July 20 Meeting Recap

City of Minneapolis staff Aryca Myers and Bob Cooper presented upcoming neighborhood funding changes as the funding levels drop and requirements shift toward more equitable engagement work. The ANA will seek feedback from neighbors this fall on new governing bylaws, which are required to keep receiving city funding, and on a Plan Modification to put just over $60,000 in repaid housing loans under contract.

The Board approved funds for three upcoming events including the Armatage Playground Reopening Celebration ($100 for popsicles), the Summer Food Truck Night ($275 for printing and paper marbling supplies), a Meet Your Community Helpers event in September ($175 for printing and door prizes), and a button-making machine. The ANA also plans to hold Halloween Decoration and Holiday Light Tours this year. Next month’s meeting will be a week later than usual on Tuesday, August 24 at 6:30pm on Zoom.


Water Sprinkling Restrictions are in Effect

Sprinkling restrictions started yesterday (July 21) for all Minneapolis residents and businesses! Check out the new guidelines here and thank you for doing your part to conserve water during this drought!

Sprinkling Restrictions

  • Sprinkling lawns is NOT allowed from noon to 6 p.m. on any day.
  • On calendar days that are even numbers (examples: July 26 or Aug. 18), the even side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns outside of the noon to 6 p.m. time window. Examples: 1238 Oak St. or 2574 Cedar Ave.
  • On calendar days that are odd numbers (examples July 27 or Aug. 19), the odd side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns. Examples: 1247 Maple St. or 2561 18th Ave.

Exceptions

  • Bushes and flowers may be watered with a hand-held hose as needed.
  • Vegetable gardens and new sod (first two weeks from placement) may be watered on any day but not during the prohibited afternoon hours of noon to 6 p.m.
  • Trees may be watered with a dripping hose, bucket or tree watering bag as needed.

Learn more including water conservation tips at www.minneapolismn.gov/news/2021/july/city-implements-even-odd-water-sprinkling-restrictions/


Summer Food Truck Night

Get ready for another Armatage neighborhood Food Truck Night! Five fabulous food trucks will be in the Armatage parking lot to take distanced orders. Enjoy live music from local band Unicorn! Swing by the ANA table for free paper marbling, kids books generously donated by Jump! and an All Are Welcome Lawn Sign. Bring your blanket or chairs and find a spot in the park to picnic.

More info including COVID-19 safety info is at armatage.org/summer-food-truck-night/


Household Hazardous Waste Events

Hennepin County is collecting household hazardous waste for residents to safely and properly dispose of unwanted household and lawn and garden products including paints, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and fuels.  Residents must wear masks and remain in their vehicles.

Upcoming Collection Events

  • 9:00am – 4:00pm on July 30-31: Anthony Middle School, 5757 Irving Ave. S.
  • 9:00am – 4:00pm on August 13-14: South High School, 3131 19th Ave. S.

Visit Hennepin County’s household hazardous waste collection event webpage to learn what items you can bring to the event, review safety guidelines, and see all 2021 events.


Armatage Playground Reopening Celebration

Thursday, August 26
4:30-6:30pm

Join the Armatage Neighborhood Association (ANA), the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB), and Armatage Community School for a Playground Reopening Celebration! Enjoy free popsicles and cold treats (donated by the ANA and Johnny Pops!) and celebrate with music, bubbles and new play equipment!

Learn more about the planning process at bit.ly/armatagepark and read how neighborhood funds were used to make completing this project possible at armatage.org/armatage-park-play-area/


Free Pet Adoptions for Cats & Dogs Over 6 Months

Minneapolis Animal Care & Control is waiving adoption fees for cats and dogs over six months old currently at the shelter. Visit the City’s website for more information.

Adoption details

Come prepared

  • To adopt you must be 18 years old with a valid form of identification.
  • Minneapolis residents must also provide proof of their current address and of current rabies vaccines for other pets (cats, dogs or ferrets).
  • Cats and small critters must leave in a carrier. You can bring a carrier or buy a cardboard transport box at the shelter. Dogs must leave on a leash. You can bring a leash and collar, or the shelter will provide a slip lead.

National Night Out is August 3

National Night is just around the corner!  This year’s block events will likely look a little different due to COVID-19, but there are lots of ways to safely gather with your neighbors. Think about a BYO picnic dinner instead of a potluck, discuss safety guidelines (especially for neighbors who are not yet eligible to get vaccinated like children under 12), and offer activities that allow you to distance. The deadline to get a free street closure permit has passed, but you can still pay $100 to close your street or host a neighborhood gathering in neighbors’ yards.

Not sure if your block has a block leader? Contact our Crime Prevention Specialist, Jennifer Waisanen, at jennifer.waisanen@minneapolismn.gov and consider volunteering as a block leader. Learn more about block clubs at bit.ly/blockclubs


Free Business Advertising in Armatage Welcome Bags

Are you an Armatage neighborhood business that would like to advertise for FREE? Consider providing content for our new neighbor Welcome Bags!

The reusable bags contain useful information on our neighborhood, community involvement, area businesses and local government. Your contribution can include menus, brochures on your business, gift cards, coupons, branded trinkets, or even just business cards! It’s totally free contribute items for the Welcome Bags and you can also consider a tax deductible cash contribution to our non-profit organization to help support the cost of producing the bags. Email us at anacoordinator@armatage.org to contribute!

Thank you from the Armatage Community Engagement Committee. Learn more about the Welcome Bag program at armatage.org/programs/welcome-bags/   Pic of our ANA VP Kevin outside Café Cerés.


All Are Welcome Here Lawn Signs

Get your All Are Welcome Here lawn sign and proudly display to spread the message that ALL are Welcome in Armatage. The ANA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit so your donation is tax deductible and eligible for employer matching contributions.

Signs + stakes are $20 each and your donation goes toward supporting the ANA’s work in our community. Order online at armatage.org/allarewelcomehere/ and, if you’re in the neighborhood, we’ll deliver your sign to your front yard. You can also find us at an upcoming in-person sale date at Armatage Park (weather permitting) – neighbors are encouraged to join meetings:

  • Saturday, Aug 14 from 4:00-6:00pm at the Summer Food Truck Night
  • Thursday, Aug 26 from 4:30-6:30pm at the Playground Reopening Celebration

Free the Deeds

Free the Deeds, an artist-driven initiative, is launching a city-wide project this month to build awareness of the history of racial covenants in housing in Minneapolis and to encourage action to repair the harm done by these covenants. Homeowners whose houses have a racial covenant will be encouraged to display a lawn sign in their yards that says “This house had a racial covenant” on one side and “Building equity, one deed at a time” on the other. Free the Deeds has been working with Armatage Reparations & Equity Action to launch this project.

All Minneapolis residents will have the chance to donate to down payment assistance for households who purchase homes through the African American Community Land Trust (AACLT), which focuses on significantly decreasing the historic racial disparities in the homeownership rate while increasing access to perpetually affordable homeownership in Minneapolis. Check out freethedeeds.org to learn more about what racial covenants were, how to find out if your home had one, and how to participate with this city-wide project.


New Solid Waste & Recycling Disposal Guide

There’s a NEW Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling Disposal Guide in town!  The City of Minneapolis has an easy-to-use, searchable website to get all your recycling and disposal “where does this go?” questions answered quickly and easily. Check it out at www.minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/garbage-recycling-cleanup/disposal-guide/

Armatage Neighborhood Association