Gateway Corridor Update

As of June 29, the Gateway Corridor Commission is only considering two options for the alignment of the line (whether light rail or bus rapid transit) through the eastside of St. Paul. Those two alignments are along 7th Street or along I-94. The earlier option of 3rd Street is now officially off the table - no longer under consideration.

Depending on HOW they do the total alignment, these could have profound effect on District 1... From what we have been hearing so far from residents, they prefer an alignment along I-94 all the way to about the 3rd Street bridge/Kellogg Bridge over the freeway. But here are the potential effects on us...

• If the alignment is along 7th Street all through the eastside, the line will bypass our business district and, some feel, will spell the end for Sun Ray Shopping Center;
• If the alignment is along I-94 to White Bear and then "jogs up" to 7th Street, it means the removal of homes along White Bear, and a busy transit way through residential areas.

Again, the blog post yesterday noted the upcoming open house where the options will be presented -- July 28 at Metro State Library, 5-7p -- this will be the time to weigh in on the potential alignments. If you don't speak up, everything will be decided for you!!

County Committees Need Volunteers

Ramsey County is looking for residents to serve on a variety of committees:

• Capital Improvement Program Citizens Advisory Committee - this group helps set priorities for capital expenditures in the County
• Community Health Services Advisory Committee - this group advises the County Board and St. Paul City Council on health-related issues. They are looking for people who work in the health field.
• County/City Homeless Advisory Board - this group advises the County Board and St. Paul City Council on issues related to homelessness, recommending policy changes to reduce homelessness.

Applications and more info is available by calling 651.266.8001 or at this website. All applications are due by July 22.

Gateway Corridor Open House

There will be an Open House hosted by the Gateway Corridor Commission on July 28 from 5 - 7p at Metropolitan State University's Library. The meeting will be in the EcoLab room on the third floor of the library, which is at 645 East 7th St. (This is between Mounds Boulevard and Maria on Seventh Street...).

This open house will be an opportunity for the community to weigh in on the planning that has already been done to determine the location of the route and the mode of transportation (light rail, commuter rail, or bus rapid transit).

transit is an important feature of D1 life...

In addition to these open houses sponsored by the Gateway Corridor Commission (GCC), the District Council is also working to get neighbors informed about the project, the process, and how they can have an impact on what happens. So contact us! We are working to visit D1 apartment complexes to discuss the project, have a transportation task force that is tracking the work of the GCC, and have held meetings with a variety of neighbors about this.

We will also be working with Dayton's Bluff Community Council and other eastside organizations to apply for a grant for community outreach around this topic. If you are a member of an eastside organization and would like to be a partner in this effort, please contact our office.

Great River Park Additions - D1

Here is an excerpt from an article by Bob Spaulding of Friends of the Mississippi River about the Great River Park planning that has just been completed...

Access to Pig's Eye Regional Park will at long last be made real, with a new connection extending from Warner Road near Childs Road, and continuing south to the north end of Pig's Eye Lake. A new parking area, small boat launch, trails and wildlife viewing areas will finally open up this key park space to the public. Connections may eventually be made from the park toward the east, and over or under US Highway 61.

The Highwood Bluffs will for the first time see an existing off-road trail woven along the bluffside, connecting areas laterally along the river corridor. In the far southeast corner of the city, a renewed Fish Creek park will complement intensive efforts in Maplewood to develop a greenway along Fish Creek.

(full article can be found at the link above...)

Last Call for Newspaper Submissions

The District 1 News will be coming out in mid July. If you have articles, letters to the editor or advertisements, get them to district1council@aol.com by 4p June 22.

Our distribution has gone up to over 12,000 households in east St. Paul and a little into southern Maplewood...

Crime Prevention Tip

When calling for police, fire, or ambulance assistance, an essential part of getting help quickly is for them to be able to find your address. This is very difficult if you do not have house and garage numbers on your property, or if they are spelled out rather than numbers. The address numbers don't need to be fancy or expensive. A District 1 business, True Value on Pederson Street (near Culvers) carries a variety of styles and would be happy to help you get the numbers you need.

Don't wait until an emergency happens to put those numbers in a clear, visible location so help can find where you are.

And remember to contact Pam for help forming a neighborhood watch group, or a block club - 651.578.7400 or district1cpc@aol.com

Submitted by Pam McCreary, Crime Prevention organizer

Making the Roads Safe for Everyone...

The roads belong to everyone who travels along them, regardless of how that traveling takes place. But some of those travelers are more vulnerable. The car is more vulnerable than the truck. The motorcycle more vulnerable than the bicycle, and the pedestrian most vulnerable of all. But we have seen an increased number of bike/car accidents, in part because there are more bikes on the road.

The law is clear - bicyclists and motorists share responsibility for keeping everyone safe on our roads. There are eight "rules of the road" to improve bicycle safety:

kids learning bike safety in District 1

1. Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted - such as interstates.
2. Bicyclists should ride on the road and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
3. Motorists must maintain a three-foot clearance at all times when passing a bicyclist.
4. Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists do.
5. Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right of way to each other.
6. Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
7. Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it's dark.
8. Bicyclists should always wear helmets and bright reflective gear.

For information about the "Share the Road" bicycle safety education program, bicycle crash statistics and resource materials, visit the ShareTheRoad website. Safety videos for adults and kids are available at the MNDOT website.

Submitted by MnDOT

PS We still have reflective vests for kids and a few bike helmets left (3 kids L). If you have a young person in need of this safety gear - contact our office (651.578.7600 or district1council@aol.com).

Commissioner McDonough Becomes SPYS Board Chair

Our County Commissioner, Jim McDonough, is the new chair of the St. Paul Youth Services (SPYS) Board of Directors. Jim's father died when he was 13 and he says he benefited from the adults from among his extended family and friends who provided guidance as he continued to adulthood. When he was 25, he became a volunteer youth worker at Phalen Recreation Center, holding kids accountable for their behavior. Kids might not show how much they benefit from the positive influences of such caring adults, but they will benefit, just as he did, he said.

Commissioner McDonough joined the SPYS board in 2003 to provide him with a new setting for making positive differences in the lives of young people who need caring adults in their lives. The mission of the SPYS is to redirect youth who are starting to get in trouble with family, school or the law.

SPYS finds its home in our district and has programs that train adults who encounter youth with challenging behaviors and other programs that intervene with youth in middle schools to improve their classroom behavior, attendance and grades. SPYS is dedicated to improving the lives of young people. You can find SPYS on Wilson Avenue, just across the street from the SunRay Library.

Thanks to Jim for his service as SPYS Board Chair. We have a tradition of our local leaders serving on the SPYS board. Council President Kathy Lantry also serves on the board, as does our Saint Paul Public School liaison, Keith Hardy.

Submitted by SPYS

Henry Park in the early Summer

Resident Tom Dimond sent us these photos of Henry Park, Saint Paul's newest park, and a D1 treasure.

Thanks for the photos, Tom!

Mobile Farmers Market in D1??

Our staff has been discussing the potential for having a small mobile farmers market come to the district once a week later this summer... we are discussing potential locations, days and times. This would be a single farmer with produce in a truck, located somewhere for a few hours a week.

What do you think? Would you use it? When would be a good time and where would be a good location?

And what about a potential CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) drop off site? If you could pay a farmer once a year (invest in her farm...) and then receive regular box of fresh, seasonal produce throughout the harvest season, would you join??

Let us know what you think... call Betsy at 651.578.7600 or email at district1council@aol.com

Burglary Prevention Meeting

There were about 35 people who showed up to hear from our Crime Prevention organizer, Pam McCreary, and members of the Police Force on how to prevent home burglaries. Eastern District police Sergeant Paul Ford and 3 officers from the FORCE Unit were speakers at this event. (FORCE stands for "Focusing our Resources on Community Empowerment").

The meeting ended with information to those attending that there will be another meeting this summer to talk about proactive projects to keep people involved and to build community within our neighborhoods. This meeting will involve a showing of the TPT documentaries about the eastside, followed by discussion and brainstorming of what we can all do to take positive action in our area. Keep posted here and on our community calendar for date and time of this event!!

Call Pam McCreary for help with forming block clubs in your area - 651.578.7400 or district1cpc@aol.com.

Flint Hills Children's Festival

The Flint Hills Children Festival and Family Weekend runs June 4 and 5 in the parks around the Ordway Center downtown St. Paul. This year features Project Bandaloop - performers suspended on the outside of the Lawson Building and visible from all the parks. Their performances will by June 1 & 2 at Noon, Friday the third at 11:45 and 12:45, Saturday noon and 1:45, and Sunday, June 5 at 11 and 1.

There will be free arts activities, art exhibitions, and these performances and others. The Ordway will have two stages and it is all FREE!! The Festival runs from 10a to 5p.

Check it out!

Submitted by the St. Paul Parks Department

Kick-off Picnic for National Night Out Planning

On June 8 at Phalen Park Picnic Pavilion, the City of Saint Paul is holding an event to get you thinking about National Night Out. NNO is August 2 this year, so you need to start planning now if you want to block off your street and really host a wing-ding!

The picnic will be from 6 - 7:30p (rain or shine) and will include visits by Police Chief Tom Smith, the canine unit and mounted patrol, and the Fire Department. There will be FREE hotdogs, chips, cookies and beverages (while supplies last!) or you can bring your own dinner.

It is a chance to receive info on NNO, get your permits to close streets, and how to request a visit form the police or fire department to your event. You can also register for door prizes and receive free balloons and face paintings.

For more info, contact Pam McCreary at 651.266.5455 or at our office, 651.578.7400.

Let's see how many block parties and community events we can have this year!!

Battle Creek Gets a Makeover

The Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District has been working on the bed of Battle Creek. The ravine was being cleaned and the flow of the stream improved.

If you noticed that the water was not flowing too well, it was because some of the rock meant to stabilize the banks was clogging the culvert. The long-term plan has been to restore the flow of the creek so that not so much of it is flowing underground.

The Watershed district expects the Creek level to increase this year.

Children's Art Gallery at Sun Ray Library

Sun Ray Library will host an opening reception at 7p on Monday, June 13 to celebrate artwork created by students of Nokomis Montessori. Students in four classes studied books and illustrations by Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert. The first and second graders then created collages inspired by these well-known authors. Thirty five pieces of artwork and accordion books created by students will be on display through August 12. The evening of the opening will include refreshments and storytelling. Everyone is welcome.

For more information, contact the Library at 651.501.6300. The Library is located at 2105 Wilson Ave.

Submitted by the Sun Ray Library.