Preserve.Revitalize.Connect.
Gold Medal Park to Be Preserved for 50 Years
Letter to the Editor - Ideas for the Minneapolis Riverfront
The Riverfront Vitality Project is the first comprehensive look at the Mississippi Riverfront in the City of Minneapolis.
This Project seeks to identify and understand the existing data that captures the Riverfront’s current status and, as time passes, will establish the trend lines showing how much progress toward a revitalized Riverfront has being achieved in response to public and private investment.
From Star Tribune:
This was no ordinary dead fish found perched atop a concrete dam abutment on the Mississippi River near Winona last month.
The 30-inch carcass was that of a voracious Asian carp, an invasive species threatening Minnesota’s waterways. More alarmingly, it was a type of Asian carp known for its spectacular leaping ability. This piscine athleticism may help the silver carp hurdle barriers on its journey up the river — the carcass on the dam abutment underscores this — but it also creates a serious hazard to boaters, who may be injured when motor-startled fish jump out of the water.
Calendar of Events
Woodland Wildflower Rescue Part II: The Planting!
Saturday, September 21 — 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hastings Scientific and Natural Area, Hastings
This spring, Vermillion Stewards volunteers dug up hundreds of ferns, heaptica and other native plants that would have otherwise been destroyed by road construction. After being tended for the summer construction season, we now need volunteers to help us replant the woodland natives in the Hastings Scientific and Natural Area. Capacity is limited and registration required. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
*****Events and Activities*****
Mill City Farmers Market – Preserving the Harvest Day
Saturday, September 7, 8 am – 1 pm
Chicago Avenue between Second Street South and West River Parkway
Come to the Market today and relish in the season's bounty! Stock up on the freshest produce around, and spend some time in the coming weeks with friends and loved ones canning, pickling and preserving. You'll thank yourself this winter. At this week’s 10 am Cooking Demo, join Market Chef Heather Hartman and special guest Charlie Wagner. The duo will be making Grilled and Smashed Potato Salad
*****Events and Activities*****
Mill City Farmers Market – Healthy Lunches Day
Saturday, August 31, 8 am – 1 pm
Chicago Avenue between Second Street South and West River Parkway
It's Labor Day Weekend, marking the official end of summer in Minnesota and the beginning of another school year! No need to get down about it
Not Good News MT @FriendsofPool2 "furthest upstream a silver carp has been discovered in the Mississippi River" http://t.co/jlTp7lki9S
— River Life (@RiverLifeUMN) August 23, 2013
Mill City Farmers Market – Live Cultures Day
Saturday, August 24, 8 am – 1 pm
Chicago Avenue between Second Street South and West River Parkway
This Saturday the market will celebrate the health benefits of live cultures.
Thanks for a great 10th annual Mississippi River Challenge
All of us at FMR are honored to have spent the 10th annual Mississippi River Challenge weekend with so many awesome paddlers, volunteers, sponsors and vendors. Despite challenging conditions, the event was a blast, and we have photos to prove it. And if you didn’t get a fabulous steel pint cup at the event, there are still some available.
Lock closure looking more likely
With bi-partisan support of voters and members of Congress, closing the locks appears to be all but inevitable. A recent voter poll demonstrates strong support for the action, and the bill to close the Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock is making progress.
At Island Station, future is just beginning to take shape
With historic designation off the table, the plant’s owner is pursuing demolition. Much remains to be done to realize the site’s full potential as a unique gateway to the Mississippi River.
FMR River Planner Bob Spaulding is moving on from FMR for a new job with Toole Design Group. Read about Bob’s good work and how much he will be missed.
It is with sadness and best wishes that we say farewell to our amazing Mississippi River Challenge intern, Nicole Mardell.
Shoreview wins Blue Star Award
The City of Shoreview recently won the Blue Star Award for excellence in Community Stormwater Management. The Blue Star Award is an award program that offers municipalities that excel in stormwater management the positive public recognition that they deserve.
New projections for 2013 Gulf of Mexico dead zone
New measurements from NOAA-supported scientists show that this year’s dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is 5,840 square miles, more than double the goal set in 2001 by the Gulf of Mexico/Mississippi River Watershed Nutrient Task Force of 1,900 square miles.
The 2013 International Low Impact Development Symposium
The 2013 International Low Impact Development Symposium is being held this month in St. Paul, Minn. This three-day conference is focused on advancing effective stormwater management to help meet water quality goals.
Minnesota wetlands and grasslands losing out to farms
A recent Star Tribune article highlights an alarming trend in Minnesota: in just the last five years, Minnesota has lost 312 square miles of valuable wetlands and the natural vegetation – an area about 5.7 times the size of Minneapolis – most likely because of the high payouts that come with federally subsidized crop insurance.
Tuesday, September 17 — 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Near 36th and West River Parkway, Minneapolis River Gorge
Just off the main parkway along the south Minneapolis riverfront lies a surprisingly beautiful and rare oak savanna. Join ecologist Carolyn Carr for an interpretive tour of this special place, learn about its history, ecology and the role of River Gorge Stewards volunteers in its preservation and restoration. Learn more and sign up via the event page.
Thursday, September 19 — 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Crosby Farm Regional Park, St. Paul
Join other River Gorge Stewards volunteers and staff from FMR and Saint Paul Parks and Recreation as we expand the native prairie restoration area at this naturally and culturally significant riverfront park! Capacity is limited and registration required. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
Woodland Wildflower Rescue Part II: The Planting!
Saturday, September 21 — 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hastings Scientific and Natural Area, Hastings
This spring, Vermillion Stewards volunteers dug up hundreds of ferns, heaptica and other native plants that would have otherwise been destroyed by road construction. After being tended for the summer construction season, we now need volunteers to help us replant the woodland natives in the Hastings Scientific and Natural Area. Capacity is limited and registration required. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
Explore Wetland Ecology in Tunnel Valley
Thursday, September 26 — 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, Cottage Grove
Join Friends of the Mississippi River ecologist Karen Schik and Washington Conservation District's Angie Hong to learn about the fascinating ecology of Ravine Lake and its surrounding wetlands! Participants will learn about native plants both above and below the water and use dipnets to get a closer look at macroinvertebrates living in the lake. Explorers will also learn about upcoming opportunities to restore habitat at Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, FMR's newest volunteer restoration site. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
National Public Lands Day at Bruce Vento Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Park
Saturday, September 28 — 8:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Just east of downtown St. Paul
Join Friends of the Mississippi River, the Lower Phalen Creek Project, Bravely Be, the City of St. Paul and other community organizations to celebrate the continued restoration of Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Park! Learn more and sign up via the event page.
National Public Lands Day Cleanup and Vermillion Stewards Celebration
Saturday, September 28 — 9:00 a.m.-noon
Lake Rebecca and Schaar's Bluff, Hastings
This National Public Lands Day, come celebrate and contribute to the great work accomplished by all the Vermillion Stewards! First, we'll help pick up litter along the Mississippi River at Lake Rebecca during the lower water levels of autumn, then we'll enjoy a brief celebration of Vermillion Stewards accomplishments with lunch and refreshments! All are welcome! Capacity is limited and registration required. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
Indian Mounds Park Walk and Talk
Thursday, October 3 — 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Indian Mounds Park, Blufftop, St. Paul
The area surrounding Mounds Park is as rich in history as it is beautiful. Join towboat pilot Hokan Miller and staff from Friends of the Mississippi River for this popular walk and talk along the bluffs overlooking the river and downtown St. Paul! We'll cover the incredible history of the park and the Mississippi River below as well as its exciting volunteer-powered habitat restoration. Capacity is limited and registration required. Learn more on the event page, or sign up now with Lindsay at lhefferan@fmr.org or 651-222-2193 x24.
Upcoming State of the River Report presentations
Various dates
Various locations
In September 2012, Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service released the first-ever State of the River Report, detailing the ecological health of the Twin Cities stretch of the Mississippi River. While the report is available in its entirety at StateoftheRiver.com, FMR and NPS staff will also be presenting the report several times over the coming months. We encourage you to attend any one of a number of public events, listed at StateoftheRiver.com.
Check out this interactive map developed by the National Park Service. The map highlights ten "Alternative Transportation Nodes" along the Mississippi River Corridor from Dayton to Hastings, and each node provides information about how to get to the area by foot, bike, bus or train, as well as points of interest to visit.
Each month in this section, we feature a photo from somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant, important, or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally.
Whew! So many great guesses from knowledgeable people this month!
Now is a great time to see pollinators. Bumblebees, honeybees, wasps, monarchs, swallowtail butterflies, clear-wing moths, beetles, hummingbirds and more are out there right now foraging for pollen and nectar. Although a crucially important part of our ecosystem, pollinators are in worldwide decline. You can help by preserving natural lands and by planting a diversity of native flowering plants on your land.
It’s a great time to join FMR as a member!
As a reader of Mississippi Messages, you know that FMR’s multi-faceted approach to river and watershed protection, and our extensive engagement of our community in these efforts, is making a difference. But we couldn’t do this work without the support of our members – people like you who care about the Mississippi River and have stepped up to support FMR’s work with a financial contribution. To celebrate our 20th anniversary we have a $20,000 challenge grant to earn – won’t you help us earn the full challenge by becoming a member today?
“The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.”
- Aldo Leopold, Round River: From the Journals of Aldo Leopold
MN Legislature Greenlights Hall's Island
As the clock was ticking down on the spring 2013 session of the Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota House approved the restoration or re-creation of "Hall's Island or such similar island," the defining feature of the future park on the Scherer site. The island must be restored within six years and "shall remain in public ownership in perpetuity and shall be maintained as a natural habitat island for birds and other wildlife."
The House authorization passed as part of the omnibus environment finance bill (H.F. 976, Section 98). Credit for this important achievement goes to many, especially the following elected officials: State Representatives Joe Mullery, Raymond Dehn, Diane Loeffler, and Phyllis Kahn; State Senators Bobby Joe Champion and Kari Dziedzic; Minneapolis City Council Members Kevin Reich and Diane Hofstede.
Water Works Design Team Announced
Across the river and downstream a bit, Water Works is seeing a lot more action, too. The Minneapolis Parks Foundation and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board announced this month that the four-firm team of SCAPE, Rogers Marvel, James Lima Planning + Design and SRF Consulting will be the team designing the proposed park on the Central Riverfront.
Water Works is a part of RiverFirst and on a Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board-owned site located on the Central Riverfront. Water Works schematic design is concurrent with the Minneapolis Park Board’s revision of the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan; designers on these projects will work collaboratively.
Free movie Mondays in August
Our first RiverFirst movie series premieres Monday, August 5, with Chinatown. Fans of film noir and urban river enthusiasts (and the rest of us) are in for a rare big-screen viewing of the 1974 classic. Youngsters and hipsters are also in for a treat, with the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mon, Aug 12) and Desperately Seeking Susan (Mon, Aug 19) rounding out the line-up.
Come at 7PM to enjoy dinner from one of the two on-site food trucks - or bring a picnic. Then roll out a blanket and enjoy the Minneapolis cityscape in the setting sun. Movies start 15 mins. after sunset.
RiverFirst movie events are produced the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board's Music & Movies in the Parks team, and presented by the Minneapolis Parks Foundation with support from the McKnight Foundation.
http://riverfirst.com/2013/07/15/event-riverfront-festival-at-scherer-sat-july-26/
The public and all Mississippi River enthusiasts are invited to the Riverfront Festival Friday, July 26, 2013 from 6 p.m. to sunset at “No Name” Park, the former Scherer site, located at Sibley Street and the Plymouth Avenue Bridge in Northeast Minneapolis.
The evening will include a variety of Minneapolis’ renowned food trucks, local beer, music and a suggestion box for naming the park. View the event invite here.
“We are very excited that the RiverFirst initiative is moving forward,” said Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership Interim Executive Director Kathleen Boe. “Without the enthusiastic input and support from the surrounding communities the RiverFirst initiative wouldn’t be where it is today.”
The property, purchased by the MPRB in 2010, is one of the first sites planned for development under the RiverFirst initiative. People will have the opportunity to learn about the Park’s future layout, beach, channel and the planned reconstruction of historic Hall’s Island.
“It is time to start enjoying this park and bring enthusiasm to its redevelopment. It's all about working together,” said Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Vice-President and First District Commissioner Liz Wielinski. “I am proud of the support we’ve received from the public – and especially would like thank the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership and the East Minneapolis Exchange Club for all the hard work they have put in to this event.”
RiverFirst is a 20-year vision for Mississippi riverfront parks that builds on our community's rich river heritage and passion for parks, nature and wildlife to create places on "America’s fourth coast" where neighborhoods and businesses can grow and people from near and far can experience one of the four great rivers of the world through world-class recreational and cultural activities. The RiverFirst project area spans from the Stone Arch Bridge to the northern City of Minneapolis limit. For more information about the RiverFirst Initiative go to www.riverfirst.com.
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 9:05AM