Saturday Community Planning Forum

It was a COLD dark spring day in Minneapolis--which probably helped with turnout--no one wanted to spend time outside--so we had about 60 people attend. Many came early to review the results of the Walks on the Avenue from the week before (check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/FranklinAvenue to see the pictures the groups took on the walk).

We kicked off the morning with a short talk by Jay Walljasper, the author of The Great Neighborhood Book. Jay gave a great short talk stressing that it is the neighborhood residents who know best what is needed in the neighborhood. He provided some great grass-roots action ideas from the book (warning that some are probably illegal in Minneapolis). One idea was using furniture to make the street a maze so cars have to slow down.

We broke into four groups to sort through all the information from the walks. We took a break for some great food from the Clicquot Club, the groups agreed to create four task forces:

• Visual Identity/Landscaping
• Movement
• community Involvement/Crime and Safety
• Local Business Vitality/Gateways.

More on how to participate in the task forces in the next post.

Pictures from Walk the Avenue on Flickr

If you want to get an early look at the results from the walks, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/FranklinAvenue. All the pictures from all the groups are displayed with comments. You can click on the "tags" link at the top of the Flickr page to see them based on different subjects.

Feel free to add your own comments. (you will have to sign up for Flickr to add one--but that's free)

DON'T FORGET the community meeting this Saturday!

Community-wide Workshop Saturday!

We'll start putting it all together at a community-wide workshop:

Saturday, April 26
10:30 to Noon
Matthews Center, 2318 29th Avenue South

Doors open at 10 AM, come early and browse what has happened so far and look at some old (back to 1959) reports.

• We will start the morning off with Jay Walljasper, the author of the Great Neighborhood Book. Jay is a resident of the Kingfield neighborhood in South Minneapolis and is sure to get us in the mood to be creative.
• We will get a report on everything the Walks-on-the-avenue discovered.
• We will break into small groups to get some work done on priorities and ideas
  

Lunch will be provided.
Childcare provided.
Questions? Email Katya at Seward Redesign at katya@sewardredesign.org

Cold, gray day but lots of ideas

The second day of the Walk on the Avenue activities was cold and gray but dry. We had over 35 people meet at 2nd Moon for coffee and pastries before starting out on walks to to the east and to the west along Franklin Avenue.

Some of the comments and ideas:

• We have problem intersections for pedestrians and bicycles on both ends of the neighborhood--Riverside/29th Ave/Franklin Avenue and Cedar/Minnehaha/Franklin Avenue.
• We need better signs--where is the LRT station? A map of Franklin Businesses at the LRT station, The history of Milwaukee Avenue.
• Need retail businesses near (and next to) the LRT station.

We (the Redesign staff and volunteers from SCCA and SNG) will be going over all the notes and picutres to present a much more complete summary at our community meeting at 10:30 next Saturday at Matthews.

Come to a “Walk on the Avenue” April 19th. Small groups will identify (and photograph) things they like about the Avenue and things the don't like about the Avenue. Everyone who works, lives or owns property in Seward is invited.

Walk #2: Saturday, April 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Meet at Second Moon: 2225 Franklin Ave.
(coffee and treats from Second Moon Café provided)


View Larger Map

60 walkers at Walk on the Avenue

Today's Walk on the Avenue had 60 people walking along Franklin, talking about what they liked--places to sit, interesting businesses, interesting buildings--what they didn't like--traffic, pedestrian safety, broken sidewalk, trash and garbage. (this is a very partial list, we will have the complete list--with pictures--at the community meeting on Satruday, April 26, 10:30 at Matthews Center.

Walk on the Avenue Thursday and Satruday

Come to a “Walk on the Avenue” April 17th or 19th.

Small groups will identify (and photograph) things they like about the Avenue and things the don't like about the Avenue.

Everyone who works, lives or owns property in Seward is invited.

Walk #1: Thursday, April 17, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Meet at Pizza Lucé: 2200 Franklin Ave.
( food from Pizza Lucé provided)



View Larger Map

Walk #2: Saturday, April 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Meet at Second Moon: 2225 Franklin Ave.
(coffee and treats from Second Moon Café provided)

And don't forget the Community-wide workshop that will be held on April 26th at Matthews Park Community Center (2318 29th Avenue South) from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. The workshop will review the results of the walks as well as identify those areas and topics that will
be the focus of work in the weeks ahead.

Community-wide Workshop, April 26, 10:30-Noon
Matthews Center, 2318 29th Ave.. S.