March 15, 2019 eNews


March 19, 2019 Meeting Agenda

  • Welcome
  • Park Update:
    • Park equipment needs for Spring & Summer
    • Summer Registration
    • Egg Hunt
  • Plan Modification: Funding for Mini Grants & Rain Gardens – Stacy Sorenson, City of Minneapolis Department of Neighborhood & Community Relations
  • Spring Newsletter
  • Summer Festival
  • Neighborhoods 2020
  • SW Parks & Minnehaha Parkway Master Plans
  • Other New Business
  • Secretary Report – minutes approved via email
  • Treasurer Report – financials emailed
  • Committee Updates
    • Green Team
      • Fix-it Clinic Recap
      • Donation Drive – April 6
    • Mini Grants
  • Coordinator Update
    • Proposed changes to Garage Sale
    • Shredding Event
    • Board special election April

Upcoming meetings/events:

Apr 6 – Green Team Donation Drive (10:00 am – 12:00 pm)
April 13 – Egg Hunt (10:00 am)
April 16 – Monthly Meeting (6:30 – 8:00 pm)


Green Team Donation Drive

Saturday, April 6
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Armatage Recreation Center

Whether you are spring cleaning, need to Marie Kondo your house or just want to make a donation to help someone in need, bring your goods on Saturday, April 6 and the Armatage Green Team will help you sort and pass them along to one of many wonderful organizations.

Organizations supported through the Donation Drive include Ready for Success, Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, Animal Humane Society, CornerstoneMN, Tech Dump, Leonardo’s Basement, Committee Against Domestic Abuse, DAV, and Second Harvest Heartland. Accepted items include clothing (especially men’s and women’s professional clothing), working electronics and cords, new children’s clothing, baby food and formula, new toiletries and personal care items, clean textiles and stuffed animals, food shelf donations, wire hangers, and more.  Contact anacoordinator@armatage.org for more information.


Street Flooding and Storm Drains

Thanks to our record snowfall and rain, many streets are flooded and storm drains are blocked. Please contact 311 to report flooded streets so crews can keep our roads safe.

If you’re able to clear the snow and ice from your block’s storm drain(s), please do! Many Minneapolis residents are using Google Maps Street View to find the locations of the storm drains on their block. The City of Minneapolis will re-launch its Adopt a Storm Drain program this spring.  Learn more and sign up to adopt your storm drain at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/stormwater/adoptadrain


Avoid Ice Dams with Help from the City and CenterPoint Energy

Icicles and ice dams mean that a lot of energy – and money – is being wasted as heat escapes through the roof of your home. You can solve that problem by sealing air leaks between your house and attic adding insulation in your attic. Insulation can help protect your house from ice dams and water damage while saving you money and energy – and even reducing the pollution that contributes to climate change.

Get Help

  • CenterPoint Energy offers rebates for 30 percent of the cost ($500 maximum) when you air seal and insulate your attic. For details, visit www.centerpointenergy.com/rebates.
  • The City of Minneapolis offers loans for the work with no interest. For more information, call 612-335-5884 or visit mnlendingcenter.org/mpls.

Shovel Out Garbage and Recycling Carts

This winter’s frequent snowfalls have made it difficult for crews to collect garbage, recycling and organics, and pulling a cart out of a snowdrift can injure them. Remember before your collection day to shovel a 36-inch-wide path from your garbage, recycling and organics carts to the street or alley.

City ordinances require this path be cleared for garbage, recycling and organics carts within 48 hours after the snow stops falling. If City crews have to shovel out the cart(s), a fee of $30 per cart will be added to your utility bill. If the snow stops for less than 48 hours and the carts aren’t yet shoveled out, for their safety, crews can’t empty the carts.

Learn more about garbage, recycling and organics collection here.

Neighborhoods 2020 – Comment by March 31

Want to keep the Summer Festival, Halloween at the Park, Happy Hours, rain gardens, Fire on Ice, forums on pressing community issues, or security rebates? These and more are all services provided and supported by the Armatage Neighborhood Association. Funding for neighborhood groups like ANA and the events we support runs out next year.

The City of Minneapolis is reviewing new guidelines, funding, and whether neighborhood organizations will continue to exist to support our community’s needs. The vision of Neighborhoods 2020 is to have an inclusive community where all people are valued, all communities are engaged, and leadership mirrors the great diversity of the city. View the new recommendations at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/ncr/2020 and submit your comments in support of continued funding and support for neighborhoods in one of the following ways:

Please cc the ANA at anacoordinator@armatage.org and Council Member Linea Palmisano at linea.palmisano@minneapolismn.gov on your comment. Thanks for making your voice heard.

Southwest Parks and Minnehaha Parkway Initial Concept Designs

In case you missed it: Initial Concept Designs are out for each Southwest Minneapolis park and for the Minnehaha Parkway Regional Trail.  We’ve posted the design options for Armatage Park, the Washburn Tot Lot, the 58th & Oliver Triangle and Minnehaha Parkway on the ANA website at https://armatage.org/southwest-park-plan-initial-concept-designs/  All Southwest park designs are searchable at minneapolisparks.org/sw and full Minnehaha Parkway designs are at minneapolisparks.org/minnehahacreek.

Share your feedback by March 31:

  1. Take the online surveys for both projects:
  2. Drop off a comment: All 13 Southwest Minneapolis Recreation Centers as well as MPRB Headquarters and Parade Ice Arena have a printed packet of concept designs, along with comment cards and drop-off boxes.