The Alley Online! Inside this issue… www.alleynews.org Open Arms’-Open Farms…Pg 2 The Alley Rabbit OPENS New Year!…Pg 2 on Twitter www.twitter.com/alleynewspaper Phillips Pool and Gym…Pg 3 NRP Hi-Jacking Comment…Pg 7 midtown Phillips annual mtg…Pg 8 back yard Initiative…Pg 8 NEWS & VIEWS OF PHILLIPS SINCE 1976 February 2011 • Volume 36, Number 2 Grand Openings Grand Opening East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center at 2300 17th Ave. Exemplifies reward of unity after 40 years of vision and six years of struggle [Historical Note by Editor]: It has been mined effort by neighborhood organiza- forty years since hopes and visions of tions, residents, and the Minneapolis Park improvement to the two blocks of land and Recreation Board with city, county, and between 17th and Cedar Avenues and 22nd state support. and 24th Streets began. Initial plans and The newly constructed 14,000 sq. ft. proposals for dense housing were halted building features a high school-sized gym by limited citizen initiated political “arm and adjacent kitchen, a teen center, com- twisting” that was nonetheless effective. puter lab, and rooms that will accommodate That effort led to park development limited a variety of programming. At 30% more to the barest of un-staffed, built facilities. energy efficient than the average building Six years ago that same awareness and in Minneapolis, the East Phillips building tenacity of local residents-- knowing their sets a new standard for energy efficiency in numbers and needs were greater than were Park Board community centers. being met and propelled by the obvious “The East Phillips Park Cultural and inequity of program and facility availability Community Center is now the most beau- for local youth compared to other parts of tiful recreation center in Minneapolis,” the city—initiated concentrated focus on said Third District Commissioner Scott further improvement. Vreeland, “and behind that external beauty The January 22, 2011 Building Opening and Ribbon Cutting marks the culmina- Cultural & Community Center tion of six years of creative and deter- see page 2 Grand Opening All My Relations Gallery debuts Frank Big Bear The Native American Community recipient of the Bush Foundation Enduring Development Institute (NACDI) cele- Visions Award, among other honors. Never- Grand brates the All My Relations Gallery Grand before-seen acrylic paintings, created by Opening with an exhibit of never-before- this Ojibwe artist best known for his surreal Opening seen paintings by master artist Frank Big and detailed color pencil drawings, make Bear. their debut with this exhibit. Running from Victor Borge: Reception and Celebration January 21, to February 28, 2011,. January 21s, 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Frank Big Bear Paintings is made pos- Life and at All My Relations Gallery, 1414 East sible through support of the McKnight Laughs of a Franklin Avenue, Mpls. Hours: Tuesday- Foundation, Target, Metropolitan Regional Friday 11-6, p.m. Weekends 11-3, p.m. Arts Council, Compass/Medtronic, Scandinavian --located in the heart of the American Rosemary H. & David F. Good Family Indian Cultural Corridor, the very neigh- Foundation and in cooperation with Bockley Humorist borhood where Frank Big Bear lived while Gallery. Exhibit Opens creating his prolific body of important early All My Relations Arts is a ten-year old work. FREE and open to the public. arts program at Ancient Traders Gallery at the American Frank Big Bear Paintings—“From the until 2010 when it became an initiative of Rez, to the Hood, to the Lake”, pres- NACDI Info or tours: contact Elizabeth Swedish ents vivid canvasses by Frank Big Bear, Day [email protected], 612-235-4970 Institute See pg. 6 for more Advertise in The Alley Call details 612-990-4022 or e-mail [email protected] “The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, The Alley Newspaper • February 2011 2 each serving a town of 60,000 population.” - President Dwight David Eisenhower Oct. 14, 1890- Mar. 28 1969 Phillips What Where. No Correct Grand Opening Answer in January! GUESS AGAIN! Open Arms to P.O. Box 7006 Minneapolis, MN 55407 Operate 2 Acre Editor’s Cell Phone 612-990-4022 [email protected] www.alleynews.org Open Farms Follow us twitter.com/alleynewspaper Informational Gathering “We came into this world to give truth a little jog onward and to help our neighbors rights” February 17th 7;30 PM Ann Greene Phillips (18__-1885) Wendell Phillips (1811-1884) Open Farms, will be a two acre organic vegetable garden in Belle “The bigger the information media, the photo by Harvey Winje Plaine providing a portion of the less courage and freedom they allow. Bigness means weakness.” vegetable needs for the Open Arms tailored to meet the nutrition needs Eric Sevareid, “The Press and the kitchen. Hear Open Farms Director of individuals living with serious People,” television program, 1959 Ben Penner and Linda Halley, a and life-threatening diseases. To Board of Directors: Cathy well-known organic farmer in the reserve a seat, please contact Ben Strobel, President; Leon Oman, upper Midwest. Open Farms will Penner at [email protected] Treasurer; Sue Hunter Weir; Jane be as dependent on community or by calling 612-872-1152. Open Thomson; Jana Metge; Joan volunteers as Open Arms’ unique, Arms of Minnesota is located at Hautman; Harvey Winje non-profit program that prepares 2500 Bloomington Avenue S. All Senior Editor: Harvey Winje, [email protected]; and delivers free meals specifically are welcome! 612-990-4022 Co-Editor and Designer: Jonathan Miller jmiller@ Celebrate the alleynews.org To Advertise: Year of the [email protected] 612-990-4022 Rabbit Alley Communications, a 501C-3, Not-for-Profit Corp. publishes AT MIDTOWN The Alley. Donations are needed, welcome, and Tax Deductible Contributors to this issue: GLOBAL MARKET All My Relations Arts Gallery, Midtown Global Market will American Swedish Institute, No one submitted a correct answer to the January Phillips What bring a taste of Asia to south Robert Albee, Janice Barbee, Where photograph. So the same question remains for February. What Minneapolis as it hosts its Chinese Patrick Cabello Hansel, Cultural Wellness Center, Friends of and Where is this in Phillips Community? New Year Celebration on Friday, the Cemetery, Elizabeth Day, Guess What and Where this is and get a chance to be in a drawing for February 4, 2011 in conjunction Randall Grey, Susan Gust, Linnea $10. Gift Certificate to Welna Hdwe on Bloomington Avenue. with the Market’s Friday Family Hathaway, HN Cty Library, Shirley Night. Heyer, Sue Hunter Weir, Lake Members from the Chinese Street Council, Kent Linder, Tim Cultural & Community Center McCall, Howard McQuitter II, from page 1 meetings and discussions among Heritage Foundation will be on- Midtown Greenway Coalition, the community, East Phillips hand for fortune telling and dis- Peter Molenaar, Dave Moore, is our most efficient building. This Community Design Team, and tributing red envelopes that are Native American Community has been the most challenging MPRB, building plans were traditionally believed to usher Development Institute, Open project that I have worked on and developed to meet the needs of in good luck for the New Year. Arms MN, Brad Pass, Phillips West NO, Roberts Shoes, Stan is the result of an amazing amount the community. Children can also take home their Saterstrom, Joseph Spangler, Tim of work by the surrounding com- “The East Phillips Park Cultural name written in Chinese calligra- Springer, Jennifer Stromberg, munity.” and Community Center is the phy. A donation to the Chinese Erin Thomasson, Jane Thomson, Finishing touches will be ongo- result of a community dream,” Heritage Foundation is suggested Crystal Trautnau, ing during the first months the said Brad Pass, chair of the East for these services. Printing: Legal Ledger Door to Door Delivery: Youth building is open. Bleachers will Phillips Park Community Design A traditional Lion Dance will groups from Calvary Church, be installed, as well as other fur- Team. “The project was initiat- commence at 7 p.m., circling the Messiah Church, Our Saviour’s nishings and equipment. Site work ed and guided by the people of Market with graceful movements Church, St. Paul’s Church, Waite will also be underway again in the Phillips community.” Carol and magnificent colors, to help House involved with Youth in the spring to complete stormwater Pass, president of the East Phillips ring in the year of the Rabbit. Public Engagement, Donna Neste, Andrew Fahlstrom, ponds and landscaping. Ball fields Improvement Coalition added, Patrick Cabello-Hansel, Leon are scheduled for renovation in “This is truly a grass roots accom- Other activities include: Oman, Cathy, Dave, East Phillips 2011 thanks to a Hennepin County plishment and an example of great • Traditional Asian musical per- Improvement Coalition, Jacy, Sports grant. things coming from humble begin- formances Jana, Heidi, Howard, Lynne, In 2006, funds from the nings through tenacity and strong • Martial Arts demonstration by Margaret, Margaret, Marjorie, Midtown Farmer’s Market, Minnesota Legislature were collaboration.” the Hung Vuong Association Midtown. Phillips, Muriel, appropriated for construction of The entire project, which of Minnesota Paul, Phillips West, Raymond, the EPCCC. Through ongoing includes site improvements as • Children’s crafts Stephanie, Tara, Vi. [Will you well as the new building, has • Distribution of free fortune deliver a block or two or your been funded by the state legisla- cookies containing Market apartment? Call Harvey As our economy 612-990-4022 ture ($3.5 million), the MPRB’s coupons and special offers Bulk Delivery: Lyle James 2008 Capital Improvement Friday, February 4, 2011 turns the corner, 250 Apartments, Businesses, Program ($319,000), East Phillips 5 - 8 p.m.