Park Watch Letter to Park Board on Crown Hydro

Letter read by Arlene Fried of Park Watch at June 1, 2011 Minneapolis Park Board meeting:

June 1, 2011
 
Commissioners:
 
I would like to thank you for your vote at the park board's last meeting to not execute Crown Hydro's rejected letter of intent.
 
It certainly is time that the Park Board put to rest any and all demands from Crown Hydro to acquire parkland at Mill Ruins Park for a hydro-electric facility.  An inordinate amount of staff time and effort has been invested in evaluating the feasibility and desirability of this proposed project.  Because it was to be on parkland, and because you are the stewards of all of our parklands, you are vested with the authority to make the final decision about whether or not this project was an appropriate use of parkland.  And you, after 12 years of review, determined that this project as desired by Crown Hydro was not in the best interests of the Park Board and turned it down.
 
At the moment, the Park Board has many significant items on its plate which will require a good deal of staff time and effort.  There is the recovery from the extensive and costly damage inflicted by the tornado and other time-consuming issues to be addressed.
 
It is now time to move on.
 
Thank you.
 
Arlene Fried
Bryn Mawr Neighborhood
Co-founder of Park Watch