I hear Northeast Minneapolis will soon have a new neighbor across the street, Wal-Mart. Minneapolis officials and residents may be tempted to write this off as "somebody else's problem," since the store is across the street in St. Anthony Village. But I hope we're considering the impact this will have on Minneapolis -- for instance, traffic on Minneapolis streets and neighborhoods when Wal-Mart's customers (along with the 2,000 or so additional residents slated for the adjacent new housing units) are accessing the store and their homes -- particularly the main routes of Johnson Street, Stinson Parkway and 37th Avenue, mainly residential areas. And if past scenarios come true, there will be a negative effect on existing and local business, such as the independent and immigrant businesses on Central Avenue, even food establishments, since Wal-Mart is trying to be "everything under one roof" once they've got you in the door. Then of course, there are all the questions about lousy labor practices, the taxpayer subsidy in human services for these poorly paid workers, and all the other not-just-local concerns that follow this Big Box from town to town all over the country. This also makes me wonder if the existing Cub Foods store be elbowed out of the Wal-Mart site in favor of Wal-Mart's own grocery arm. Would Cub then come looking once again at Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis, despite the frosty reception it got last time?
Concerned citizens from Minneapolis, St. Anthony Village, Roseville, Columbia Heights and surrounding areas are meeting Thursday, May 27, to talk about the Wal-Mart situation. Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in Culver's Restaurant back room, 4004 Silver Lake Road, just north of the future home of Wal-Mart in St. Anthony Village. All are welcome. Gayle Bonneville Waite Park/Northeast Minneapolis REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
