Doors Open volunteers needed
Volunteers are needed to host Doors Open Minneapolis on Saturday, May 17 or Sunday, May 18. The event helps people explore buildings that tell the city’s story. Volunteers would act as greeters at a venue of their choosing throughout the city. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one 4-hour shift between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and must take a short training course. Volunteers receive a free Doors Open Minneapolis T-shirt, priority access (skip the line!) at all participating venues, an invitation to a post-event volunteer appreciation party and free parking at City of Minneapolis operated parking ramps and free Metro transit service. Sign up at DoorsOpenMinneapolis.org/Volunteer
Stamp Out Hunger to benefit SACA
The National Association of Letter Carriers will hold its annual Stamp Out Hunger collection on Saturday, May 10. One of the beneficiaries of the food drive is Southern Anoka Community Assistance. Letter carriers will collect bags of nonperishable food left near mailboxes on May 10. Letter carriers then bring donations back to the post office for local food shelves. SACA Co-director Dave Rudolph said, “The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is essential to keeping our shelves stocked during the summer when food and monetary donations are at their lowest. We’re incredibly grateful for the neighbors who donate and the letter carriers who transport donations on top of their already busy mail routes.”
Every August National Night Out hits the streets of Minneapolis. This year it will take place on Aug. 5. (Northeaster file, Nik Linde)
Register now for National Night Out
National Night Out is Aug. 5. Many blocks in Minneapolis take this opportunity to reconnect, eat and build relationships while kids play and bike freely in the closed street.
Registration is now open and is free. Pro tips:
• Include neighbors in your organizing efforts.
• Register only one event per block (appoint one neighbor to register).
• Consider whether you want your street blocked off to traffic.
• Checking the box for 75% approval is fine if you plan to notify every household of the event.
• Call 311 to request a firetruck, MPD K9, and/or MPD Mounted Patrol.
Registration closes July 29. https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/nno/registration-details
Update on vacant nursing home
First Ward council Member Elliott Payne provided the following update in his April 25 newsletter.
“I wanted to provide an update on the abandoned nursing home, formerly known as Bethany Care Center, in Windom Park. I’ve been pushing MPD and Regulatory Services to have better security and more enforcement around this vacant and neglected property since the summer of 2022. The 2nd Precinct inspector recommended that we secure all the exterior doors and windows with sheets of steel, held in place with tamper-proof screws.
“Regulatory Services has sought out bids for this work and received a quote this week. This will be expensive for the City, but the Regulatory Services director is approving moving forward. The lead time for this work will be 14 to 21 days. This isn’t a long-term solution, but my hope is that this can stop the constant break-ins and prevent someone from getting injured particularly with summer coming and big events like the Pillsbury Summer Fest happening soon
“I am also pushing to get the graffiti cleaned up as part of securing the building, especially with some of the recent offensive imagery on the building and Pillsbury Elementary being right next door. I do want to note that last year the City Council voted to triple the fees on vacant buildings and we are continuing to work on ways to disincentivize leaving buildings vacant and neglected.
“I’ve also been working with the director of our Community Planning & Economic Development Department to make sure we are ready for when ownership of the property changes, whether that’s through a sale or other measures. The last time the property was up for auction we learned that because the building has been vacant for so long and the use expired, the potential future uses of the property have now become very restricted. We are working on changing this to allow for more potential uses going forward (similar to what allowed it to become a nursing home in the first place) which will increase the likelihood that someone else will be able to take over the property and make it into an asset for our community.”
St. Anthony Parkway resurfacing begins
If you’ve been taking St. Anthony Parkway to get to Johnson Street, you’ll have to find another route. The parkway closed Monday, May 5 for resurfacing from Hayes Street to Johnson for about one month. Temporary ramps at Ulysses Street NE will be in place to maintain pedestrian traffic. People on bikes will be required to dismount and walk. A second phase of work, between Johnson and Central Avenue, will begin later in 2025.