Solar panels supplying 10.9% of energy used at Nokomis Beach

Installation funded by Xcel Energy, part of public/private partnership to add solar projects to five Minneapolis parks

Story and photo by TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
The new solar power installation at Nokomis Beach is up and running, and will soon supply an estimated 10.9% of total annual energy consumed at the beach. Plus, it created more shade.
An 18-panel array was mounted atop a large shade structure near Sandcastle restaurant (photo right). Sandcastle remained open during the construction, which began this spring and ended in August. The panels were connected to Xcel’s equipment and began generating electricity for Lake Nokomis Park on Aug. 17.
First solar installation paid for by Xcel grant
The 7.4kW solar installation is estimated to provide 9,578-10,321 kWh per year.
The Titan 410W Mono PV Modules with reflectors were manufactured by TenKsolar in Bloomington. Installation was done by Sundial Solar and Merit Electric under the direction of Graybar Electric.
The construction cost (not including design and other related design and administration costs) was approximately $180,000.
“The project is the result of a great partnership,” said Benjamin Johnson of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB). “It was primarily funded by Xcel Energy’s Renewable Development Fund, but the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has also provided $150,000 in funding as a match to the RDF grant.”
MPRB applied for an Xcel Energy Renewable Development Fund grant in 2013, and learned in 2014 that it was among 20 out of 67 applicants to receive funding.
The $969,741 grant helped fund five projects. The largest, at Parade Ice Garden, has 374 solar panels in 21 sections, which generates roughly 15% of the building’s annual electrical consumption. Each solar panel is paired with a reflector panel to maximize energy density.
“It’s great to partner with the Minneapolis Park Board on their energy efficiency work and their first-ever solar installation at Parade Ice Garden,” said Lee Gabler, Xcel Energy Senior Director of Customer Strategy and Solutions. “This solar array is another example of public and private partners, working together, to promote renewable energy use.”
“Renewable energy infrastructure helps to reduce the parks’ carbon footprint, and with the significant costs associated with implementation, I am thankful that we received such a generous grant from Xcel Energy to build out some sites within the system,” stated District 5 Parks Commissioner Steffanie Musich.
Nokomis site one of five
Solar panels have also been installed at Webber Natural Swimming Pool (on pump house roof); East Phillips Community and Cultural Center (roof); and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (roof of the multipurpose room).
Project locations were selected based on solar orientation (to maximize sunlight exposure), public visibility and distribution across the Minneapolis park system, according to Johnson. Roof capacity and roof longevity were major factors in determining the location for the major installation at Parade Ice Garden.
The original plan to install solar panels at the Lake Calhoun Refectory (Tin Fish) was scraped because the building needed extensive structural modifications to support a solar system. The new Northeast Athletic Field Recreation Center is expected to receive a small roof-mounted solar system in 2018, but it will not be funded by Xcel RDF grant due to timing and funding constraints.
Annually, the combined projects produce roughly 280,000 kilowatt hours, offset 400,000 pounds of carbon, and reduce MPRB electricity bills by roughly $28,000.
The projects also include interpretive and educational programming opportunities about sustainable solar energy for both children and adults in Minneapolis parks.
A mounted educational sign will be installed onsite at Lake Nokomis this fall. The sign will provide information about solar energy and specifics about the Nokomis solar installation. Also, small signs containing a QR code that can be scanned to view a video about the projects will be installed on nearby picnic tables.
“Providing demonstration projects using solar energy makes solar production visible to the community. This supports a culture around promoting renewable energy and sustainability,” remarked Johnson.
Solar benefits
These solar projects not only benefit park users but city residents in general.
“Each solar installation reduces our carbon footprint. Our carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuel,” pointed out Johnson. “When we reduce our carbon footprint, it reduces the amount of natural resources we consume.”
Solar power reduces the need to expand the electrical grid, which saves everyone costs on utility bills, as well as natural resources needed for expanding the electrical grid for increased demand.
Solar energy is a ‘clean’ energy source in comparison to other types of energy generation. Photovoltaic solar power makes no noise, creates no emissions, has no moving parts, uses no water or other fuels and requires very little maintenance.
Using solar energy not only saves on electrical costs in the short term but may also be a good long-term investment. Energy prices are rising while the cost of a solar installation is dropping.
This project supports local solar production.
All of the solar installations used solar modules that were reviewed by the Department of Commerce and designated as Made In Minnesota.

Article appeared in the September 2016 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Golfers rally to save the Hiawatha Golf Course

Photo above: A group of about 100 Hiawatha Golf Course supporters gathered on Tues., Aug. 15, in response to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board decision on Aug. 9 to shut down the course. They encourage residents to browse their site, SaveHiawatha18.com for more information and to get involved in saving the course. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Following Park Board decision to close course, supporters come together to push back

Article and photos by TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
“We don’t want a beautiful recreational asset turned into a stormwater pond,” Jerry Mullin told a group of about 100 Hiawatha Golf Course supporters on Tues., Aug. 15.
Mullin, an environmental consultant who used to work for Baar Engineering, has lived across the street from the golf course for 20 years. He and other speakers at a rally in support of Hiawatha Golf Course charged that the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board process hasn’t been fair since the beginning, and they want to have more of a say in what happens at the course.
Photo right: Jerry Mullin, and other speakers at a rally in support of Hiawatha Golf Course, charged that the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board process hasn’t been fair since the beginning, and they want to have more of a say in what happens at the course.

Following a flood in 2014, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) learned that the course is pumping far more water off the property than allowed by a Department of Natural Resources permit. The park board began holding meetings in 2015 to update residents on what was happening at the course and to begin envisioning what else the land could be used for if it wasn’t a golf course.
On Aug. 9, the park board approved reducing the pumping from 242 million gallons to 94 million gallons by a 6-3 vote. The course is expected to remain open through the 2019 season.
Supporters push for advocacy
Kathryn Kelly grew up near the golf course, and her mom still resides in the neighborhood. “I believe if they flood this golf course all the houses down there are at risk for flooding,” said Kelly, who was at home during the 1987 flood when the water came up to Longfellow Ave.
Kelly also played golf at Hiawatha as a teenager when she was a member of the Roosevelt High School team. “I think it should stay,” she stated. Kelly doesn’t support the park board idea of putting in parking lots and a pavilion. “I don’t understand how you can build a pavilion on a swamp,” Kelly commented.
Mayoral candidate Nekima Levy-Pound (photo right) told the crowd she believes this situation is another example of the Park Board not listening to the people. “Unfortunately, they have too much unchecked power,” Levy-Pound said. “The November elections are coming up, and they’re very important because we have the chance to change park board leaders.”
Levy-Pound said that she didn’t understand how the park board is moving ahead with closing the course before it has a solid plan for redevelopment or the funds to pay for it.
Levy-Pound questioned, “How can golf be a dying sport at Hiawatha Golf Course if this course is used by so many?” She pointed to the youth that use the course, as well as all the people who showed up for the rally.
“I believe that because of the power of your advocacy, it will remain open,” Levy-Pound said.
Several other candidates for office within the city spoke to the crowd, including Charlie Casserly, at-large park board candidate; Bob Fine, who is running for the District 6 Park Board seat in the southwest section of the city; Bill Shroyer, District 5 Park Board candidate; and Andrea Fahrenkrug, District 5 Park Board candidate.
Shroyer is a 17-year Park Board employee in the forestry and maintenance department. “They’re going to dredge the Mississippi, and they can’t dredge this lake?” he asked.
Shroyer thinks the user numbers generated for the site if it were redeveloped are fake. “I know the food forest isn’t going to bring half a million people here,” said Shroyer. “This is a success, and we’re not going to give it up.”
Andrea Fahrenkrug’s husband grew up playing the course at Hiawatha. She understands that some people don’t like to play golf and don’t use the course. “That’s fine,” she said. “You don’t have to want a golf course. We want a golf course.” She believes that diversity in the activities offered within the park system is important.
Bobbie Warfield (photo left) agreed. “There are 6,800 acres of park land in Minneapolis,” he pointed out. “What are we going to get by having another restaurant in Minneapolis? But this is the only golf course in south Minneapolis.”
Course supporters encouraged people to browse SaveHiawatha18.com for more information on how to get involved in saving the golf course.
MPRB’S next steps
Earlier in August, the MPRB directed staff to organize a process of amending the Nokomis Hiawatha Regional Park Master Plan to accommodate changes to the Hiawatha Golf Course property following the decision to reduce pumping there.
MPRB will be forming a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to determine if some form of traditional golf can remain on the property.
The process to determine the future usage of the course is estimated to take between nine and 12 months, according to a press release. The process to prepare plans and obtain permits will take another 12 months or more. During that time, MPRB will work with the DNR to continue current pumping levels so that Hiawatha Golf Course will remain open as an 18-hole golf course until at least the end of 2019.

Nokomis playground re-opens

Officials and community members including Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Commissioner Steffanie Musich and Nokomis East Neighborhood Association Board President Mike Ferrin, officially cut the ribbon to open the updated Nokomis Community Center playground on Friday, July 28, 2017. The $300,000 cost of the improvements came from 2015 CIP net debt bonds.  Work started in May, and included “logs” for balancing on and “wood” stepping stones made from recycled plastic materials, “tree” poles for climbing, and raised hills. There’s a “birds nest” to play in on one of the three-to-four-foot high raised hills, and a taller structure on another. There will be one tall slide and two smaller ones, a climber, diggers, swings and Willow Thicket. Planners tied the existing disconnected play structures into a single playground through the use of a long concrete border (that doubles as a balance beam for children) and a single container filled with an ADA-compliant surface. Bollards around the playground area had yet to be placed as of the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The project has experienced some delays due to weather.

Avery Asante, 5, of Bloomington tries out the new swing after hopping from log to log in another section of the playground. “We love it,” said his father, Andrew Asante. “It’s nice to go to different parks.” To get a feel for how residents used the old equipment, playground designer Chris Desroches observed it in person and then factored in resident comments before fashioning the new design. Comments were solicited last year three open houses and the Monarch Festival.

“The park board has made significant investments in our neighborhood, and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Nokomis East Neighborhood Association Board President Mike Ferrin, referring to the new playground at Nokomis Community Center and the updates at Bossen field.

Four-year-old Faye Saybolt goes down the big slide at the Nokomis Community Center playground, a feature that residents recall having been there in the past and asked for again, according to project manager Beth Pfeifer. “It’s amazing,” said Faye’s mother, Jennifer Saybolt, who lives near the lake.

Max Kyle, age 3.5, of Ericsson, climbs on the raised hills that play off the nature area nearby but don’t replicate it. Kyle attends the preschool program at the Nokomis Community Center and will be seeing a lot of this playground, according to his father, Collin Lyle. “It’s nice that they updated it,” said Lyle. A surprise for the kids includes the old dolphin with teeth and a bowler hat buried in the sand so that children can dig it up. Planners think this lends towards the desire by community residents to keep pieces that inspire creativity.

When it was possible, old pieces such as the pull-up bars and metal arch were re-used. They will also be repainted to match the new items at the playground. The Willow Thicket that has been at the Rose Garden temporarily has found a permanent home at the Nokomis playground. 

Parks Commissioner Steffanie Musich is most excited by the natural play area to the south of the new playground equipment. It is the first like it in Minneapolis and will provide an example of how to do this elsewhere. “So many kids in an urban environment don’t have the opportunity to get comfortable with nature in a tactile way.” (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Photos by Tesha M. Christensen

Appeared in the September 2017 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger

Athletic fields designed near Nokomis, urban ag proposed near Hiawatha

Open house held as changes require modification of Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park by park board

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
With the focus of nearby Bossen Park on softball, some residents feel that leaves room for other sports such as Australian Football and soccer at Nokomis Park.
The current project at Bossen is placing four premier baseball/softball fields in a pinwheel formation looking out, with another two fields on the south side and two large open field areas on the north.
Photo left: Concept A is one of two concepts MPRB asked the public for input on. (Illustration provided)
When the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park master plan was approved in March 2015, it didn’t include a specific layout for the athletic fields, in part because planners knew that the Bossen Field project was about to get underway, pointed out MPRB Director of Strategic Planning Adam Arvidson.
When the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park master plan was approved in March 2015, it didn’t include a specific layout for the athletic fields, in part because planners knew that the Bossen Field project was about to get underway, pointed out MPRB Director of Strategic Planning Adam Arvidson.
However, the fields at Nokomis are currently in very poor condition, and MPRB held an open house on May 25 to ask for community input on the athletic fields as it prepares to fix them.
The two proposed plans for Nokomis aim to preserve large open spaces for a variety of sports, remarked Arvidson.
Concept A includes seven adult-size softball fields of which two are in the far south of the parcel, three high-school-sized soccer fields, and an Australian football field in the center.
Concept B configures the fields differently and has six softball fields, three soccer fields and an Australian football field in the center. Both include a 60-space parking area and trail cutting across the center of the area.
Citizens asked if there could be a storage shed for groups that play there, as well as a place for bathrooms and drinking fountains. Others asked for lighting on the fields. Additional input was taken through an online survey that was open through June 23.
Football players hope to use the fields more
Photo right: A group of Minnesota Freeze Australian Football, Gaelic football, and hurling players attended the open house on May 25 to learn about the two proposals. The men’s Minnesota Freeze teams currently hold its Wednesday night weekly practices and Saturday morning games at Lake Nokomis, and the women’s team would like to be there, as well. (Photo submitted by Minnesota Freeze)
“It would be great to have the men’s and women’s teams practice together,” noted Freeze Captain Andrew Werner, a Nokomis resident, but it is difficult to do now because of how the fields are arranged. “The sport is community-based,” he observed. “A lot of families come out and watch, too.” Plus, they’d like to see the club grow.
“It would be great to have the men’s and women’s teams practice together,” noted Freeze Captain Andrew Werner, a Nokomis resident, but it is difficult to do now because of how the fields are arranged. “The sport is community-based,” he observed. “A lot of families come out and watch, too.” Plus, they’d like to see the club grow.
The groups need fields that are larger than soccer fields, such as two soccer fields side-by-side, to play a game. The Gaelic team can’t use the fields as they are now due to the number of potholes, unlevel surfaces, and gopher holes.
Urban ag area at Hiawatha
Another change being considered to the master plan was driven by a community desire to be able to harvest fruit in the park, explained Arvidson.
The current plan calls for naturalizing the landscape along the east side of Lake Hiawatha and eliminating much of the grassy lawn. The proposed change would replace the naturalized landscape with an urban agriculture area that would include foraging in a woodland environment.
If this is approved, citizens would still be prohibited from harvesting at the site until the park board changes its anti-foraging ordinance, which was recommended in the Urban Agriculture Plan approved in 2014. The park board is currently working on modifying the Vegetation Molestation Ordinance to allow for harvesting within designated areas, according to Arvidson.
Photo right: Minnesota Freeze men’s team captain Andrew Werner discusses athletic field configurations with fellow football and hurling players during an open house on Thursday, May 25, 2017. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
In the future, the MPRB intends to include a list online with an interactive map showing people where they can harvest food.
Some residents are also pushing MPRB to create a food forest at the Hiawatha Golf Course site, which would not be mutually exclusive from an urban agricultural area on the east side of Lake Hiawatha, said Arvidson. The golf course property is not included within the Nokomis-Hiawatha Master Plan.
Funding tricky
The financing of the fields will be tricky, as regional park dollars can’t be spent on athletic fields, which are considered as neighborhood park amenities, explained Arvidson. Regional park systems tend to be nature-based recreational systems. Neighborhood parks, in contrast, can’t get state or regional funding or access Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment funds.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis seeks to avoid using neighborhood tax dollars for capital improvements in the 19 regional park facilities within the city.
Photo left: Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board employee Siciid Ali (left) discusses possible changes to the Nokomis-Hiawatha Master Plan with Nokomis resident Alan Schneider, who has helped with the Naturescape Gardens over the years. He is concerned that park staff is mowing too much of the natural gardens near the trails. He also hopes that planners continue to leave space for pick-up soccer games in the park. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
Arvidson observed that 47 million people a year use the metro-area regional parks, while 10 million visit state parks. The second most popular regional park in Minnesota is the Chain of Lakes Park in Minneapolis with 5.5 million visitors each year.
“Four of the top five most visited parks in the regional park system are in Minneapolis,” said Arvidson. He’s frustrated that the state legislature has excluded these popular areas from bonding bills.
MPRB will likely consider the changes to the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park plan and public comments at its July 19 meeting, which will begin at 5pm at 2117 W. River Rd. N.

MPRB presents five scenarios for Hiawatha Golf Course

Five scenarios being studied for Hiawatha Golf Course:
• Alternative 1 – Existing Conditions: 18 hole golf course, current pumping; affects one house
• Alternative 2 – No groundwater pumping, berm in-place; other park use, pumping to manage stormwater only; affects 9-14 houses
• Alternative 3 – Reduced pumping, berm in-place; other park use, reduced pumping to protect basements and manage stormwater; affects 0-4 houses
• Alternative 4 – Reduced pumping, gravity-connection; other park use, reduced pumping to protect basements, gravity connection to Lake Hiawatha (no stormwater pumping required); affects 0-4 houses
• Alternative 5 – Reduced pumping, gravity-connection, open channel and creek realignment; other park use, reduced pumping to protect basements, gravity connection to Lake Hiawatha (no stormwater pumping required), development of the open channel and realignment of Minnehaha Creek; affects 0-4 houses

Only one of five would keep 18-hole golf course while rest are a mix of pumping and park-use options

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Of the five scenarios being evaluated for the Hiawatha Golf Course, only one would leave the golf course open. The other four would reduce the amount of pumping or not pump water off the land at all, and the site would be set aside for other park uses.
Currently, the golf course is open because 308 million gallons of water are being pumped into the lake and then seeped back onto the course in a repeating pattern.
No pumping would not only close the golf course but also potentially flood the basements of between 9-14 nearby homes. Reduced pumping options would affect up to 4 homes. (See at top of page for detailed information on scenarios.)
The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB) intends to select a preferred scenario to pursue by July.
At an Apr. 20 community meeting, residents viewed diagrams which illustrated the spaces created by the varying levels of groundwater pumping, and how these layouts may affect certain uses within the park in the future. The majority of this meeting focused on developing ideas for potential uses within the park. (Check the June Messenger for an article on the April meeting, which just missed our publication deadline.)
Photo left: At a Mar. 20 community meeting, attendees were asked to share their opinion on how the golf course land should be used moving forward by placing stickers on a diamond configuration. The graphic measures how many people support active versus passive use at the golf course property and nature-inspired design versus natural systems. (Photo submitted by MPRB)
\One scenario stops trash from ‘choking lake’
Only one of the proposed scenarios would effectively stop trash from “choking the lake,” according to Standish-Ericsson resident Sean Connaughty, who has removed 3,400 pounds of trash from Lake Hiawatha in the last year.
He pointed out that despite his efforts and those of other volunteers, trash remains in the lake and on its shores. “It comes from our streets,” he said.
While 90 participants have adopted 170 drains in the Lake Hiawatha watershed, Connaughty is pushing the city and MPRB to change how the storm sewer drains discharge directly into Lake Hiawatha.
“The most effective way to stop the trash and pollutants from reaching the lake is to create a catchment pond or ‘open channel’ in the line of the big north storm sewer pipe,” Connaughty said.
The big north pipe that currently runs into the lake would be diverted into an open water area outside the lake where trash and pollutants could be isolated and removed before they reach the lake. “I imagine the catchment pond or open channel would be surrounded by wetland that could help absorb and consume other pollutants before they reach the lake,” explained Connaughty.
MPRB is also considering a ‘gravity connection,’ so rather than pumping stormwater it would be allowed to flow naturally with gravity to the lake through wetlands.
“In this time of disappearing protections for our waters, something great could happen right here that would mean dramatic improvement for water quality and habitat preservation. But they (Parks) need to know this is what we want,” Connaughty said.
Moving forward
As the MPRB moves forward, it will factor in social, environmental and economic considerations to chart the future course of the site. Staff is working to identify ecological impacts, recreational impacts, economic impacts, and transportation/traffic impacts, as well as environmental regulations. Plus a review of cultural resources is being completed.
Next, Use Envision™ will be used to generate a sustainability score rating for each alternative considering, e.g., energy consumed and carbon dioxide produced, impacts on community health, and well-being
AutoCASE will help quantify costs and benefits of areas such as water quality, flood risks, recreational value, healthy and safety, and air quality.
As pumping alternatives are evaluated, the impacts to water quality and opportunities to reduce trash in stormwater are also being considered.
Resident opinions
Residents have a variety of opinions on the golf course property, and some wrote their thoughts down for the Park Board following the Mar. 20 community meeting.
One commenter pointed out that there are plenty of passive use and natural areas in South Minneapolis for residents to enjoy, including the Minnehaha Falls area. “Hiawatha Golf Course is the only one set in the heart of the city, and it is a gem,” the commenter wrote, adding that “golf is communing with nature while being a fun activity.”
Some residents continue to push for pesticide and chemical testing at the course arguing that the samples taken once in January of 2016 could not provide a full picture of what’s happening there.
Roxanne Stuhr of Friends of Lake Hiawatha asked that multiple sites be tested at multiple times of the year, not just when the ground is frozen.
“Identifying the chemicals and sharing them publicly will help to determine future uses,” Stuhr said.
Another commenter asked that alternatives to chemical herbicides and pesticides be used at the site, and that buffer zones be created for the bodies of water there. “Please create an effective mitigation system to capture and divert trash and pollutants to keep them out of the lake,” wrote the resident, who also pushed for a land use that would limit foot traffic and protect habitat and ecosystems.
“As a Minneapolis residents, I am interested in seeing progressive alternatives to maintaining park lands,” said Anna Seewald. “If supporting a golf course is unsustainable in light of the current environmental conditions then I feel that it’s time to move away from that and to use the land in a way that makes sense for the community while considering a sustainable way to maintain the land.”
Seewald supports the idea of a food forest and light recreation on the property. “However, I do not support the current amount of pumping to maintain the golf course.”
MPRB considers food forest
Earlier in March, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) sent out a press release stressing that Food Forest concept is a proposed idea from an organized group of residents, and is separate from the approved Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park Master Plan.
“Urban agriculture was not identified as a priority during the recently completed year-and-a-half master planning process for the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park, and the final, approved plan did not include any agricultural zones within the Hiawatha Park,” pointed out MPRB representatives. “The prevailing sentiment among the Community Advisory Committee and public commentary was that the park should have more naturalization and habitat for wildlife.
“Hiawatha Park could be a place for a planned orchard and urban agriculture zone, but it would be disrespectful to all the people who worked on the current master plan to move forward with an amendment without additional engagement. It would also be out of line with MPRB’s dedication to broad and meaningful community engagement.”
MPRB is currently considering two amendments to the Nokomis-Hiawatha Regional Park Master Plan:
1) Consideration on of a recommended design concept for the Nokomis Athletic field
2) The inclusion of a designated urban agriculture area along the east side of Lake Hiawatha
These items will be discussed during an open house on Thur., May 25. See the MPRB project page for more details as they are available.

Article appeared in the April 2017 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

What would happen to Lake Hiawatha if dams in creek were removed?

Park Board, City enter phase two of investigation and hope to find preferred solution to water issues at golf course

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
If the level of Lake Hiawatha were lowered, would that keep the golf course playable and stop water from entering nearby basements?
Perhaps.
While dredging the lake wouldn’t help lower the level of the lake, planners are studying what would happen if the existing weirs at 28th St. and Hiawatha Ave. were lowered and the creek dredged between the two. (A weir is a low dam built across a river or stream to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow.) The outlet of the lake would also need to be modified.
A plus side to a lower lake is that it would offer more flood storage in the area. When there is a large storm and the area around Lake Hiawatha floods, that’s flood storage, pointed out a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board FAQ on the issue. The bigger the area, the more flood storage there is. A lower lake level would not only provide more flood storage but also might lower flood elevations. The exact impact is not yet known because it hasn’t been studied.
Recently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) adjusted its 100-year flood zone maps, affecting some properties in South Minneapolis. Nearly the entire golf course itself is within the FEMA 100-year floodplain. The level of the golf course could be raised by filling in the low areas.
Photo right: The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and city of Minneapolis are working closely on a solution to the water issues around Lake Hiawatha and the golf course. Park Commissioner Steffanie Musich (at left), Minneapolis Director of Surface Water and Sewers Katrina Kessler, and MPRB Assistant Superintendent of Planning Michael Schroeder answered questions together at the public meeting on Tues., Nov. 29, 2016. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
While that might reduce the need for pumping groundwater, it would also reduce the flood storage, which increases the chances of roads, buildings and houses flooding.
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Assistant Superintendent of Planning Michael Schroeder stressed that neither the park board nor the city have the authority to make any alterations to Lake Hiawatha or Minnehaha Creek. Permits and approvals would be needed from regulatory agencies that include the Department of Natural Resources, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, FEMA, and the Army Corp of Engineers.
“This is a big problem, and this will take a big solution,” said Schroeder during a public meeting on Nov. 29.
Phase one: water being pumped in a big circle
During the first investigative phase, planners gathered data to understand the scope of the problem.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has been evaluating what to do at the golf course since the large amount of pumping was discovered last fall while planners were working to restore the golf course with $100 million from FEMA.
Photo left: Jeanne LaBore lives near the golf course. She commented that the planning so far seems predicated on the notion that a golf course will be maintained. She questioned the cost of that and suggested that remediation for the homes, such as the installation of sump pumps, might be cheaper. “What’s the best use of that land?” LaBore asked. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The volume of water being pumped from Hiawatha Golf Course is far greater than allowed by a permit issued by the DNR in 1993 for 36.5 million gallons.
The golf course is currently pumping 263 million gallons of groundwater annually, the amount of water used by a small town in a year, said Schroeder.
Of that, 105 million gallons a year are being pumped in a little circle, seeping from the ponds into Lake Hiawatha and back into the ponds. Of the rest, 17 percent is stormwater run-off, and 50 percent is shallow groundwater. Tests determining this were done from Dec. 31, 2015, to Jan. 4, 2016.
If pumping were to stop, most of the course would be underwater, and it would be shut down.
Planners also realized that turning off the pumps might flood 9-18 homes nearby in the area of 19th Ave. and 44th St. They began meeting with homeowners in June to better understand how deep their basements are and the water issues they face. They also question whether homes farther upstream might also be affected.
Analysts estimate that some nearby basements are at an elevation of 811.3, which falls below the 812 elevation of the lake. The street is at an elevation of 816.3, while the ponds are at 808.6.
Illustration left: This graph shows the elevations of the land and water of Lake Hiawatha. The dark blue shows existing open water, while the light blue shows the area that falls below the 812.8 elevation of the lake, and would be under water if the pumping were to stop altogether. The white area shows the portion of the golf course that is at 813.8. (Photo submitted)
The elevation of nearby Lake Nokomis, which is separated from the creek, is 816. Planners acknowledge that anything done at Lake Hiawatha will affect Lake Nokomis, and plan to take that into account, as well.
Phase two: what’s next
MPRB is now ready to move on to phase two and pinpoint the best answer for the long-term future of the park land.
“We’re going to move through this process deliberately,” promised Schroeder.
He did stress that the property would remain parkland even if the golf course goes away.
MPRB is working closely with the city. “We know that the park board can’t solve this on our own. We’re going to find a solution together,” said Schroeder.
The solution will not just deal with the golf course, but also the trash flow and ecology of the creek.
“This is a very broad and complex issue, and we want to find a good answer to it,” said Schroeder.
Investigations will evaluate what will happen if the park board continues pumping, reduces pumping, or stops pumping.
“If we’re going to do this for another 100 years, we want someone to say it is good for 100 years,” said Schroeder.
Della Young of Young Environmental Consulting Group has been hired to provide expertise, and another technical consultant is expected to be hired.
A preferred scenario with a clear direction forward and costs will be identified by July 2017.
Jeanne LaBore lives near the golf course. She commented that the planning so far seems predicated on the notion that a golf course will be maintained. She questioned the cost of that and suggested that remediation for the homes, such as the installation of sump pumps, might be cheaper.
“What’s the best use of that land?” LaBore asked.
“We think it’s really important that before you get to that preferred concept, you address the ethics of trying to keep a wetland a golf course,” said resident Connie Peppin.
According to Schroeder, the next community meeting will be in March in order to get more input from residents.
How will the trash issue be solved?
The trash that flows directly into the lake without a filter from a stormwater pipe on the northwest side continues to remain an issue for residents. One attendee encouraged the city to put the stormwater somewhere else, not in the lake.
There are only so many options for stormwater, pointed out Minneapolis Director of Surface Water and Sewers Katrina Kessler. There are hundreds of storm drains in the city. “Ultimately, we are responsible to what is flowing off our properties,” she said. She urged residents to consider other alternatives to salt sidewalks this winter to keep that from entering the watershed.
Roxanne Stuhr remarked that much of the trash pulled out of Lake Hiawatha by volunteers has been styrofoam, and she suggested that the city ban these types of containers.
Another resident suggested that the city begin sweeping streets more frequently. Kessler responded,
“We are looking at that.” The parkways adjacent to lakes and creeks are already swept on a bi-weekly basis in the summer.
“This is a problem that takes many hands to solve,” said Kessler, who pointed out that they’re trying to attack it from multiple facets.
The Friends of Lake Hiawatha are encouraging residents to take part in the city’s Adopt-A-Drain program to keep trash from entering the lake. Volunteers commit to clearing leaves and trash from a drain regularly.
The city piloted a floating curtain in an attempt to catch trash entering the lake from the large storm drain last summer. The curtain netted only four pounds of trash. Compare that to the 2,400 pounds kept out of the city’s drains through the Adopt-A-Drain program, said Kessler.
Seventy residents have adopted over 120 drains in the Standish Erickson neighborhood, with 29 of those draining to Lake Hiawatha.

Article appeared in the December 2016 Longfellow Nokomis Messenger.

View Lake Hiawatha garbage during art exhibit at The Sandbox

by Tesha M. Christensen

 As a child, Sean Connaughty watched the destruction of habitat in his hometown of Eden Prairie, and he felt helpless to stop it.

“This sense of loss has informed my work as an artist throughout my career,” remarked Connaughty, who resides in the Standish-Ericcson neighborhood and teaches art at the University of Minnesota.

Today, he’s working to improve the water quality of not only his neighborhood lake, Lake Hiawatha, but also the entire system further downstream.

Connaughty knows that change will only occur if he can inspire others to join the cause.

As part of his campaign to clean Lake Hiawatha, he is working with colleagues Annette Walby, Craig Johnson and others to create an art exhibition in the neighborhood.

The exhibition will be an archaeological survey of Lake Hiawatha.

Connaughty has worked with archaeologist Carol Nordstrom to sort and quantify six of the 62 bags of trash that he has collected since May.

“This is yielding fascinating results and will hopefully educate viewers about the problem and mobilize the community to advocate for changes in Hiawatha’s storm sewer infrastructure,” said Connaughty.

“The exhibition exposes the astonishing range of discarded materials that make their way to the lake.”

A reception for “Lake Hiawatha” (anthropocenic midden survey) will be held on Sept. 11 from 5-9 p.m. at the Sandbox Theatre (3109 E 42nd St.).

“I love this lake and the incredible variety of wildlife that live there and use the lake as a migratory stop,” explained Connaughty. “Continually increasing amounts of trash and pollution threaten this habitat, and its resident wildlife.”

When Longfellow resident Annette Walby learned about what Connaughty was doing, she wanted to help.

“This is a problem that affects the health of our community, as well as the wildlife that uses the lake as habitat,” said Walby, who is an artist and landscape architect. “The watershed area that includes Lake Hiawatha is vitally important to water quality in the city of Minneapolis including what, in the big picture, is downstream: the Mississippi River and beyond.

“Our communities need to know how our actions determine not just our communities’ health but, the health of our neighbors.”

For fellow collaborator Craig Johnson a sign of a community’s health is tied to the health of their environment.

“You can’t separate the two if you tried,” said Johnson, a sustainability designer with Agency F Design. “In a larger sense, what we do in Minnesota—at least at this latitude—affects communities down stream all the way to New Orleans. Lake Hiawatha empties into Minnehaha Creek and eventually into the Mississippi.”

As a whitewater kayaker, Johnson has become sick from contamination in Minnesota rivers.

“I know that the quality of our water affects us in many ways,” said Johnson.

Picking up trash and then seeing it come back over and over again is frustrating, Johnson confided. But it has spurred him into helping with this effort to rid Lake Hiawatha of the garbage, most of it coming in through the city’s stormwater culvert on the north side.

“Minnesota has a great gift of abundant lakes and streams; we shouldn’t squander this, we should all be working harder to protect it,” said Johnson.

“Our water is part of our identity as Minnesotans.”

He is hopeful that those who view the art exhibit will be inspired to make changes.

“We hope to move this from a problem toward a lasting solution that will be embraced by the community,” stated Johnson.

This story appeared in the September 2015 Messenger.

Lake Hiawatha’s trash problem

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will re-imagine Hiawatha Golf Course and help fix garbage problem; weigh in on golf course designs on Sept. 15

by Tesha M. Christensen

Since May, Standish-Ericsson resident Sean Connaughty has removed 62 bags of garbage from Lake Hiawatha.

That’s over 1,500 pounds of plastic cups and bottles, snack wrappers, cellophane, cigarette butts and more.

It doesn’t count the invisible pollutants such as lawn fertilizers and herbicides, ice-melting salt and automotive pollution that are washed into Lake Hiawatha and from there into Minnehaha Creek, the Mississippi River and the city’s drinking water.

“With each bag of trash there are 1-4 syringes. I also regularly remove condoms and diapers, to name a few of the disturbing items,” said Connaughty.

“In addition to the environmental and ecosystem damage this is causing, it also poses a public health risk,” Connaughty pointed out. “With items such as syringes, diapers, condoms and all manner of pollutants regularly entering the lake, it is no surprise that there are regular beach closings due to high bacteria levels.”

The urge to pick up trash as he was walking his dog twice a day around the 55-acre lake began simply enough, but as Connaughty’s concern about water quality grew it has propelled him into a larger fight.

“Despite my best efforts to clean the lake and the efforts of the recent Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) organized clean-up, the lake is once again full of trash from recent rainfalls,” observed Connaughty.

LESSON FROM A GREEN BALL

Along the way, Connaughty learned an important lesson from a green golf-ball-size ball.

Connaughty marked the ball and then dropped it into the storm drain. Two weeks later, he found the ball among the debris clogging the lake around the storm sewer culvert on the north side.

“The storm sewer outfall on the north side of the lake is emptying enormous amounts of trash and pollution into the lake with every rainfall,” Connaughty remarked.

While many have believed that Minnehaha Creek is the primary source of pollution in the lake, Connaughty’s day-to-day observation of where trash is located has shown that the storm sewer outfall is the bigger problem.

Connaughty learned that this drainage system, going directly into the lake, includes a huge swath of South Minneapolis. “It drains debris, trash and other pollutants from our streets coming all the way from Chicago Ave. to the west and Lake St. to the north,” he observed. “This storm drain system has no filtration or mitigation at all.”

To share this knowledge with fellow residents, Connaughty began stenciling gutters with the outline of a fish and the reminder: “Please do not pollute, drains to the Mississippi River.” Connaughty has personally stenciled 175 gutters, and he was joined by a group in August organized by the Standish-Ericcson Neighborhood Association.

HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM

In addition to spreading the word about the pollution problem, Connaughty is pursuing other methods to prevent trash from entering Lake Hiawatha, Minnehaha Creek and the Mississippi River.

He’s begun lobbying local political organizations, including the Minneapolis City Council, MCWD, and Minneapolis Parks and Recreations for infrastructure that will filter out pollutants before they enter the lake.

Along with a few others, he has proposed building an emergency catchment in the lake surrounding the storm sewer outfall. It would be constructed of natural materials and would create a porous barrier to capture the trash at the culvert. A strong trellis-like structure could accommodate the varying conditions at the lake without restricting the flow of water.

“This would be a way to localize the trash to make it easier and presumably less expensive to clean up, rather than having the trash spread throughout the entire lake,” explained Connaughty.

The emergency catchment could be implemented immediately once they receive permission.

A permanent solution would be changing the storm sewer infrastructure to create a catchment pond that can capture debris and pollutants before they reach the lake. Other lakes have these types of filters, including the “Lake Amelia” catchment ponds nearby at Lake Nokomis. 

GOLF COURSE MEETING SET FOR SEPT. 15

The timing on Connaughty’s suggestions coincides with the Park Board’s new vision of a more natural shoreline for Lake Hiawatha following the approval of a Master Park Plan last year, and plans to modify the golf course that are underway now after last year’s flooding.

“There is currently a once-in-a-generation opportunity to alter the storm sewer system that will occur when the golf course is restructured next year,” pointed out Connaughty.

He added, “Changing the storm sewer infrastructure would dramatically improve the water quality in the lake.”

Several others agree that now is a good time to find a fix to this problem.

According to Parks and Recreation Commissioner Steffanie Musich, “The city of Minneapolis, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) have been working to identify holistic designs for the course that not only retain golf playability at the site, but also help other park users gain greater access to the lakeshore, reduce localized flooding in surrounding neighborhoods, reduce pollution entering the lake via stormwater pipes, and enhance the ecological function and storm water capacity of the creek.” 

She pointed out that improvements upstream of Lake Hiawatha, including in the pipeshed, have the potential to reduce pollutants. The golf course improvements would only be a few pieces of a larger effort the MCWD and their partners have undertaken to undo the damage done to the creek and Lake Hiawatha by development of modern storm water conveyance systems to prevent and reduce the flooding of homes and businesses in the cities the creek runs through.

A public meeting to collect feedback on the proposed designs will be held on Sept. 15, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Nokomis Recreation Center Gym.

‘RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAVE IT BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT’

MCWD Vice President Brian Shekleton praised Connaughty for doing a tremendous job expanding public knowledge about what happens to water flowing into the lake by using multiple tactics that draw attention to potential solutions. In addition to stenciling gutters, he is organizing neighborhood blocks to monitor streets for trash.

Shekleton pointed out that history and hydrology matter in understanding why Hiawatha is a polluted, or impaired, lake. A wetland complex that extended many blocks to the north and west of the lake used to filter water flowing into the lake. It’s now mostly homes in the Northrup, Bancroft, and SENA neighborhoods -- and the golf course.

“Those water-cleaning wetlands can’t be replaced but there are effective techniques to restore ecological functionality,” remarked Shekleton. “Things like filtering basins, architected wetlands, and re-meandering the creek come to mind.”

According to Shekleton, MCWD has many projects upstream that will benefit the lake, “but partnering with the MPRB and the Minneapolis gives us a chance to spend money most effectively by leveraging each organization’s specialties to better water quality in the lake,” said Shekleton.

He pointed out a similar partnership upstream that will benefit Lake Hiawatha. In St. Louis Park and Hopkins, tons of pollutants will be removed from Minnehaha Creek that now flow down downstream into Lake Hiawatha. This will happen by stopping storm pipes from dumping into the creek and filtering the storm water before the water flows into the creek.

“I’m confident we’ll make Lake Hiawatha a cleaner and healthier body of water, particularly with the addition of natural filtration ponds through the golf course; this work will also help make the surrounding neighborhoods more flood resistant by increasing stormwater storage capacity,” said Ward 12 Council Member Andrew Johnson. “I love Lake Hiawatha, and we have a responsibility to leave it better than we found it.”

CONTACT COUNCIL TO VOICE OPINION

Connaughty observed that the parks, watershed district and golf course have only recently begun to consider making changes to the infrastructure of the culvert. “Whether this plan will be adopted or not is still quite tenuous. If this major outfall going directly into the lake is not addressed the garbage and pollutants will continue to impair this critical habitat and the water quality will remain poor,” Connaughty said.

“The city is the only entity involved in the negotiations that has the sole authority to implement an infrastructure change. Therefore I recommend contacting the mayor and your councilperson to voice your opinion on this matter.”

This story appeared in the September 2015 Messenger.

Nokomis-Hiawatha Master Plan nearly finished

Last chance to public to give input during 45-day review process or January public hearing

by Tesha M. Christensen

Today, 10% of the Nokomis-Hiawatha Park is natural and the rest is turf grass. Someday, it will be 50%, according to the newly created Nokomis-Hiawatha Park Master Plan.

The change won’t happen right away, but will occur gradually over the next 25 years.

“The community and the Community Advisory Council (CAC) have supported a significant increase in restored habitat in the park,” noted Adam Arvidson of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB). “The master plan deliberately places turf areas in certain locations and envisions the restoration of the remainder of the park to landscapes such as savanna, wet meadow, short-grass prairie, and wetlands.”

What are the benefits of a more natural shoreline? “This will provide broader habitat options for plants and animals, and will help improve water quality in both lakes,” stated Arvidson.

The master plan is currently in the middle of a 45-day public review and comment period that will close on Dec. 22, 2014. View the plan online on the Nokomis-Hiawatha Project webpage, or at the Nokomis Community Center, Hiawatha Community Center and Nokomis Library.

This is the first master plan for the park since Theodore Wirth created one in 1934.

Arvidson pointed out that community members have been heavily invested in this planning process. The survey got nearly 1,000 responses, there were about 20 people at every CAC meeting, and 60 people attended each open house. “These are very big numbers for park planning projects,” observed Arvidson.

“It is a testament to the importance of this park to the community. And I can assure you that the ideas in the master plan represent the desires of the community. Of course there are things that individuals might disagree with, but on the whole, this plan is driven by that groundswell of participation by the park’s neighbors.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN   

Highlights of the master plan include:

- Pedestrian and bike trails around Hiawatha Golf Course, allowing for a full Grand Rounds experience around the northern half of the park

- A winter-only trail on the shore of Lake Hiawatha (in the golf course), and additional gates in the golf course fence to increase winter accessibility.

-  A new vision for the eastern shore of Lake Hiawatha focused on nature-based recreation, scenic views, and boating. The beach will be removed within 6-12 years to make way for a boardwalk, over-water pavilion, and canoe/kayak launch. “Per this plan, the beach would not be removed without these other amenities replacing it,” stressed Arvidson.

-  Improved trail circulation throughout the park, including improved crossings of Cedar Avenue, additional trails by the Nokomis lagoon, and additional connections between the park and the neighborhood.

-  A redesigned Nokomis Main Beach area with an expanded swimming area, additional parking and (eventually) a new beach house.

The CAC refrained from deciding how to reconfigure the athletic fields, but instead agreed to have that decision made when the work in done within 6-12 years.

The location for the skate park will be on the north side of Lake Nokomis, near the recreation center.

The parks department is about to begin a study of all of its recreation centers, and this study will determine what changes will be made at the Nokomis Community Center. Suggestions had been made to expand it and possibly add a track.

Minnehaha Creek will likely be remeandered, but this project will be led by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) in close collaboration with the parks board. Funding would have to come from MCWD in order for this to move forward.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE SHORT TERM?

The CAC assigned priority levels to each project, ranging from short-term (within 6 years), medium (6-12 years) and long (12 years or more).

Many of the short-term projects will offer trail experiences that knit the park together. Roadway crossings will be enhanced to designate separate spaces for walkers and bikers. More portable restrooms will be added, particularly on the south side of Lake Nokomis.

On the list of short-term projects are:

- New playground near Nokomis Community Center, $150,000

- Refurbishing the vita-course, $150,000

- Pedestrian-only bridge over Minnehaha Creek, $300,000

- Pedestrian-only loop around Nokomis lagoon, $92,000

- Removal of the Art Walk, $5,000

- Beach improvements (including shade awnings), $174,000

- Pedestrian/bike trails around Hiawatha Golf Course, $585,000

- Additional trail connections, $72,000

WHAT’S NEXT

The MPRB Planning Committee will hold a public hearing on the plan in January. After MPRB approval, it will go before the Metropolitan Council, which will likely take place in March or April.

This story was published in the December 2014 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Lake Nokomis may become home to skatepark designed by skaters

City of Skate volunteers Bill Welk, Witt Siasoco, and Calvin Hafermann pushing for better skateboard parks in Minneapolis

by Tesha M. Christensen

Bill Welk started skateboarding 18 years ago on a cheap toy skateboard that snapped in half within a week. Today the Ericcson neighborhood resident continues to skate because “it’s a great release or escape from life.”

Welk added, “I can go skateboarding on my schedule and do not have to rely on anyone. While I enjoy the lack of organization or reliance on others, it can also be a great activity to do while socializing with friends that skateboard.”

Minneapolis resident Witt Siasoco is pushing 40 and has been skating for 25 years. “When I was a kid, I played lots of sports (baseball, basketball, football), but I loved skateboarding because it didn’t depend on a coach, teammates, or a game. I could pick it up and do it whenever and where ever,” Siasoco noted.

He likes to skate downtown Minneapolis. “But as an older skater, it becomes a bit of a odd situation when a police officer or security guard kicks you out of a spot,” Siasoco admitted. “So in my older age, I have retreated to public skateparks and the handful of private indoor skateparks in the area.”

At 17, Calvin Hafermann of Minneapolis has been skating for almost half his life.

There are two things he loves most about skateboarding. “One, it is a creative outlet unlike anything else,” said Hafermann. “To me, it is an interaction between architecture/one’s environment and oneself.  No one sees things the exact same way, and the possibilities are really endless. 

“Two, there is an amazing sense of community in skateboarding, particularly here in Minneapolis.  I have met most of my closest friends through skating, and people are really supportive of each other even if they do not know each other super well.”

They volunteer at City of Skate

Welk, Siasoco and Hafermann are three of the 13 volunteers who make up the non-profit organization City of Skate, a group pushing for better skate parks in Minneapolis.

According to Welk, the primary goal of City of Skate is to have high quality skateparks built in Minneapolis that are built and designed by skateboarders.

“There are a few skateparks in the area, but they are sub-par because they were built and constructed by non-skaters,” observed Siasoco. “At the time the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB) viewed skateparks as playground equipment. In order to build a quality skatepark that has high usage, the builder has to approach the construction in a site specific/landscape architecture way - similar to the way a golf course is designed.”

Minneapolis has an incredible skate scene with a real sense of community, and Hafermann thinks they deserve better than what they have gotten in terms of skateparks and recognition.

“City of Skate gives skaters a voice where it matters,” said Haferman. “City of Skate has held community meetings where local skaters can come in and voice their opinions and work towards something they would actually use.” 

Hafferman added, “City of Skate is also working towards raising funds for skateparks, and awareness for skateboarding beyond the skate community.”

Currently, City of Skate is working with the MPRB to create a city-wide Skate Park Activity Plan.

“I want to see a high quality public skatepark built in the Twin Cities,” said Siasoco. ”Towns and cities that have less skaters per capita have way better parks than Minneapolis and City of Skate wants to see this change.”

Skate park planned at Lake Nokomis

One of the locations City of Skate is eying up for a skateboard park is Lake Nokomis.

A skateboard park is being including in the Lake Nokomis/Hiawatha Regional Park plan being developed. Funds have not yet been set aside for the construction of the skateboard park.

City of Skate members are excited about this proposal.

Welk pointed out that the skatepark will benefit the neighborhood by allowing a safe place for residents of all ages to participate in wheeled activities, and the city could capitalize on a new skatepark by hosting large events there. “In addition, it services an age group, particularly age 10-21, that are often overlooked,” commented Welk. “The neighborhood may also benefit by having park users patronize local businesses before and after trips to the skatepark.”

“As a regional park that is equipped to handle visitors, Lake Nokomis is perfect location for a skatepark,” agreed Siasoco. “Also the large number of families and kids in the neighborhood and surrounding area make the site ideal in terms of location.”

Hafermann observed, “The park is already a large, incredibly varied destination of sorts, and adding a skatepark would only increase the appeal.” He added, “Skateboarding is a healthy activity that challenges participants not only physically but also creatively. It can teach kids the value of persistence and become a focal point of the neighborhood.”

Skateboarders: a creative group

Many of the Generation X or younger artists and musicians often have memories of skateboarding in their youth or still continue to skateboard, noted Welk. “A number of these artists often cite skateboarding as a catalyst that pushed them down the art/music career path, and the city benefits by having a population of creative artistic people to contribute to it.”

“There is a lot more to skateboarding as a culture than just the act of skating, and I think better parks will help foster this side of skating, too,” added Hafermann.

“Skaters are incredibly creative people and channel that creativity through art, photography, music or anything else one can think of. Better skateparks will provide a gathering place for skaters and a place for skaters to be exposed to each others creativity beyond skating.”

Learn more at www.cityofskate.org.

SIDEBAR

Where should the skate park at Lake Nokomis be located?

- Bill Welk: “The superior location is the location that allows for the most square footage for a skatepark. It is my understanding that the rec center location allows more square footage, making it a better location. If the skatepark is in the busy location near the beach, you are likely to have a large number of users confined to a small area. Imagine 50 people trying to play basketball on one court. Skateboarders will go to the skatepark in either location, so the better location for all park users is to move the skatepark to the rec center area to avoid congesting a popular beach area. Additionally, by placing a skatepark near the rec center, it will make it easier for the park district to use the skatepark for rec center activities such as instructional skateboard camps.”

- Calvin Hafermann: “Many people like the idea of the park near the beach.  It would be very picturesque, and breezes coming off of the lake would be nice in the spring and summer.  While I would prefer the lake setting the rec center location would also be nice in terms of convenience for park staff and use of the rec center by skaters.”  

- Walt Siasoco: “I would like to see the skatepark by the beach, but the site near the Rec Center would be great in terms of oversight of the skatepark and proximity to bathrooms and parking.”

CAC recommends Rec Center location

At its Sept. 23, 2014 meeting, the Community Action Council for the Lake Nokomis/Hiawatha Regional Master Plan recommended that the skate park be located next to the rec center. The CAC recommendations will next go to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. The full Master Plan document will be available for open public comment for 45 days. It is expected the 45-day comment period will open on Nov. 5 and close at the earliest on Dec. 22. A public hearing on the plan will likely be held in January 2015.

This story was published in the November 2014 Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.