Webber Camden Neighborhood Association

Community Events

Community Calendar



Minneapolis River Forum - Events

Download Events and Activities Schedule...

New Book Tells Story of Minneapolis Parks, On Sale July 11

The Foundation for Minneapolis Parks has unveiled its new book City of Parks: The Story of the Minneapolis Park System available today, July 11, to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB). Available for $39.95 online and through the MPRB headquarters office, the book is the first account of park history since Theodore WirthÕs memoir was published in 1945.

Download the press release

MPRB News Release

River District Review - July 2008

Download the July 2008 edition of the River District Review

ONE WEEK UNTIL SUMMER THEATRE!

Check out...

The Regional Premiere of Neil LaButeÕs Autobahn A co-production of Kaleidoscope Theatre Co. and Workhouse Theatre

Synopsis: "Scenes from the seat of a car." Autobahn is Neil LaBute's short play cycle, all of which take place in the front seat of a car. In 5 vignettes, the cast covers a range of human emotions; from betrayal to love, anger to fear, lust to indignation. With several Workhouse veterans returning to the stage, Autobahn is sure to delight audiences.

Featuring: Chris McGahan, Lindsay Timmington, Valerie Falken, Shawn Patrick Boyd, Josh Vogen, Corey Walton, Rachel Flynn, Lacey Piotter, Jeff Redman, Valerie Borey

Location: All shows at The Warren ArtistÕs Habitat www.thewarrenhabitat.com, 4400 Osseo Road Minneapolis 55412

For more information or to make reservations email kaleidoscope.theatre.co@gmail.com or call 612-644-7827

Celebrate Minneapolis History with Sesquicentennial Events at Minneapolis Central Library

Download the press release for a schedule and more info

Canoeing Opportunities in the Minneapolis Parks this Summer

Canoe programs available for special groups. This summer join a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board naturalist on the water to learn about and enjoy the history of the lakes, the wildlife that lives there, and the unique water quality issues they face. Canoeing programs are for groups to reserve Tuesdays through Saturdays between 10am and 3pm through the end of August. For $2 per kid or $4 per adult you will get a two hour canoe program including basic safety and paddling instruction and a theme. You can pick from any of the program themes listed below. Canoes, lifejackets, and paddles are provided at no additional cost.

Download schedule

MPS has nine Gates Scholars

Four Patrick Henry High School students and three Roosevelt High School students have received Gates Millennium Scholarships this spring, Minneapolis Public Schools announced today. Each school had more Gates winners than any other high school in Minnesota.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program is a national scholarship fund that was established in 1999 by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife to provide college funding to students of color who are in financial need.

Download the full press release

IN-DEPTH TRAINING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD VOLUNTEERS

The Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing is offering in-depth training for neighborhood volunteers.

The training gives participants the opportunity to get individual direct hands-on help for specific neighborhood projects. Do you need to get more people involved in your organization? Raise funds for a project? Clean up a problem property or close down a drug house? Organize a well-run and energized neighborhood meeting? Do outreach to immigrants in your community? You can get help for your project at this training.

INTERESTED? : Download an informational document.

MPRB pools, beaches opening

The pools, water parks, wading pools and beaches operated by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) are opening this week for the summer. Hours, locations and fees for Webber Pool, Lupient Water Park and North Commons Water Park are available at www.minneapolisparks.org - Activities and Programs - Water Recreation Opportunities.

Webber Pool and the water parks are currently open regular hours. Beaches open with lifeguard service on Saturday, June 14.

Wading pools at most MPRB parks are open. A new wading pool at Minnehaha Falls' Wabun area will open this weekend. Wading pools are typically open by 9 a.m. daily. Due to routine maintenance and repair, Brackett will open this weekend, Phelps will open June 16, Pershing will open June 18 and Windom will be closed June 17-18. Linden Hills is closed until maintenance work is complete.

Beach Rules

Weather Conditions

Pools do not open and lifeguards are not on duty if the temperature is below 65 degrees. Pools are closed during heavy rainfall and once closed will not reopen for the day. In the event of lightning, everyone is required to leave the water and cannot re-enter until 20 minutes after lightning has ceased.

Kidspeed

Kidspeed is the method InnerCity Tennis uses to help young children subtly build confidence, hope, and a "can-do" attitude. It utilizes skill development stations that - most simply put - make learning fun!

Download the flyer for more information...

Minneapolis Park & Rec Events for June, 2008

Download the Minneapolis Park & Rec Events for June, 2008

Board of Education Reviews Strategic Plan Actions for 2008-2009 School Year; Elects Officers

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 8, 2008 – The Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education reviewed an initial work plan Tuesday to support the strategic plan recommendations that were adopted in December. The work plan, developed by district administration, covers the 2008-2009 school year. It includes reform efforts that were underway prior to the strategic planning process, which began last May, that support the strategic plan’s nine recommendations. Projects such as the restructuring and enhancement of district alternative schools, the focus on literacy standards by literacy coaches based at every school with a K-5 program, and the piloting of math recovery in select north side elementary schools will continue under the work plan. “I’m pleased that district staff was able to put together a work plan for the upcoming school year that moves every one of the nine recommendations in the strategic plan forward,” said Chief Academic Officer Bernadeia Johnson.

Many of the activities in the 2008-2009 work plan will be funded within the district’s normal budget. Others, such as the District Equity Team’s work on addressing the achievement gap through the development of a “Framework for Eliminating Institutional Racism,” will require new revenue in order to make the impact on student achievement that they have the potential to make, Johnson said. “Public support for Minneapolis Public Schools over the next few months will be critical to the success of the strategic plan, both near term and long term.” The full strategic plan, which addresses a four-year period ending with the 2011-2012 school year, will be built over the next several weeks and will receive preliminary review by the board in March. At its annual meeting, which preceded today’s regularly scheduled meeting, the board of education elected officers for 2008: Lydia Lee, chairwoman; T. Williams, treasurer; and Sharon Henry-Blythe, clerk. The vote was unanimous. Pam Costain, 2007 board chair, will work closely with district administration on plans for a November referendum as part of her continuing board responsibilities


Park Board selects officers, committees, representatives

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) selected its 2008 officers, standing committees and representatives at its annual meeting Tuesday, Jan. 2.
 
The Board elected Commissioner Tom Nordyke to a one-year term as president of the board. He succeeds Jon Olson who served in the position for four years. Nordyke thanked Olson for his years of service as president and for his commitment to MPRB in extraordinary ways.
 
Other officers elected to one-year terms were: Commissioner Mary Merrill Anderson, vice president; General Manager Don Siggelkow, secretary; and Brian Rice, board attorney. Tom Nordyke was re-elected to a second two-year term on the City of Minneapolis Planning Commission.
 
President Nordyke appointed the following Commissioners to serve on Standing Committees of the Board:
·        Administration and Finance Committee, which meets the first and third Wednesday of each month – Scott Vreeland, chair; Mary Merrill Anderson, vice chair; Bob Fine, Annie Young, Jon Olson.
·        Recreation Committee, which meets the third Wednesday of each month – Walt Dziedzic, chair; Bob Fine, vice chair; Mary Merrill Anderson, Jon Olson and Carol Kummer.
·        Planning Committee, which meets the first Wednesday of each month – Bob Fine, chair; Walt Dziedzic, vice chair; Annie Young, Tracy Nordstrom, Mary Merrill Anderson.
·        Operations and Environment Committee, which meets the third Wednesday of each month – Annie Young, chair; Tracy Nordstrom, vice chair; Walt Dziedzic, Scott Vreeland, Carol Kummer.
·        Legislation and Inter-Governmental Committee, which meets when called by the chair – Carol Kummer, chair; Jon Olson, vice chair; Walt Dziedzic, Tracy Nordstrom, Mary Merrill Anderson.
·        Committee on Standards and Conduct, which meets when called by the chair – Mary Merrill Anderson, chair; Carol Kummer, vice chair; Scott Vreeland, Tracy Nordstrom, Annie Young.
 
President Nordyke also appointed Commissioners as Board representatives to serve one-year terms on the following external boards, commissions and panels:
 
·        Board of Estimate and Taxation – Bob Fine.
·        Neighborhood Revitalization Policy Board – Tom Nordyke, alternate Scott Vreeland.
·        St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board – Jon Olson, Walt Dziedzic and Tom Nordyke.
·        Youth Coordinating Board – Walt Dziedzic.
·        Minneapolis Institute of Arts Board – Tom Nordyke.
·        Public Art Design Advisory Panel – Tracy Nordstrom.
·        Middle Mississippi Watershed Management Organization – Scott Vreeland, alternate Annie Young.
·        John H. Stevens House Organization – Carol Kummer.
·        Midtown Community Works Partnership – Tracy Nordstrom
·        Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee – Tracy Nordstrom
·        Foundation for Minneapolis Parks – Tom Nordyke
·        Minneapolis Tree Advisory Committee – Scott Vreeland
 
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has nine elected Commissioners who serve a four-year term of office; three are elected at-large and six are elected from geographically-based park districts. MPRB Commissioners are: Jon Olson, president, District 2; Tracy Nordstrom, vice president, District 4; Walt Dziedzic, District 1; Scott Vreeland, District 3; Carol Kummer, District 5; Bob Fine, District 6; Mary Merrill Anderson, at-large; Tom Nordyke, at-large; and Annie Young, at-large.
 
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meets at 5 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month for regular meetings. Meetings are broadcast live from 5-9 p.m. on Channels 14 and 79 on the Minneapolis Comcast cable network. Meeting agendas and related information are typically posted on the MPRB web site (www.minneapolisparks.org http://www.minneapolisparks.org/ ) two business days prior to each meeting.

2008 MPRB Parking Pass commemorates Park System’s 125th Birthday

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) has unveiled its 2008 Patron Parking Pass that commemorates the 125th birthday of the Minneapolis Park System. The parking pass features the 53-ft. Minnehaha Falls, one of the MPRB’s most popular attractions.
         
The pass is valid 12 months from purchase and entitles the pass-holder to year round parking privileges at all regional lots. Purchasing a parking pass is also an opportunity to show your support for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation System. The fees help support park maintenance.
         
Patron Parking Pass fees:
·         $27
·         $10 for second car $10 ($15 if purchased later)
Seniors (62 and above):
·         $20
·         $7 for second car ($10 if purchased later)
 
Many lots at popular parks are designated as Patron Pass lots with blue signs. Only Patron Pass holders may park in any Patron Pass lot. Patron Pass holders may park in Parking Pay Station lots without paying at any of the regional parks listed below. Patron Pass holders must pay at parking meters throughout the system.
         
The following Regional Parks have Patron Pass Lots:
·        Boom Island
·        Eloise Butler - Upper and Lower
·        Cedar Lake (21st and 25th Streets)
·        Lake Calhoun (North, 36th Street, Thomas Beach,
·        Wirth Quaking Bog
·        Lake Harriet (Main, Overflow, Rose Garden, 46th Street, Beard’s Plaisance)
·        Lake Nokomis (Main, North, Minnehaha Parkway)
·        Minnehaha (Pavilion, Dog Park, Pergola)
 
To obtain a Patron Parking Pass:
In Person:
·        Park Board Headquarters - 2117 West River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55411
·        Lyndale Park Farmstead, 3900 Bryant Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55409
·        Lake Nokomis during the operating season, 2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy.
By Phone:
·        Call 612-230-6400
·        Passes mailed within 10 days
By Mail:
·        Print out and complete pass application form http://www.minneapolisparks.org/documents/permits/parking_app.pdf
·        Mail to: Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, 2117 West River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55411
·        Passes mailed within 10 days
Online:
·        Fill out secure online application form https://www.reservemaster.com/mpr_parking_order.asp
·        10-day temporary pass will be issued immediately
·        Passes mailed within 10 days
 
Please note that people with MDOT handicap parking passes are still required to pay to park in the regional lots under the same requirements for all users detailed above.
         
Currently the park system has a variety of parking lots within its regional parks and parkways. Approximately 50 percent of MPRB’s regional lots offer free parking and the remaining lots are a combination of hourly or designated annual Patron Parking Permit spaces. All of the Park Board’s neighborhood parks feature free parking. There is no guarantee on available parking lot spots.
         
For more information on the Patron Parking Pass, call 612-230-6400 or visit www.minneapolisparks.org.

STEP UP

Minneapolis Employment and Training Program has a great program called STEP-UP that hires and trains 14-15-year-olds and 16-21-year-olds.    


Applications for the STEP-UP summer jobs program for youth are being distributed this month.  I have attached a description of STEP-UP and how to apply.  This description and downloadable application forms are available on the Minneapolis Employment and Training Program website

STEP-UP is a paid, summer jobs program for Minneapolis youth.  STEP-UP for 14-15-year-olds, operated by the Minneapolis Employment and Training Program, teaches students good work habits and provides them with wages and an opportunity to contribute to a local community based organization.  STEP-UP for 16-21-year-olds, operated by Achieve!Minneapolis , provides youth with paid positions with local employers and teaches them the skills they need to succeed on the job.
STEP-UP for 14-15 year olds

A nine-week, paid summer jobs program for low-income Minneapolis youth.
Participants:

·       Work 30 hours a week from mid-June to mid-August.

·       Earn $6 per hour at a job such as a landscaper, tutor, childcare worker, computer intern, clerical assistant, peer educator, camp counselor or maintenance worker.

·       Earn high school credit by attending C.L.A.S.S.  

·       Take part in a business mentoring program or spend a week, for free, at a multi-cultural camp called Camp Sunrise.

·       Learn new skills on the job.

·       Provide valuable services at a local public or non-profit agency.



How to apply:

·       The application deadline for STEP-UP for 14-15 year olds is Jan. 11, 2008.

·       Download an application here: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/metp/docs/stepup_app_14.pdf

·       Applications are also available at:

·       Complete every section of the application and return it to:
OR mail it to: Attn: STEP-UP Program, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development, 777 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407      


For more information call Xuong Tran at 612-673-6231 or Anne Fischer at 612-673-6221.
STEP-UP for 16-21 year-olds

A six- to 10-week paid summer jobs program for Minneapolis youth.
 
Participants:

·       Work full-time or part-time (20-40 hours per week) from mid-June through August.

·       Earn $7 to more than $10 per hour in a field that interests you: business, health care, creative arts and many other areas.

·       Explore career interests and gain job skills in a professional setting.

·       Make future connections at top Minneapolis employers.


How to apply:

·       The application deadline for STEP-UP for 16-21 year olds is Jan. 11, 2008.

·       Applications are available for download at: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/metp/docs/stepup_app_16.pdf and at http://www.achieveminneapolis.org/programs/stepUp.html

·       Visit an Achieve! Career & College Center in a Minneapolis public high school to pick up an application.

·       Call Achieve!Minneapolis to request an application by mail at (612) 455-1563.

·       Complete every section of the application and return it to an Achieve! Career and College Center in a MPLS public high school, or mail it to: Achieve!Minneapolis/STEP-UP, 111 Third Avenue S. Suite 5, Minneapolis, MN 55401

·       

For more information call or email Jennifer Petersen at Achieve!Minneapolis at 612-455-1563.

News releases from the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s Public Information and Marketing Office.

Get Fit Twin Cities Newsletter

Download the Get Fit Twin Cities Newsletter

Minneapolis Park Board Approves Comprehensive Plan for System

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioners unanimously approved on October 17 a Comprehensive Plan for the park system, a milestone considering the MPRB will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2008 and the last comprehensive plan was completed in 1965.

Click here to download the plan in pdf format.

Bean Scene opens 2nd location!

We are happy to announce the opening of the Bean Scene's second location, Bean Scene Too, at 1101 West Broadway. Please help us spread the good news! We are excited about our new space and invite you to stop down and check us out!

The Bean Scene provides the usual menu found at most coffee shops; coffee, espresso, lattes, blended drinks, smoothies, pastries, and bulk beans for sale. In addition, a fresh, light lunch menu of hot soups, fresh salads and deli sandwiches are offered to provide a healthy alternative to the traditional "fast food" choices in the area.

Several value-added services differentiate the Bean Scene from the traditional coffee houses of today. Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access is offered to all customers making a purchase. Local artists have opportunities to display their talents as the Bean Scene will offer rotating displays of art on a monthly basis. We offer our frequent customer "Coffee Card" that automatically keeps track of your drinks and awards you free drinks with each 10 specialty drinks purchased! Plus, you get a free drink on your birthday!

Help Hennepin County Grow By Becoming A Master Gardener!

Are you an earth-friendly gardener who enjoys learning and sharing your expertise with others? Become a Hennepin County Master Gardener! Trained and certified by the University of Minnesota, Master Gardeners are volunteers who provide education and information to Hennepin county residents. Master Gardeners educate others in many ways – they answer questions on the Master Gardener Telephone Hotline; staff Plant Information Clinics at farmers markets, garden centers, community events, University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Hennepin County Fair; and make presentations to adults and children at school and community settings. The Master Gardener program promotes environmentally sound garden and lawn care practices based on the latest University of Minnesota research.

Download the press release here for more information...

Northside Arts Collective news

Click here to download the latest Northside Arts Collective newsletter

Above the Falls Phase I to Begin, Trails Built Along River

Paths, shoreline stabilization to be done on west bank between Plymouth Ave. and BNSF Railroad Bridge

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) announced this week that bicycle and pedestrian trails will be extended from Plymouth Ave. N to the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge north of 22nd Ave. N along the west bank of the Mississippi River. Additional projects completed this year, all part of the first phase of the Above the Falls project, include a realignment of W. River Road north of Broadway Ave., shoreline stabilization of the west river bank, installation of a plaza at 17th Ave. N, and construction of a raingarden at 22nd Ave. N. Construction is scheduled to begin in August and be completed in October 2007, weather and construction schedules permitting. Throughout construction, public access to the river banks will be limited.

Download a copy of the press release here...

Victory Race Slideshow

The Victory Race Slideshow is up at: http://wkphotography.com/gallery/06_Season/Victory/index.htm

Rebuilding Together Twin Cities

Partnering with neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, Rebuilding Together utilizes volunteers and donated supplies to rehabilitate homes at no charge to homeowners. They work with low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly, disabled and families with children, so that they can continue to live in warmth, safety and independence. Brochures and applications are available by calling 651.776.4273. The application deadline for September projects is July 15. If you would like an electronic copy of the application or brochure, the email address is: info@rebuildingtogethermsp.org.

Do Something.

Find out how to do something