Avenues. We want to create a vibrant, but only those that V.J. Smith kindly put his heavy hand on well-traveled pathway to connect the community above with stayed to share ideas. People split into two groups and walked the Greenway trench below. This will increase access to the the proposed route. One group encountered a well-established Greenway and other vital, nearby destinations, and increase homeless encampment. the safety, aesthetics, and enjoyment of the Greenway corridor. Perkins+Will, an architectural firm downtown, has volunteered Ideas from the groups to create concept drawings to guide public discussion. These included: make the Spin-A-Thon to Benefit the Coalition drawings will then be used to encourage public and private walkway wheelchair Please Join us for a Spin-A- parties to install and maintain the walkway. accessible, install things Thon benefitting the Midtown to sit on and integrate Greenway Coalition at Inner One drawing is shown above. The rest of the concept drawings those with public art. Strength Fitness Studios on will be available for comment from: Other suggestions Sun., Nov. 23rd, now at their new were to make strong location on the corner of 28th • October 1 through 24, 2008 connections between the & Lyndale. Also ask about their • In the Coalition office (inside the Freewheel Midtown walkway and the lower “green package” with a discount on their regularly priced classes. Bike Center) and on line at midtowngreenway.org. Greenway trail by adding Call them at 612-644-1953 or stairways and terraces, To create the drawings, on August 27 the Midtown Greenway visit them on the web at and installing bike racks www.innerstrengthstudio.com. Coalition hosted a BBQ in Phillips West for people to eat great and a water fountain.

Street access

10th mississippi river cedar Ramp access lake Stairway access hiawatha bridge 27th 30th 29th lake 26th of the isles w. river pkwy. Dean

hennepin ave. I-35W Bike Center and Coalition Offices 11th 13th bryant 5th park chicago bloomington cedar lyndale 18th Parkway nicollet Kenilworth Trail Chain of Lakes Trail

Calhoun Midtown 34th lake st. Village Exchange 38th lake st. lake st.

excelsior lake calhoun abbott 4

Mission Misión We empower communities to develop, improve, Nosotros habilitamos a las comunidades a desarrollar, protect, and enjoy the Midtown Greenway as a green mejorar, proteger y disfrutar del sendero urbano Midtown urban pathway to improve people’s lives. Greenway para mejorar la vida de la gente.

Thank You to Our Spring 2008 Donors and Volunteers! (Please call if we have missed you!)

Foundations & Terry & Kevin Barnes Jeff Gundvaldson Aldon or Carole Volunteers Megan Thrasher Pierce First Unitarian Society corporations Robert Barry Kate Hage Norrgard Mary Arneson & Dale Alicia Uzarek Green Team Bikes Belong George & Lee Barthel Eric Hart Sally & Jim Novotny Hammerschmidt Tom Von Sternberg & Hiawatha Bicycling Club Blue Cross and Blue Jennifer Beckham & Jan Heasley & Jeff Robert W. Olson Robert Barry Eve Parker Midtown Farmers’ Shield of Minnesota Paul Ching Morrow Hillary Oppmann & Dorothy Beckvall Dawn Wangen Market Google Wilton & Faye Berger Matthew Hendricks Andrew Holdsworth Simon Blenski Emily Wergin Minnesota Inline Skate Land America Jennifer Blair Sandy Hey Sarah & Bill Oyler Ben Brown Club Commonwealth Jeffery & Melissa Mark Hiemenz & Charlie Jana Palo Roy Cato In-Kind Donors Northstar Rollergirls McKnight Foundation Blumenshine Rounds Richard Parnell Bob Corrick Accentos Old Arizona The Minneapolis Gina Bouchie Fleur Higginbotham Margaret Purcel-Alberg Janet Court Farm in the Market Peace Coffee Foundation Yiscah Bracha & Jessica Elizabeth Hinz & Robert Alberg Matthew Dahlquist Freewheel Bike Penn Cycle & Fitness Patagonia Shaten Delores Holmes George Puzak John DeWitt The Craftsman Phillips Garden REI Steve Budas & Gail Irish Sandy Hopkins Leeann Rock & Brian Dean Dovolis Restaurant Phillips West St. Paul Travelers Lisa Carlson Joe Hufford Anderson Ilana & Mike Favero DJR Architechture, Inc. Neighborhood Surdna Foundation Joe Cassell Shirley Kaplan Sara Rydberg Marsha Finkelstein Dorsey & Whitney LLP Organization Wells Fargo Foundation Dawn Cassidy Shirley Keating Todd & Jeannette Jeff Gundvaldson Herkimer Pub & Pilgrim Lutheran Brian Cavanaugh Margaret Kirkpatrick Sample Eric Hart Brewery Church of St. Paul Business & Glen Christianson Thomas Kottke Steve Sando Matthew Hendricks Izzy’s Ice Cream Pizza Luce Uptown Organization Bob Corrick Timothy Kramer Mary Schultz Fleur Higginbotham Landmark Theatres Rotary Clubs of Members/Donors Joe & Jean Crocker Joe Larson Patrick Scully Holy Rosary Youth Lunds Uptown Minneapolis & (new/renewed 6/13/08 to Sue Crolick Cynthia Launer & Will John & Elizabeth Sandy Hopkins MAD DADS Uptown 9/17/08) Patricia Dahlen Thomas Siqveland Brendan Jordan Mapps Coffee & Tea Seward Co-op Grocery & Deli Fox Studio Matthew Dahlquist Lawrence Levine Jamez Smith Joseph Kennedy New Belgium Brewery Shari Seifert & Neil Minneapolis Finest Neil Derechin Ellen Lipschultz Ted & Nacny Springer Erica Kerr Perkins + Will Hailstone Design and Barbara Donaghy Jan Logelin Tim Springer Margaret Kirkpatrick Produce Exchange Decorating Inc Kevin & Beth Dooley Burce & Stephanie Karl Stoerzinger Zipp’s Liquors Sheraton Mpls. Midtown Matthew Lang & Jessica Hotel Smith Foundry Sheril Doughman Lunning Harriet & Stephen Treat Smiley’s Clinic Major Taylor Bicycling Doug & Ann Duea Michael Mack Swartz Charles Lyon Adopt A Greenway Smith Foundry Club of MN Peter & Jane Eichten Christina Melloh Kenneth Stern Brian Major Abbott Northwestern Spirit of the Lakes UCC Forecast Public Art Judy Enenstein Carla Merkow Jane Thomson Margaret McGlynn Hospital WW Johnson Meat Co Christine & Darin Charles & Laura Miller DeWayne Townsend Allina Commons The Chicago Lofts Leslie Modrack Homeowners Assn. England Rebecca Miller & Karl Steven Warren Jo Ann Musumeci Bikram Yoga individual Members/ The Mugge Group Brett Feldman Jones Kim Walton Michael Nelson Biota Donors Transition Plus REACH Mary Fleck & Peter Leslie Modrack Christine & Mark Paul Nelson Birchwood Café (new/renewed 6/13/08 to Team Weber Scott Mork Watzke Maggie Overman Bituminous Roadways 9/17/08) Twin Cities Bicycling James & Yvonne Eric Mueller & Burt Natalie & Gil Westreich Beth Parkhill Blue Moon Coffee Café Dee Dee Ackerman Club Forsythe Coffin Bob Williams Richard Parnell Breck Middle School Bob Aderhold U of M Students’ Co-op Brad Fredericksen & Philipp Muessig Amy Woodworth Libby Polter Bryant-Lake Bowl Andres Altimirano Laurie Rice Jo Ann Musumeci Andy Wright & Amy Wedge Community Barbara Pratt Carbon Creative Co-op Greg & Martha Archer Tina Frontera Kathy Nelson Sullivan George Puzak Children’s of Minnesota West Calhoun Mary Arneson & Dale Jullone Glad Michael & Marcy Nelson Kathy Jo Zezza Sarah Ronnevik Clicquot Club Café Neighborhood Hammerschmidt John Gladman Nancy Newman Todd Sample Coldwell Banker Burnet Council Robert & Claudia Assell James Graebner Marjory Newton Steve Sando South Mpls. WFDL Redeemer Ann Ayrault Betty Grant Lonnie Nichols Dero Bike Racks Rebecca Banwell Jim Stengel Whole Foods Market kSam Grubisich John & Lisa Nicotra Karl Stoerzinger Jessica Edwards Midtown Greenway Coalition Board Members The Coalition board of diectors consists of one seat for each of the 17 neighborhoods A special along the Lake Street-Midtown Greenway Corridor, and four at-large seats. thank you Greg Benz Brendan Jordan Michael Nelson to our Progressive Dinner West Calhoun CARAG (president) Sponsors and hosts. Together Neighborhood Lyndale they helped us raise $3,443.00 Margaret Kirkpatrick Neighborhood Assoc. Matthew Dahlquist (Secretary) for the Midtown Greenway Cedar Isles Dean East Phillips George Puzak Coalition! Improvement At Large John DeWitt Coalition Sponsors Prospect Park Todd Sample Farm in the Market Christina Melloh (Treasurer) Eric Hart East Isles Residents At Large Freewheel Bike hosts Assoc. The Craftsman Restaurant Jeff & Melissa Blumenshine Street access Longfellow Karl Stoerzinger 10th mississippi river Community Council Herkimer Pub & Brewery Bob Corric cedar Ramp access Leslie Modrack Corcoran Fleur Higginbotham Lowry Hill East Neighborhood OrG. Izzy’s Ice Cream Ilana & Mike Favero lake Neighborhood Stairway access hiawatha bridge (Vice President) Landmark Theatres Jeff Gundvaldson 27th 30th 29th lake 26th Powderhorn Park Dawn Wangen Lunds Uptown Peggy Olson Jo Ann Musumeci Phillips West of the Gabriel Hoffman Whittier Alliance Mapps Coffee & Tea Victoria Potts Seward New Belgium Brewery Jessica Treat & Matthew Lang isles w. river pkwy. Neighborhood Group Produce Exchange Tom Von Sternberg & Eve Parker Dean hennepin ave. I-35W 11th 13th bryant 5th park chicago bloomington cedar lyndale Zipp’s Liquors Steven Warren 18th Parkway nicollet For a list of board members’ roles and responsibilities, visit Kenilworth Trail Chain of Lakes Trail www.midtowngreenway.org. Follow the links to Board of Directors, or call 612-879-0103

Calhoun Midtown Tim Springer, Executive Director Theresa Nelson, Greenspace & Art Programs Mgr Nate Kerr, Lutheran Vol. Corps Comm. Organizer 34th lake st. Village 38th Exchange 612-879-0105 • [email protected] 612-879-0103 • [email protected] 612-879-0106 • [email protected] lake st. lake st. 2834 10th Avenue South, Greenway Level, Suite 2, Minneapolis, MN 55407 • www.midtowngreenway.org • Fax: 612-879-0104

excelsior lake calhoun abbott 5 How You Can Help Make the Midtown Greenway Safer By Tim Springer, Executive Director I would like to update you on the Midtown Greenway Coalition’s work to make the Midtown Greenway safer, and request your financial and volunteer support to expand this effort. The Coalition has learned of one or two assaults in the Greenway each year and a handful of thwarted attacks, which suggests that it is pretty safe given that there are thousands of trail users daily. However, if you have been on the trails late at night, you will know from experience that there are fewer other trail users and the trench segment in particular feels a bit scary. Here’s what we’ve been doing about Greenway safety: k Secured funding for limited patrolling by police on bikes. We would like to keep up all this work. We are also k Renewed police commitments for patrolling in cars when considering adding a citizen’s patrol, although the cost bikes cannot be used. for insurance could be prohibitive. Here’s what you can do k Added a safety page to our Web site where incidents are to help: reported. k Support the Coalition financially k Organized volunteers to sweep up broken glass daily and (see membership/donation form on back page or report this to the police. visit midtowngreenway.org). k Secured additional entrance ramps and stairways, for k Volunteer to become a glass sweeper-upper. example at 10th Avenue where there are long sight lines k Contact me at 612-879-0105 or in and out of the trench. [email protected] if you would be willing k Modified new building designs to provide more to bike with others on citizen patrols in the event windows, doors and walkways along the Greenway edge. that we can get such a program started. k Worked with neighbors to control children who throw k Continue using the Greenway regularly to keep it things from bridges onto the trail. well-populated, and share suggestions with us. k Started a bike program to engage local youth in positive activities. Thank you for your help!

La Coalición completa el primer Programa “Green Way to GO” de ciclismo (continuado de la página 1) Un agradecimiento especial a Freewheel Bike por ayudarnos a comprar y mantener nuestra flota de bicicletas. Además, gracias a Blue Cross and Blues Shield de Minnesota, una empresa licenciada de Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, por el Photo by William Palmieri subsidio otorgado para a hacer realidad nuestro programa. Nos complacemos en agradecer a nuestro personal y voluntarios Coalition Wins que estuvieron a cargo de las excursiones de este verano: Simon Blenski, Kim Reed, Tim Springer, y yo, además de las Patagonia Grant organizaciones para jóvenes, y a su personal que acompañó a los In the last issue of Pathways, we requested your help visiting the jóvenes en sus excursiones. Patagonia store at 1648 Grand Avenue in St. Paul to “vote” for the Coalition as your favorite local environmental organization. Si estuviera interesado en ayudar a planificar el programa para el Collectively we were successful. The Coalition received more próximo verano o servir de voluntario como líder de excursiones votes than the four other groups we were competing with for en bicicleta, sírvase ponerse en contacto con Nate Kerr a a $4,000 grant. Thank you to those who visited the store, and [email protected] o llamando al (612) 879-0106. thank you Patagonia for supporting the environment through corporate practices and philanthropy. 2834 10th Avenue South A NEWSLETTER OF THE MIDTOWN GREENWAY COALITION Greenway Level, Suite 2 Minneapolis, MN 55407 PR RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED OS PECT PECT

Phone: 612-879-0103 PA n

[email protected] RK Lo www.midtowngreenway.org Calhou st st ng

Help Us Make fe the Greenway ll ow Se We

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(See Page 5) les wa r Is Ea rd da Ce

Printed on 30% recycled material st Ph st les Is st st

Clip and post on fridge il li ps ps calendar of events Membership and

Donation Form n Ea

Greenspace Committee Meetings Name ______Third Mondays 6:00-7:30 p.m. Calhou Address ______October 20, November 17, and December 15 an st st or City, State, Zip ______rc Executive Committee Meetings Phone, E-mail ______Co Third Wednesday 6:00-7:30 p.m. m $250 – Greenway Angel

October 15, November 19, and December 17 G Ea horn m $100 – Greenway Patron er RA m $50 – Greenway Advocate wd

Land Use & Transportation Committee CA m Po $25 – Greenway Sponsor Second Monday of December, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ps m $12 – Greenway Friend (low income) li December 8 il m Business $______m st n Ph Other $______Board of Directors Meetings w m Yes, I want to volunteer Ea to

4th Thursday of October and first Wednesday ll My main interest is: ______Mid of December, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

y Hi st Please make your check payable to: October 23 and December 3 e

“Midtown Greenway Coalition” wr W ps All meetings, unless indicated otherwise, are at the li and mail to: Midtown Greenway Coalition Lo il 2834 10th Avenue South, Greenway Level, Suite 2 Coalition office (2834 10th Avenue South, Greenway Level, Suite 2, Minneapolis, MN 55407). Minneapolis, MN 55407 Whittier Lyndale CANDO Ph LOVEOURPATHWAYS.COM