Minneapolis Forum Participants. Please find a letter below that is published in the Southwest Journal today and that Rochelle Olson eluded to in the Star Tribune last week. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is asking for input on this proposed series of events.
When visiting the Superintendents House last Christmas, I noticed a picture on the wall that showed a women standing beside a sign by Lake Calhoun that said "Parkway closed to vehicles 1-4 on Sundays." Sounded like a great idea to me and when I asked why we still didn't have parkway closures accept for those walking and on bicycles Vivian Mason (4th District Park Commissioner) mentioned that the she and other commissioners had resurrected the idea in 1998 or 1999 and it was a resounding success. Why we didn't continue the next year, no one knows! Therefore, we are proposing a once a month Sunday afternoon closure along the same route that Vivian and others had worked out before. The routes are on both the north and south side of Minneapolis. The specific dates and locations are shown below. Again, we are seeking input only . . . . . no decision has been made! For those who ask how we could propose a series of new events in this time of budget cuts, I suggest that the events may have no cost and could result in a net income (through increased concession sales - we have mobile carts now) that would benefit the whole system! We will absolutely need community participation in putting up barricades etc. to pull this event off though. I do believe that community building events like these are exactly what our city needs though! It is my hope that in this time of dwindling resources, that MPRB can actually diversify the events, activities, and services that we offer to the public. We will simply have to be more creative in fund generation and cost savings. Phyllis Kahn and others have had great suggestions for ways we can and will generate income. Rest assured these suggestions are not falling on deaf ears - all commissioners receive print outs of your comments from this list every week and we are genuinely interested in your ideas! Incidentally, there will be a series of focus group meetings that will be held throughout the city to help us identify those services the MPRB provides that the public values most. This effort is critical as we move into yet another budget cutting year! For those of you who have the time to participate - call 612-661-4800 (main park board office). As far as the event below, let us know what you think! Sincerely, John Erwin City-Wide Commissioner (At-Large) ======================================================================== === Dear Minneapolis Residents: The following District and At-Large Commissioners on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board are asking for your thoughts on the possibility of a new series of events on a portion of the parkways surrounding Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles, as well as, along a portion of Victory Memorial Parkway in North Minneapolis. We are considering closing a portion of each of the parkways to motor traffic from 11 am - 3 pm on the last Sunday of May, June, July, August and September (May 25, June 29, July 27, August 31 and September 28th). These parkways will be open only to foot and bike traffic. We will request neighborhood groups place barricades before and after the event. It is our hope that these events would result in no cost to the Park System with neighborhood involvement and increased concession sales. We are proposing these events as a community building effort. In these days of cuts, it is our hope that these events would offer a place where we can come together to celebrate our neighbors, enjoy our parks, and come together as a community. We will present this proposal to all of the impacted neighborhood groups during April and May. Please feel free to call or write any of us with your thoughts and opinions. Sincerely, Rochelle Berry-Graves At-Large Commissioner 673-5388 John Erwin At-Large Commissioner 673-5340 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Annie Young At-Large Commissioner 729-3359 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Walt Dziedzic 1st District Commissioner 673-5319 Jon Olson 2nd District Commissioner 673-5330 Marie Hauser 3rd District Commissioner 673-5329 Vivian Mason 4th District Commissioner 673-5384 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Carol Kummer 5th District Commissioner 722-0370 Bob Fine 6th District Commissioner 673-5387 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
