September 10, 2015, Thursday - Sheridan Memorial Park Raingarden Tending
Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Sheridan Memorial Park, 1300 Water Street NE
Sheridan Memorial Park Raingarden Tending
In addition to being the city's newest park, Sheridan Memorial is the first to be named for the local Sheridan community and was the result of a long-term effort to declare a local veterans park. Located near the Grain Belt brewery complex along the river, the park and the memorial are the inspiring result of a year-long planning process between Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, Sheridan Neighborhood Organization, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, elected officials, the Above the Falls Citizens Advisory Committee (which includes FMR), neighborhood residents and veterans.
Last spring, FMR volunteers installed a large raingarden to beautify the park, provide bee, butterfly and bird habitat, and reduce the amount of polluted runoff flowing from the nearby parking lot and local streets into the Mississippi River. Volunteers are now needed to work with FMR ecologist Alex Roth and stewardship coordinator Adam Flett to help maintain the relatively young planting by weeding out invasive species — such as birdsfoot trefoil, sweet clover, burdock and dandelions (which aren't alwys something we pull, but will push out the native species in the raingarden if left unattended) — and assisting with other tending tasks, including replanting, as needed.
This restoration is part of the larger Above the Falls Master Plan and part of FMR's Above the Falls program, providing opportunities for education, access and hands-on restoration along the banks of the Mississippi River north of St. Anthony Falls.