Which neighborhood can adopt more drains?

Como, Hamline-Midway, and Macalester-Groveland accept the adopt-a-drain challenge for cleaner water

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Which St. Paul neighborhood can adopt more storm drains over the next year? The challenge has been accepted by the Como, Hamline-Midway, and Macalester-Groveland neighborhoods.
As of Oct. 1, 630 storm drains have been adopted by local residents.
The official breakdown of the competing neighborhoods:
• Como/District 10—197 participants have adopted 297 drains.
• Hamline-Midway—103 participants have adopted 159 drains.
• Mac-Groveland—115 participants have adopted 174 drains.
“Unlike adopting a pet or a child, storm drains are pretty easy to take care of,” remarked Hamline Midway Environment Committee member Lucia Hunt. “By signing up, a neighbor commits to watching a drain and making sure it stays clear of garbage, leaves, ice, and other debris. This means visiting the storm drain every month or two and sweeping it clean, weeding around it, and tossing litter into the trash. Chopping ice buildup in the winter is a great way to keep our streets clear and dry during slush season.”
Hunt first learned about the Adopt-A-Drain program while going through the Master Water Steward coursework when they were all encouraged to adopt their own drain.
“There is an education component to the Master Water Steward program, and instead of coming up with a unique idea, I thought about how to increase adoption rates in my neighborhood,” recalled Hunt. “I wanted to start a friendly competition between the neighborhoods to inspire some pride and pleasure in water conservation.”
The competition between neighborhoods began in August.
What washes down the drain…
“Water quality issues are making the news more and more here in Minnesota. We talk a lot about the impact of agricultural practices, but our urban impact can be just as damaging to the water bodies we love and are connected with,” observed Hunt. “Some of us use pesticides and fertilizers on our lawns, rake our leaves into the street, or are careless with our wrappers and garbage. It is important to realize what happens to all that stuff when it goes down the drains.”
“Many people do not know that our storm sewers go directly into lakes and rivers without any filtration,” remarked Jenni Abere, who administers the Adopt-A-Drain program out of Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education. “Also, many people don’t know that leaves and grass (in excess) actually pollute lakes and rivers.”
Phosphorus is one of the most troublesome pollutants in stormwater runoff. When leaves, lawn clippings, animal wastes, fertilizers, and soil are picked up by stormwater runoff and are carried directly to local lakes and streams, they provide the lakes with excess phosphorus. This excess phosphorus increases algae growth and is why lakes turn green.
“All of the water, plastic bottles, straws, leaves, and road grime go straight through the underground pipes to the Mississippi River—unfiltered, untreated, and unseen,” stated Hunt.
“We do not have any surface water in the Hamline Midway neighborhood, so everything appears to just ‘go away.’ However, if you take a stroll along the riverbanks, it’s a real eye-opener when you see all that trash accumulating and even worse is the invisible nutrient load flowing downstream.”
District 10 Como Community Council Executive Director Michael Kuchta pointed out that storm sewers are the tributaries for Como Lake.
“What washes down the sewer grates goes directly into the lake—trash, excessive nutrients, and who knows what else. It’s the equivalent to manure and fertilizer runoff into the Minnesota River. It directly degrades water quality,” stated Kuchta. “In our case, anyone walking past could see and smell the consequences this summer—green water, algae blooms, and all kinds of trash in the water and on the shoreline.”
40,000 pounds of debris diverted last year
By adopting a drain, participants commit to keeping it clear of leaves, trash, and sediment. These simple steps keep debris from washing down the storm drain and becoming pollution in local waterways.
Last winter and spring, St. Paul participants diverted more than 40,000 pounds of debris from metro area lakes and rivers.
The Adopt-A-Drain program began in 2014 with support from the city of St. Paul and Capitol Region Watershed District. It was subsequently piloted in Bloomington, Roseville, Maple Grove, and Minneapolis, with support from those cities plus Nine Mile Creek and Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed Districts.
“There is a surprising number of people who are not ‘official’ adopters but who have been cleaning out their storm drains for years,” Hunt commented. “They understand that the work they do benefits the entire neighborhood and that those individual civic actions make the Midway a better place to live.
“If you are considering adopting, look for one that you walk by or live by so it’s not a hassle to visit it. You can even give your drain a name! Sign up at Adopt-a-Drain.org and pick one or two drains, or go all out and adopt an entire intersection to call your own.”
Kuchta added, “We’re in this friendly competition with other neighborhoods because it provides a fun way for all of us to take a simple, specific step to start turning things around. If residents adopt a drain, if they keep catch basins and gutters clear of grass clippings, leaves, and other debris, it makes an immediate, positive impact on Como Lake. Plus, you get a nice-looking sign for your yard.”
This fall, District 10 is also partnering with the city’s public works department to spread the word that it is illegal to rake leaves into the street.
4-year-old adopts a drain
When four-year-old Miriam Hansen walked past the Adopt-A-Drain exhibit at the State Fair, it was a no-brainer for her family. They adopted a drain.
Photo left: Miriam Hansen checks her drain daily. “Drains need to be clean so the water can drain down it,” explained the four-year-old. (Photo submitted)
“My daughter’s pre-K class focused on learning about rivers,” explained her mother, Jill Hansen, of the Mac-Groveland neighborhood, who was inspired by her daughter’s excitement. “As a part of this, they included drains and where the water goes.”
During family walks, they started paying attention to the storm drains they walked past and cleaning them as needed. “We had many conversations about water, the animals living in and around the river, and the effect trash can have on them,” said J. Hansen. “It was exciting for our daughter. The connection she made with helping the earth and animals was caring and beautiful.”
Miriam checks her drain daily. If she notices that the drain near hers that was adopted by neighbors needs to be cleared, she is very prompt in telling them so.
“Drains need to be clean so the water can drain down it,” explained the four-year-old. “The water goes to the river. We can’t let garbage go down it because then the fish could eat it and die.”
J. Hansen appreciates the Adopt-A-Drain program.
“I love that it empowers the community to play a small part,” said J. Hansen. “If we all do a small part it can make a big difference.”

Help Val fill up trailer bound for Hurricane Harvey victims

Donations accepted at Ted’s Bar in Roseville

by Tesha M. Christensen

Val Garza is planning to drive down a trailer of donated items to Texas on Monday night. The waitress at Ted’s Bar and Key’s Restaurant is asking community members to help her fill an enclosed trailer with clothes, diapers, wipes, baby formula, water, and more for those displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
The trailer is parked in the lot at Ted’s Bar, 1084 Larpenteur Ave. W. in Roseville.  Donations will be accepted until 9 p.m. on Monday night.
Donations will be dropped off at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) location in Dallas, Texas.
After Hurricane Harvey made landfall and dropped more than 2 feet of rain, thousands of people in Houston and along the Gulf Coast have been displaced. Estimates are that more than 30,000 people may need shelter and some 450,000 may qualify for federal flood victim assistance.
Tony Anderson of the Happy Gnome has donated the use of his trailer. Others are helping publicize the effort, and fellow staff at Ted’s donated gas money.Fellow Keys waitress JoVan Paulsky has also cleared her schedule to drive down with Garza, and they will be accompanied by Garza’s teenage son. They plan to drive straight down and return on Friday. Garza, a native of San Antonio, Texas, was watching the news one night and heard about a man from Wisconsin who collected an entire trailer of diapers for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. She was inspired to do something similar. Since announcing her plans, she’s heard from many others who are grateful for what she’s doing and glad to find a way that they can help.

‘Como Boys’ annual golf tournament Sept. 15 benefits Kids for Kyla

Kids for Kyla helps couples attain the dream of creating a family by providing grants for adoption and infertility treatments

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The “Como Boys” believe in family, so when the group heard about Kids for Kyla, a nonprofit organization that gives grants for adoptions and infertility treatments, they didn’t hesitate to offer their support.
This year, group members are organizing the third annual Como Boys Legacy Golf Tournament to benefit Kids for Kyla on Fri., Sept. 15. The tournament at Island Lakes 9-Hole Golf Course in Shoreview costs $75 per golfer or $300 per foursome. It will be followed by lunch at Patrick McGovern’s in St. Paul. For more information, email tjdaulton@gmail.com or call 612-269-8248.
DONATIONS ARE ALSO ACCEPTED ONLINE AT  http://kidsforkyla.com/donate.
Doing good together
The Como Boys have been meeting for breakfast at the Key’s Restaurant at Lexington and Larpenteur for 24 years. They started getting together once a month when their kids were young, and soon that became twice a month. Now they fill up the back of Key’s every Thursday from 7-9am.
Some of the guys have known each other since grade school at Holy Childhood Catholic Church (on Midway Pkwy. and Pascal), including Bob Cardinal, Tim Daulton, and Mick Detviler. They were bound together by their neighborhood, school, and sports.
Detviler has lived in the area for 40 years, and currently has a house on the north end of Como Lake. He attended Cretin High School and then St. Thomas College. Detviler spent his career working for Coldspring Brewing Company.
Photo right: In August, the Como Boys gathered on a Tuesday to have breakfast with group member Jerry Hammer, who is the general manager of the State Fair. The Como Boys have been meeting together for breakfast for 24 years. They meet regularly every Thursday morning at the Key’s Restaurant at Lexington and Larpenteur. (Photo submitted)
Cardinal is back in Falcon Heights. He graduated from Alexander Ramsey High School (now Roseville High), and earned his degree from the University of Minnesota before starting a career in publishing.
Photo left: Since the Como Boys started having breakfast at Key’s Restaurant at Larpenteur and Lexington, Connie Gott-McCoy (left) has been their regular waitress. Also pictured: Mick Detviler, Tim Daulton, and Bob Cardinal. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Daulton grew up in Como Park within a block of Keys and now lives in Roseville. He graduated from Murray High School in St. Paul and worked in the construction field.
“This group is invaluable,” remarked Daulton. He pointed to the varied backgrounds each member brings to the table. “You come to breakfast and depending on what time you come, you’re going to sit down with different people. It’s stimulating. It’s addictive.”
“Everything and anything that goes on in the Twin Cities—somebody at the table knows something about it,” remarked Cardinal. “This is one of the cultural hubs of St. Paul. This is the way St. Paul operates.”
“It’s community,” agreed Detviler. “You’re connecting people.”
In addition to weekly breakfasts, the group gets together year-round. They have two annual events in northern Wisconsin that are attended by 20-30 guys. “That’s a lot of guys that make the effort,” noted Cardinal. “How many guys can say they’ve been getting together for 45 years?”
Helping create families
Three years ago, Daulton approached Detviler and told him he wanted to host a golf tournament for his daughter’s nonprofit—in six weeks.
When they brought it to the larger group over breakfast, everyone agreed they should officially sponsor it.
“It’s one of those things you wrap your arms around,” said Detviler. “It’s a good idea.”
The various members of the Como Boys had participated in benefits and fundraisers on their own over the years, but the Golf Classic was the first they put their stamp of approval on as a group.
“What pulls at your coat tails is that you’re helping create families,” remarked Daulton. “Family to us is such a high priority. When you get the opportunity to help create families, you’ve really got to jump on it.”
Photo left: Tim Daulton and his youngest daughter Kim enjoy a day on the golf course to raise money for Kim’s nonprofit Kids for Kyla. The annual Como Boys Golf Tournament raises money for Kids for Kyla, which provides grants to couples pursuing adoption and infertility treatments. (Photo submitted)
Organizers also hope to raise awareness about how expensive adoption and fertility treatments can be.
The first year the benefit pulled in $10,000 with 27 golfers and another 30 who just came to dinner. For the second year, Patrick McGovern’s owner Patrick Boemer, one of the Como Boys, donated the food. They raised $15,000 and had 48 golfers. For 2017, the goal is to raise $20,000 and serve about 100.
Non-golfers can opt to pay $30 for the lunch and reception at Patrick McGovern’s that begins at noon.
Daulton and Detviler have been working to get everything that they need donated, to pass along 100% of what is raised to Kids for Kyla. Starbucks donated coffee, and the Taste of Scandinavian bakery donated donuts for the 8:30am check-in and socialization time before the 10am shotgun start. Others have donated door prizes and silent auction items, or opted to sponsor a hole or T-box.
Struggle gives birth to nonprofit organization
Kids for Kyla is named after Daulton’s granddaughter, a little girl who died six days after birth.
Her parents, Daulton’s youngest daughter Kim and husband Ryan Mayeda, had struggled with infertility for two years before conceiving their “miracle baby,” and had already experienced a miscarriage. At birth, Kyla didn’t start breathing on her own, and the life-threatening complication led to brain swelling. The Mayedas made the courageous decision to donate Kyla’s heart to a 62-day-old girl and Kyla’s kidneys to an unknown recipient. Then they said goodbye.
They found themselves heartbroken, lost for words, numb to the world, still childless and facing a pile of medical bills.
Their dream of having a family hadn’t been extinguished, and they decided to pursue adoption.
Kim and Ryan got their paperwork completed, home study finished and all of their classes done. They were chosen by a birth mom on July 21, 2010, and on Aug. 21, she gave birth to a baby boy. In Colorado, parents sign papers on the fourth business day following birth. On the third day, the birth mom changed her mind and wanted the baby back. They were discouraged that they no longer had the finances to go through another adoption, making the loss and the heartache even worse. But their agency was gracious and willing to keep working with them. In October 2010, Kim and Ryan were chosen by another birth mom, a young girl in the foster system. The agency said that it was a virtually a done deal. On their way to the hospital on Nov. 5 to meet the baby girl the agency called, and told them the birth mom had changed her mind. It was another loss.
On Dec. 31, 2010, the last day of the worst year of Ryan and Kim’s life, a little girl was born.
Five weeks later, after all legal risk was cleared, they went and met little Makyla Joy for the first time and brought her to her forever home. Makyla was the answer to countless prayers, late nights and shed tears.
A year and a half later, Kim became pregnant again. Because of the journey with Kyla, the next nine months were full of anxiety, hope, fear, joy, and confusion. But on May 27, 2013, Kim delivered a healthy baby boy, Asher Timothy Masayuki Mayeda.
The Mayedas know the emotional stress on a marriage that both infertility treatment and the adoption process can cause, as well as how the financial stress of it all can make things feel hopeless. So after the disruption of the adoption, the couple decided to start Kids For Kyla in honor of their little girl Kyla. The foundation has been a way for Kim and Ryan to reach out and help people who are walking down a very difficult and often lonely road.
The average domestic adoption costs between $25,000-$35,000 and the average international adoption costs between $35,000-$50,000. Couples going through infertility treatments, on average, will spend between $10,000-$40,000 before having a child.
Financial struggle is the single largest reason that couples struggling with having children may never realize the dream of a family, pointed out R. Mayeda.
“It is our belief that there is nothing more important or sacred than family,” said R. Mayeda.
In the past six years, Kids for Kyla has given nearly $50,000 in grants to families in Minnesota and Colorado.
The money at the Como Boys golf tournament raised will help create an endowment fund for Kids for Kyla, enabling the money people donate to keep giving for years to come.
“Tell everybody you know. Pass it along. Tell your friends about what we’re trying to achieve,” said Cardinal. “It’s a little golden gem. We’re trying to make a lot of jewelry from the gold.”

This article appeared in the September 2017 edition of the St. Paul Monitor. 

Brian Beatty featured in the Midway Como Monitor

Article linked here:

https://redbirdchapbooks.com/content/brian-beatty-featured-midway-como-monitor

Como writer, jokester, ‘bearder’ amazed at good fortune

Two volumes of Brian Beatty’s poetry being published—‘Coyotes I Couldn’t See’ and ‘Brazil, Indiana’

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
2016 was a big year for Como poet and performer Brian Beatty. He had two poetry collections accepted for publication, “Coyotes I Couldn’t See” and “Brazil, Indiana.”
“I’m pretty amazed at my good fortune right now,” remarked Beatty (photo right).
“At 46 years old, I was late to get something book-length published. This interest in my work motivates me to keep knocking out poems.”
Natural creative outlet
Beatty was writing poems in high school English classes when he should have been reading Mark Twain or F. Scott Fitzgerald. “Initially I was inspired by the song lyrics of my favorite bands, but I quickly realized, with the help of a great teacher, that song lyrics and poetry weren’t the same thing—mostly because I was no Bob Dylan,” recalled Beatty.
In college, he studied fiction writing because that seemed more practical. “At the time, you could still sell short stories to magazines,” stated Beatty. He sold one to Seventeen magazine during his senior year of undergrad.
His first published poem worth anything was about a homeless man who tucked the money he panhandled into his boot. It appeared in a university literary magazine, across the page from a poem by Charles Bukowski. “I was pretty pleased (and smug) about that at the time,” said Beatty.
In 1994, he earned a master of fine arts degree in fiction writing from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and then quit writing for about a year.
“I’d pushed too hard too soon,” he explained.
He questions university MFA programs, worrying that the university’s ownership of literature has done something to poetry and fiction traditions. “Not enough of writing these days is about what happens outside of academia,” said Beatty.
When he eventually returned to a computer keyboard, it was with ideas for poems instead of short stories. “I’ve stayed at it since then because I’ve never found a creative outlet that feels as natural to me,” said Beatty.
‘Odd, endearing, adored by hipsters and Wobegonians’
Over the last 25 years, Beatty has written for over 20 publications. Among them are Arts Indiana, The Bark, City Pages, Elephant Journal, The Evergreen Review, Glasgow Review of Books (Scotland), Lake Country Journal, Publishers Weekly, The Quarterly, The Rake, The Sycamore Review, The Writer, Urthona (New Zealand) and Yankee Pot Roast.
The bearded jokester has appeared on more than 15 stages, such as the Bedlam Theatre, Brave New Workshop, MPR’s Fitzgerald Theater, 2010 and 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festivals, The Playwrights’ Center, The Ritz Theater, The Soap Factory, Trylon Microcinema, The Turf Club, and the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis.
For two years Beatty hosted “You Are Hear,” a monthly literary podcast, for mnartists.org, a joint project of the Walker Art Center and the McKnight Foundation.
Comedian Maria Bamford considers Beatty one of her favorite Minneapolis comics. “Odd, endearing, adored by hipsters and Wobegonians alike,” she said.
Read, steal, and avoid cliches
Beatty grew up in Brazil, Indiana and moved to south Minneapolis in 1999. He wound up in St. Paul’s Como neighborhood in 2015.
He’s a big fan of Lake Como and all that the park offers.
“My favorite thing about the Como neighborhood is how residential it is,” remarked Beatty.
“Neighbors wave across the street and chat in the alley. I love that I don’t see cranes when I look toward the horizon.”
He has started reading at Barbaric Yawp, Chris Title’s monthly reading series at Underground Music Café at Hoyt and Hamline.
Beatty recommends that aspiring poets read as much as they can and steal what they find valuable.
“Read and steal—and be as clear as you can about what you’re trying to communicate without falling into horrible cliché,” stated Beatty, who also writes marketing and advertising copy for business clients.
Comedy and poetry
Beatty’s writing process involves plopping down in his living room chair with his laptop and hoping for the best, usually first thing in the morning after the coffee is started. “When nothing’s working, I crack open a book and read until I stumble upon something that inspires me,” said Beatty.
“I typically start with a single image or phrase and follow that wherever it takes me. Most of the time, I wind up telling tiny stories or jokes in my poems.”
His first poetry collection, “DUCK!” was a 100-page humor collection he self-published in 2009.
Ravenna Press in Washington published a small pamphlet-length collection called, “Earliest Bird Calls.” It includes a couple of poems that wound up in revised versions in the Coyotes collection.
“Coyotes I Couldn’t See” (photo left of cover), was printed recently by St. Paul-based Red Bird Chapbooks (redbirdchapbooks.com). This limited edition collection includes lyric and narrative poems written and published over a two-year period. The chapbook is loosely arranged to chronicle a year’s sequence of seasons. Included poems originally appeared in print and digital publications in the U.S., Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Scotland, as well as in digital broadsides on the website of the Walker Art Center and in Motionpoems’ 2014 “Arrivals and Departures” public art project at Union Depot in downtown St. Paul.
“Brian Beatty’s poems conjure complete lives—houses, yards, people, ghosts, dogs, squirrels and invisible coyotes—out of just a few stanzas,” praised Minnesota musician Charlie Parr. “This collection reads like music, creating worlds that look like everyday life complete with the terrible uncertainty, the delicate and wavering balance, the long, long drop into the bottomless.”
Book tribute to grandmother
Beatty’s second collection, titled “Brazil, Indiana” (cover photo left), will be published in late 2016 or early 2017 by California-based Kelsay Books/Aldrich Press.
The 100-page sequence of short, 12-line lyrics pays tribute to the people and places of the poet’s rural, small town childhood years.
“It’s one long poem in the manner of John Berryman’s Dream Songs,” explained Beatty. “The book poured out in a handful of months. It started as a tribute to my late grandmother, who was my last connection to my hometown until her death last year.”
Excerpts from the sequence first appeared in numerous publications, including Clementine Poetry Journal, Dressing Room Poetry Journal, The Glasgow Review of Books (Scotland), Midwestern Gothic, The Moth (Ireland), Right Hand Pointing, Third Wednesday and Yellow Chair Review.
Twin Cities-based annual Poetry City, U.S.A. published the first of the Brazil, Indiana excerpts.
“The highlight of my poetry ‘career,’ such as it is, would have to be publishing six excerpts from the Brazil book in an Irish literary magazine. Otherwise, I sat next to the poet Robert Bly at a local documentary premiere once,” said Beatty.
Check Beatty’s web site (brianbeattympls.com) for book signing events.
“For all the jabber about nobody reading poetry these days, I’m fortunate to live in a place where there’s an audience for the work I do,” said Beatty. “It means the world to me.”

Article appeared in the December 2016 Monitor Saint Paul.

Central High School transformed for its 150th anniversary year

Improved landscaping, stormwater management, outdoor classroom and paved pathway to Lexington part of project

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
When students arrived at Central High School for the start of the sesquicentennial school year, the “prison” looked a little more inviting.
Photo right: Members of the Transforming Central Committee and Principal Mary Mackbee survey the work being done to create the outdoor classroom in August 2016. “I’m super excited for the outdoor classroom and learning opportunities that the project is installing,” said senior Olive Murdoch Meyer, who is the co-president of Roots and Shoots. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The transformation of the state’s oldest, continuously-operating, and only five-story high school campus began on June 13. It included improved landscaping and stormwater management, an outdoor classroom, and a paved pathway across campus to Lexington Pkwy.
Before these updates, longtime Principal Mary Mackbee described the front entryway as “bland.” As work progressed over the summer, she was looking forward to returning students passing through the project area and seeing all the new things in front. “It’s wonderful,” Mackbee stated.
“We always joked that Central resembled a prison—and maybe took some pride in that—but these updates will make it have a sense of place, make it feel like the great academic school it is,” stated St. Paul Council Member and Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Chris Tolbert, who graduated in 2001.
Tolbert praised the group of parents who have worked on this update for years. “This project would not have happened but for their persistence, dedication, and resourcefulness,” said Tolbert. “I hope that we can keep that level of dedication from parents for generations.”
Photo left: Members of the Transforming Central Committee are excited to see five years of work coming to fruition. The changes to the stormwater system and front plaza were sparked by students, staff, and parents. The project completion kicks off the sesquicentennial celebration of the school. Left to right: Ann Hobbie, Lisa Heyman, Maggie O’Reilly, Principal Mary Mackbee, Julie Marckel, Olive Murdoch Meyer and Nina Tuttle. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Committee members included Deb Ahlquist, Beth Black, Amber Buckner, Patricia Eaves, Craig Davies, Sally Gagne, Kris Hageman, Lisa Heyman, Ann Hobbie, Margaret Jones, Julie Marckel, Dana Murdoch, Maggie O’Reilly, Jeff Risberg, and Nina Tuttle.
“We thought that Central’s drab and uninviting exterior did not reflect the diverse, welcoming and vibrant community inside,” observed committee member Heyman. “With the addition of the outdoor classroom and seated planters there will be so many more places to sit. The paved pathway to Lexington will bring dignity to all students. No longer will they trudge through the mud to get to their buses.”
Someone cared enough
“Appearance plays a big role in the way people feel,” remarked Adrian Perryman, a 2003 Central High School graduate and current Concordia University employee. “Knowing that someone cared enough to invest their time into this project will make students feel special. I don’t recall any improvements when I was a student, but the appearance of the school and the grounds was definitely a topic of discussion.”
According to Maggie O’Reilly, the effort to upgrade and renovate the outdoor campus started five years ago when parents on the committee noted the compacted soil on the grounds, excessive water runoff, worn trees and landscaping, and unattractive entrance. They also noted a need for outdoor seating and a paved walking path from the plaza to Lexington Ave.
The Transforming Central project officially got underway by a dedicated group of parents, students and community members in the fall of 2011 when the committee partnered with the Root and Shoots environmental awareness team and the National Honor Society to plant over 500 bulbs on the school grounds.
Next, they surveyed students, faculty, administrators, parents and community members to gather input on desirable exterior improvements, which was put together into a document that guided planning for the next few years.
Things really got moving in the summer of 2012 when students and parent volunteers planted the three large tiers that frame the front exterior stairway with native perennials and grasses thanks to private donations and school support. Committee member Julie Marckel recalled how two environmental classes spread out wood chips in the tiers to mulch the plants. Those classes, along with the National Honor Society and the Roots and Shoots, have continued to care for the grounds. “It’s a nice way to get the kids involved,” said Marckel.
Cleaning up water runoff
In November 2012, Central received a grant from the Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) to analyze storm water run-off at the site, and in September 2013, they got another CRWD grant for the stormwater retrofit project. More money came in later to make changes at the site, which included the removal of the berm areas in front of the school along Marshall Ave. and extensive excavation for the underground storm water treatment system that will also manage water draining from the roof. A large rain garden at the corner of Marshall and Lexington will beautify while collecting and filtering water.
Dead and diseased trees were removed and new ones planted. Memorial trees and shrubs planted over the years are being grouped in a Memorial Garden area. All of the new plantings will be native and hardy perennials, trees and shrubs, and will include many pollinator-friendly plants.
Impermeable surfaces are replaced with well-planned permeable ones.
“When the project is finished, 1,434,000 gallons of runoff each year will filter through the ground instead of flowing untreated to the Mississippi River, and 1,367 pounds of sediment will no longer erode,” pointed out Heyman. “Additionally, 4.23 pounds of phosphorous will no longer enter the Mississippi River watershed.”
Environmental science teacher Lisa Houdek and biology teacher Stacey Skinner received an educator’s grant from Capitol Region Watershed District to pay for curriculum and measurement tools. The system has been built so that students can access it to track how much water is in the system, the water quality, and more.
Several grants and donations have been raised over the years to make this project happen, with money coming from state organizations, civic and community groups, as well as private individuals.
The 2013 graduating class commissioned local artist Peter Morales to create a bench to be included in the new landscaping. Each graduating class since has donated money for the project, and Roots and Shoots raised money for the new red hanging bike racks that are located in the front alcoves.
Phase 2 will include art pieces that reflect the vibrancy/energy of Central students and the surrounding community, as well as additional lighting, benches and landscaping. “We are considering sculptures and banner-like art commissioned by local St. Paul artists,” said O’Reilly. Discussions about the art and fundraising for the $100,000 shortfall continue.
Outdoor classroom
A highlight for many is the new outdoor classroom, fashioned out of limestone blocks that form a Fibonacci spiral—a mathematical sequence.
“I’m super excited for the outdoor classroom and learning opportunities that the project is installing,” said senior Olive Murdoch Meyer, who is the co-president of Roots and Shoots. “The beautification of Central’s facade is wonderful, but I think the most important part is giving students a chance to appreciate and utilize the outdoors in a way that wouldn’t have been as accessible before.”
Murdoch Meyer added, “Central is such a strong, vibrant place that can and will get through anything, but this project will be a special refresher to remind us what we can do together as a community, and will bring extra energy to this upcoming school year, as well as years to come. I think that this transformation is a big milestone for Central.”

Article appeared in the September 2016 Monitor Saint Paul.

ComoFest shapes neighborhood identity, brings people together

Community partners share what they appreciate most about the seven-year-old festival of family-friendly activities

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Historical photos submitted
How has ComoFest developed from a small ice cream social with a few hundred people to a month-long event drawing in thousands?
Ask the organizers and they’ll point to how the festival strengthens the community while pulling in neighborhood partners. Plus, it’s fun.
“ComoFest has an established reputation of building the community through family-fun events,” stated Lyngblomsten Director of Lifelong Learning and the Arts Andrea Lewandoski. In 2012, Lyngblomsten integrated its annual “Mid-Summer Festival” into ComoFest.
“The events allow for an open, friendly atmosphere, the opportunity for community members to meet and speak with local artists, hear live music from local bands and musicians, and provide the chance for community members to visit local businesses and restaurants,” said Lewandowski. “Fine food and a variety of arts and wellness activities add to the festive fun during the entire month of July.”
“When folks think about Como Park, they typically think of the park and zoo, which is a huge draw and major asset to this neighborhood,” remarked AndreaLynn Johnson. “But ComoFest is giving families throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding area another reason to visit the neighborhood—for the food, the music, the arts, to explore new events, and meet new people in Como that they didn’t know. It is a way to highlight what the people of the community have to offer the greater Twin Cities community.”
Johnson has been part of the festival since the beginning when she coordinated the first art crawl. That year, five artists opened up their studios and homes, including Johnson. Over the years, the art crawl has evolved into an art fair that she continues to organize.
What’s kept her involved over the years?
“I love finding unique ways to promote the arts, and doing so in this non-juried art fair has been a wonderful way to highlight local artists,” said Johnson. “I have enjoyed not only seeing the community come together for one unified event or focus, but getting to know my fellow community members and business even better.”
“The willingness to volunteer time and genuine love for the neighborhood shown by the community is unmatched,” Johnson said.
Photo right: Artist AndreaLynn Johnson (at right) has helped organize the art fair since its inception. “I love finding unique ways to promote the arts, and doing so in this non-juried art fair has been a wonderful way to highlight local artists,” said Johnson. “I have enjoyed not only seeing the community come together for one unified event or focus but getting to know my fellow community members and business even better.”

“This has strengthened our working bonds for sure,” said Darcy Rivers, St. Paul Parks and Recreation Community Recreation Director of Programming. “Having the opportunity to work with District 10, Lyngblomsten and others is a no-brainer. We all service the same people, combine our resources, learn from each other, receive new contacts and develop friendships.”
One thing that sets ComoFest apart is that each event operates independently. “There’s no grand planning committee,” explained Michael Kuchta, District 10 Executive Director. “But we do collaborate, we do support each other, and we do coordinate as much as we can on things like logistics, advertising, and publicity.”
District 10 serves as the hub for ComoFest and hosts the web page and Facebook page. It also handles the finances and contributes its own event, the Ice Cream Social.
This year’s partners include Lyngblomsten, St. Paul Parks and Recreation, Topline Federal Credit Union, The Underground Music Cafe, Honest-1 Auto Care, Como Dockside Lakeside Pavilion, and Como Park – Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program. Humphrey Job Corps Center supplies volunteers.
From a weekend to a month
Instead of cramming everything into one weekend, this year there will be eight events spread out over four weekends. “We’re hoping that gives neighbors a chance to sample activities in a way that fits their schedules,” explained Kuchta. “If they happen to be out of town one weekend, or already booked solid for one weekend, they’ve still got a chance to check out a half-dozen other events.”
The festival started with the North Dale Movie Night on July 8 and the ComoFest Art Fair on July 9.
Next up:
• District 10 Ice Cream Social on July 15;
• ComoFest 5K Walk/Run for Everyone on July 17;
• Lyngblomsten Mid-Summer Festival: A Celebration of Arts & Lifelong Learning on July 22;
• Community Appreciation Picnic on July 23;
• Northwest Como Campout on July 29; and
• the Block Party at UMC on July 30-31.
“Don’t miss any of it,” urged Rivers. “Each event brings a new flavor of activity that is representative of the neighborhood.”
“The evolution of ComoFest from one small event to a month-long series of events has been due to our want to include more partners within and outside of District 10, wanting to include a wider variety of activities and by spreading the activities out over a month, giving families a better opportunity to attend more of the ComoFest events,” said Johnson.
Work in progress
ComoFest is a continual work in progress with new ideas and community members, observed Rivers.
River remembers the meeting in 2010 that gave birth to ComoFest. She and then-District 10 Community Council Coordinator Rhonda DeBough recognized that people couldn’t afford to travel because of the recession, and they decided to offer the District 10 Staycation. They combined the Northwest Como Movie Night with District 10’s Art Crawl, Garden Tour, and Bike Ride, along with the Chelsea Heights PTO Flea Market and Coffee Grounds Music Festival on one weekend.
The festival also offered residents a way to discover a little bit more about their neighborhood.
“In that way, nothing’s changed,” remarked Kuchta. “You can still experience ComoFest without spending a dime. It’s still family oriented, and it features a variety of very simple, very low-key, but enjoyable events that expose you to some of what’s available right in your own backyard.”
Some events come and go, he noted, but the essence is still the same.
“It’s not a big festival that shuts down streets and disrupts people’s lives for a couple of days. We’ve got enough high-impact activity in our neighborhood. ComoFest is actually the opposite of that.”
Spreading through Como
Kuchta is excited to see the event growing to include more than just the intersection of Hamline and Hoyt, where things were centered at the beginning. “For the first time this year, we’ve got something going on east of the lake—with North Dale’s movie night—and something going on in South Como—with TopLine’s cookout. I’m hoping we can build on that, so we really do tie in the whole neighborhood,” he stated.
Como Park – Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program initially got involved with Comofest by invitation from District 10. The community non-profit began with an information table at the ice cream social and that morphed into sponsoring a 5K run/walk around Como Lake last year.
“It turned out better than we thought,” recalled Executive Director Jody McCardle. “And we loved meeting neighbors who were glad to learn about how we help seniors remain in their homes safely. We even had a few runners become volunteers for our program.”
“Many of the seniors we work with talk about their love of Como Lake and their everyday walks around Como Lake with family and friends—so in a way it is a continuum of celebrating our seniors in our community and the natural resources of District 10 that we treasure,” McCardle added.
All part of Como Park
The Como area is in high demand from people all over the state and visitors, pointed out Rivers. While the community cherishes the Como resources and shares them, residents also value their neighborhoods. ComoFest helps with community identity, strengthens the neighborhood and takes back the space.
“It sounds cliché, but anything that gets us out from behind our own fences helps build community,” said Kuchta. “Something like ComoFest can eliminate, in small ways, the physical barriers that separate parts of our neighborhood: Which side of the park you are on, which side of the tracks you are on, are you in a home or an apartment? Doesn’t matter—you’re still part of Como Park.”

Article appeared in the July 2016 Monitor Saint Paul.

Seeds for Edmund Edible Alley germinating in Hamline Midway

NCFA’s alley garden will be a place neighborhood residents can forage for berries, plums and more

Article by TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Photos submitted
It may be cold outside, but the seeds for the Edible Edmund Alley are germinating.
The Edible Edmund Alley along Edmund near the intersection of University and Snelling will be a mini-forest garden.
Set in this high-traffic area of St. Paul, the garden will provide a source of free fruit to hundreds of food insecure people living in the neighborhood.
“The Edible Edmund Alley is the perfect synthesis of our garden and foraging programs. It will provide a resource that will demonstrate how to build and maintain a forest garden, teach how to identify and harvest wild foods, and grant free fruits to low-income people,” said North County Food Alliance (NCFA) foraging coordinator Maria Wesserle.
Founded in 2013, NCFA is a non-profit organization based in the Twin Cities that seeks to increase access to food and share food with people in need. Increasing access is accomplished through weekly foodshares, wild food foraging workshops, community gardening, and community meals.
“Fresh fruits and vegetables are vital to a healthy diet,” pointed out Wesserle.
“Unfortunately, a diet rich in fresh produce is more expensive than one high in processed foods, making it cost-prohibitive for many people. Fresh foods (which spoil easily) are also more difficult for food shelves and soup kitchens to carry.
“This is why North Country Food Alliance focuses on providing fresh produce to low-income communities.”
Berries and plums
NCFA has rescued tens of thousands of pounds of overstock food from farms, grocery stores, and distributors and donated it to people in need.
NCFA also builds gardens in urban areas in the Twin Cities. According to Wesserle, the produce from these gardens is donated to organizations that serve low-income people, such as homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food shelves. There are currently gardens in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Richfield.
“So far, these gardens have grown only annual vegetables – things like kale, tomatoes, and beets. However, since the start of the program we have been looking for plots that would be available for long-term projects so that we could grow perennials such as fruit trees,” said Wesserle.
In the winter of last year, a community member (who wishes to remain anonymous) approached NCFA about building a mini-forest garden on a piece of property owned by her and her husband. “After visiting the parcel and meeting with the community member, we at NCFA decided it would be a great project to invest in,” stated Wesserle.
NCFA began fundraising last fall and raised $850 for the project. The organization also hopes to receive a $400 grant from SeedMoney.
The newest garden will be located on 800-square-feet bordering an alley. Before planting commences this spring, unwanted trees such as Siberian elms need to be removed. Once that is complete, workers will amend the soil and plant seedlings.
“We plan on planting native fruit trees and shrubs such as juneberries, wild plums, and aronia berries,” said Wesserle.
Neighborhood benefits
This garden will serve the needs of the community in several ways.
NCFA will provide free educational opportunities for residents to get involved in the process of planting and maintaining fruit trees and perennials.
Donation-based foraging workshops will be offered that explain how to identify, harvest, and prepare wild foods.
The garden creates a location where passersby will be free to pick the edibles.
Plus, fruits will be donated to the Keystone Community Food Shelf based in the neighborhood.
“NCFA makes nearly all of its money from door-to-door canvassing. This is an effective way to let people know what’s happening in the area, and to recruit volunteers,” observed Wesserle. NCFA informs people about activities through social media, email lists, and flyers.
Benefits of foraging
Wesserle doesn’t know of any other foraging forests based in alleyways but pointed out there are several public edible forest gardens throughout the U.S., specifically one in Seattle, WA and one in Asheville, NC. There is also a permaculture plot at the Tiny Diner Farm in south Minneapolis that is privately run for the Tiny Diner restaurant.
What are the benefits of foraging in a city?
“The main benefit is accessibility. You don’t need to own a car or travel long distances to state forests or parks,” said Wesserle. “Most likely there are delicious edibles right outside your doorstep!”
Safety is a substantial concern of Wesserle’s when teaching foraging, be it in an urban or a wild environment.
“Ingesting the soil and dust of contaminated areas is the primary way people are exposed to dangerous chemicals,” she noted. “Reduce the risk of exposure by washing harvested foods, peeling roots, and peeling off the outer layers of leafy foods. Fruits tend to absorb fewer contaminants than leafy vegetables or root crops.”
NCFA typically holds six foraging workshops a year, one each month from May through October.
“The program has grown substantially in the past year, with registration overflowing and people being put on waiting lists,” said Wesserle. “From this, I would say there is a large interest in learning to forage.”
For more information, call 612.568.4585 or email info@northcountryfoodalliance.org.

Article appeared in the January 2016 Monitor Saint Paul.

Extreme makeover: Seal Island edition

Como requests state to approve $13.8 million to update the seal and sea lion exhibit

by Tesha M. Christensen

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is ready to give Sparky’s home an extreme makeover.

To move forward, Como is asking state legislators to approve $13.8 million in general obligation bonds. Another $1 million will come from private donations.

“Sparky is an ambassador for conservation education, through the 2 million plus visitors to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory each year, including 500,000 school age kids taking part of some educational programming,” stated Como’s Campus Manager Michelle Furrer. 

“Today we see multi-generations visiting and making connections with the animals like Sparky and our hope is that this will continue for generations.”

There was no funding set aside for Como Zoo in Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed bonding request to the Legislature, but there was $8.9 million in transportation and access improvements for the surrounding Como Regional Park. There was, however, $53.3 million in bonding requests from the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.

PROJECT WILL OCCUPY SAME AREA AT COMO

Currently, the seals and sea lions split their time between Seal Island in the summer and the Marine Mammal Building in the winter. Sparky is housed year-round in a separate pool from other seals and sea lions.

“Como has been a part of Minnesota’s lives for over 100 years and Sparky for nearly 60 years,” observed Furrer.

The $14.8 million project being planned will use the same 64,500 square feet that currently house Seal Island and the amphitheater. However, the amount of pool area will jump from 146,000 gallons to 244,000 gallons.

When Seal Island is renovated, all the seals and sea lions will be housed together, rather than in groups of two or three. Currently, Como has six pinnipeds (the classification for seals and sea lions), and will have room for eight with the changes to their habitat area.

GUESTS WILL EXPERIENCE TRAINING FIRSTHAND

The outdoor exhibit for seals was originally called Monkey Island when it was built during the WPA in the 1930s. It was converted in the early 1980s into Seal Island and an amphitheater was added nearby. The habitats were not built with training in mind, nor do they meet updated standards of animal management, according to Furrer.

With its freshwater pools, Seal Island no longer meets federal requirements. The renovation plan replaces the freshwater area with two saltwater pools. These will provide zoo guests with both underwater and above water viewing that is available year-round. Guests will be able to see the animals in a more naturalistic habitat year round. Plus, visitors will be able to experience the operant conditioning training of the animals firsthand.

Because the current facility was not designed with training in mind, Como trainers face the challenge of needing a trainer for each animal during sessions. “This means that if there are four animals on the island, we need four trainers,” explained Senior Keeper Allison Jungheim. 

The new construction will give trainers more options. Using the principals of positive enforcement, the pinnipeds at Como receive 2-3 training sessions a day, during which they get most of their daily food.

“Training is mentally stimulating and very enriching for them,” stated Jungheim.

NOT ABOUT GETTING BIGGER BUT BETTER

The update to Seal Island follows upon the heels of the $11 million Gorilla Forest that opened in June 2013, and the $15 million Polar Bear Odyssey that opened in June 2010.

“With the development of these last series of projects for Como, it’s not about getting bigger but doing what we do better,” said Furrer. “We want to ensure that, for generations to come, Sparky will be an ambassador for conservation and education. In order to do this updates are needed.”

This story was printed in the February 2014 edition of the St. Paul Monitor.

Longtime St. Paul company to run Como Golf Course

City council approves 5-year agreement with Prom Management Group 

by Tesha M. Christensen

As a boy, Bill Given of Prom Management Group, Inc. played golf at Como. As a man, he and his brother will be running things.

St. Paul has reached a five-year agreement with Prom Management Group to manage both Como and Phalen golf courses. The city council approved the agreement at its Jan. 22, 2014 meeting on a 4-3 vote, with Councilmember Bostrom, Councilmember Thune and Councilmember Tolbert voting against it.

“I am most excited to see this new adventure become successful and profitable for both our company and the city,” said Bill. “If we can accomplish this, and provide exemplar customer service and products, this will be a win for everyone, including those who pay taxes in the city and do not play golf.”

TIES TO ST. PAUL

Bill and his brother Tom were born and raised in St. Paul. “We have a very rich history in St. Paul, spanning more than three generations,” stated Given.

The company began in the 1940s when their father, Harry Given, visited the original Prom Ballroom on University Ave. to do advertising and promotion for the popular dance hall. After a few years, Harry became the general manager, and eventually the owner.

During the late 1980s, Tom and Bill brought the company from their father and shifted it into catering, event management and concessions operations. They operated out of the Prom Expo Center on Smith Ave. in St. Paul, and became involved in the catering aspects of local and national PGA tournaments. As the business grew, they expanded into a new 40,000-square-foot facility in Oakdale.

Today, Prom Management Group caters to over 30 golf tournaments nationwide, including: PGA TOUR, Champion’s Tour, USGA National Championships, the LPGA Tour, the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, THE PLAYERS, The Presidents Cup and the 3M Championship- TPC of the Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn.

“We took over Theodore Wirth in Minneapolis and Columbia in Minneapolis seven years ago, and have doubled the food and beverage revenues in that time,” noted Bill. “We have expanded food options, specials, beverage options, as well as service and catered offerings that the patrons never had previous to our arrival.  

“Many years ago, we did the same at Keller Golf course, and we have been very successful at that venue for 28 years.”

A NEW BUSINESS VENTURE

Como will represent a new business venture for Prom, as it will be the first time they have managed tasks outside food and special events, but the Givens are looking forward to the prospect.

“This is a natural expansion of our golf interests, and a platform that we believe will have many more opportunities,” said Bill. “We believe we can deliver a better customer service experience for our patrons, expand menu and food and beverage options, and still produce a profit. I am most excited about the structure and development of this new business segment.”

 AGREEMENT HELPED CITY KEEP AAA RATING

Prom will assume total financial responsibility for losses or gains at the golf courses. Prom will pay the city 4% of gross revenues from both courses, with a minimum guaranteed amount of $65,000 (regardless of performance). The city’s total annual payment will increase from the minimum annual guarantee if gross revenues totaled more than $875,000 at Phalen, and/or $750,000 at Como, in a season.

Prom will be required to provide the city with monthly financial performance statements and an annual financial report.

While Prom will set the rates at the golf courses, the city will have final approval.

Prom may use the current city-owned turf maintenance equipment and furniture, fixtures and equipment at each course, but will be responsible for repairing and maintaining it.

The city will contribute $30,000 per course each year for capital improvements. Meanwhile, Prom will spend $10,000 per course for the first three years, and $20,000 per course for the remaining two years.

The city will continue to operate the ski program at Como and the cross-country grooming at Phalen during the winter.

About 20 full-time unionized public employees who work at the Phalen and Como courses will be affected by this agreement. Most will be reassigned to work at the Highland courses filling positions previously being held by temporary/seasonal/out of title workers. The staff that are impacted have been officially notified of any changes to their existing positions, and only a few will not have a position, pointed out Brad Meyer of the Parks and Recreation Department. Some opted to retire. The city will eliminate all operating liability, and after all expenses are factored in, the net benefit of the agreement will be in the range of $400k annually.

The city’s golf deficit grew to more than $7 million in 2013. According to parks and recreation staff, getting this draft agreement in place and eliminating the operating liability at Como and Phalen were essential to maintaining the city’s AAA credit rating.

“So this agreement with Prom that eliminates losses and allows the courses to stay open with enhanced food and beverage options is the best case scenario in this situation,” said Meyer.

PLANS FOR CHANGE

The Givens believe they can do a better job than the city at running the golf courses, in part because they will be able to promote more events (such as weddings, golf tournaments, etc..), and drive revenues in a way that a city can’t.

Prom plans to get liquor licenses in order to give patrons more choices and keep the golfer after their rounds.

“We also plan to offer some new pricing options to try to fill open tee times,” said Bill.

The Givens expect challenges. “Both courses will always be challenged with weather – it’s obviously one thing we cannot control,” said Bill. 

Additionally, the clubhouse configuration and space at Como is not ideal for promoting any catering or even expanding food and beverage service.  However, the Givens intend to add outside seating and furniture that is rain resistant, and improve options on the beverage carts to counteract these negatives. 

Because Como does not have a driving range, the Givens know that expanding golf to the public and trying to gain new golfers will be difficult.

“As you know, the golf population has been shrinking over the past 10 years.  We are going to try to make the experience easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable,” said Given.

This story was printed in the February 2014 edition of the St. Paul Monitor.

Affordable family fun at Como

One spot has it all: pool, zoo, amusement rides, and conservatory

by Tesha M. Christensen

Kids and water go together like peanut butter and jelly. If your kids are anything like mine, they spend the summer asking for pool days.

Give them their wish without stretching your budget.

An affordable afternoon is as close as Como Regional Pool Park. There’s no need to drive out to the suburbs anymore. My family of four bought a family pass of $16 for the day. Those with more than five in the family pay an additional $3 for each person.

Got a smaller group? The fee for children under 48 inches is $4.50, and those under age 16 is $5. Adults are $6.50 and seniors cost $6. If you don’t want to get wet, pay $2 for a non-swimming deck fee. Those coming with more than 10 people qualify for reduced group rates.

You may want to check out the family season pass. For $195, your family can swim whenever they want at any of the city’s three water parks: Como Regional Pool Park, Highland Aquatic Center and the indoor Great River Water Park.

Open since June 2012, the city-run Como Pool has something for everyone.

The younger kids will love the zero-depth entry area with sprinklers, and the water fun table situated under a shade canopy. There are three waterslides kids of all ages can enjoy that empty into a two-foot-deep area. The wide slide was a big hit with my four-year-old daughter. It’s not easy to find waterslides she go on, let alone a slide she can ride with a parent.

Older kids (and parents) will love the zip line, cliff jumping area, and aquatic climbing wall.

There’s also a 25-yard lap pool with basketball hoops, and a 400-foot lazy river.

Plus, you can feel good about swimming in a pool that has half the chlorine of others, thanks to sphagnum moss filters.  St. Paul was the first city in the nation to adopt sphagnum moss treatment in its municipal pools and with its partner, Creative Water Solutions, Inc., won the Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention in 2011. Other green features at the one-year-old water park include high-efficiency Neptune-Benson filters in the mechanical room that allow the pool to use less water than conventional filters; 12 solar tubes on the roof heat that water for the showers and concession stand; and rain gardens in the parking lot that reduce run-off.

Open swim hours at Como are weekdays from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Learn more about the pool at the St. Paul City web site http://www.stpaul.gov.

LOTS MORE TO DO

When the kids are done swimming, check out the many other attractions that are just a hop, skip and a jump away. (Browse http://www.comozooconservatory.org/) If you’re like us, you might not have time to see everything in one day, but we’ll be back.

THE CAROUSEL

For just $2 a person, you can take a spin on Cafesjian’s Carousel. Originally located for 75 years at the Minnesota State Fair, it is now owned and operated by the nonprofit organization Our Fair Carousel, Inc. Volunteers have restored the carousel to its 1914 appearance. It was installed in a new pavilion next to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in 2000.

THE ZOO

Como Zoo’s gorillas got a new home in June 2013 when the Gorilla Forest opened. The larger space of 10,000 square feet is about two and half times larger the former outdoor space. The new exhibit is raised so that visitors get an eye-to-eye, up close and personal views of the gorillas.

Admission to the zoo is always free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer.

Como Zoo features a seal island, a large cat exhibit, a variety of aquatic life, primates, birds, African hoofed animals and a world class polar bear exhibit. Don’t miss the ever popular Sparky the Sea Lion’s show, held weekend days at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

COMO TOWN

Soar like an eagle 85 feet in the air on Como Town’s newest attraction, an exhilarating zip line. A double seat comfortably and safely accommodates two riders from one end of the amusement park to the other. There are more than 18 rides and attractions in Como Town, including the Splash Zone. In addition to the paid rides, there are free entertainment, events, and activities for the kids. After 4 p.m., an unlimited ride wristband is $14.95.

THE CONSERVATORY

Don’t forget to bring mom to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory before your day is over. The conservatory’s half acre indoor and outdoor facility features several wings dedicated to a variety of plant life including bonsai trees, ferns, orchids and seasonal flowers.