Community Connections

Enjoy autumn with a stroll through new and old homes in St. Anthony Park.  Visit homes that have adapted quirky or outdated floorplans to fit modern needs, while keeping true to the character of the house and neighborhood. As this year's primary fundraiser, proceeds support the work of the District 12 St. Anthony Park Community Council including citizen participation, chore services for senior citizens, crime prevention, recycling, traffic calming initiatives, and planning.

MidCity Fest Celebrates University/280 Neighborhood August 6 - 8--FREE event features 25 participating venues and live entertainment

The University and Highway 280 neighborhood will open its doors to the public from 5:00 pm on Friday, August 6 to 5:00 pm Sunday, August 8. Twenty-five businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals will be showcasing their venues and talents by offering tours, specials and exhibits over the course of the weekend.

Bring your doggie buddies to Langford Park on Saturday, August 14th for the second annual dog wash from 10 am to 4 pm to support start-up costs for the future dog park on Xcel Energy property under the High Bridge. There will be food vendors, information booths, flyball and dog agility demonstrations. We will be there rain or shine. Dogs will be washed (and dried!)  and each shiny clean dog will get a super cool doggie bandana.

The 62nd annual celebration will again feature the eclectic and colorful parade down Como Ave, as well as a full day of events in Langford Park, including races, food music, volleyball, and kids' games.  The parade starts at 11am on Sunday, July 4th and proceeds down Como Ave to Langford Park, where it disperses.  Look for the SAP Community Council in our grass skirts! See the full schedule.

The Line Media has a great video with Jay Walljasper talking about St. Anthony Park and what makes it a great neighborhood:  "Former editor of Utne Reader, author of The Great Neighborhood Book: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Placemaking (New Society Publishers/Project for Public Spaces) and of the forthcoming What We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons, Jay Walljasper likes to stroll, explore, lounge at cafe tables, chill on park benches, meet friends, window-shop, and just generally enjoy the micro-environments called neighborhoods in the world's cities. He's got a trained eye for the little things that make neighborhoods great, and a sense of the history that lies behind those details. One of his favorite Twin Cities neighborhoods is St. Anthony Park, in western St. Paul.

The files listed below are for Feb and  March so far.  It doesn't show 5 break-ins but that doesn't mean they couldn't have happened this week. I'll call and see what I can find out.

You can see the same data at http://stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=2418

Creative financing is winning recipe for Saint Paul bakery

By Kristal Leebrick, TC Daily Planet
February 04, 2010

Katie Novotny and husband Ebba Benti will celebrate the re-opening of the Saint Paul Classic Cookie Co. next weekend at its new location, 2386 Territorial Road in Saint Paul.

The February 6 grand opening comes nearly a year after she shuttered her downtown spot in the Alliance Bank Center and began looking for a more affordable space to re-open the bakery business that she took over from her mother three and a half years ago.

"Between the decline of 50 percent of the foot traffic and skyrocketing rent, I couldn't make it work" at the downtown space, she says. They found their new location in June, but it took months of work to bring the building up to code, get the equipment they needed and tap into some creative funding to accomplish it all.

Please join us on Saturday, February 27th for the annual St. Anthony Park Progressive Dinner.  It’s a great opportunity to meet your neighbors, enjoy a special meal, and have great conversations!  Come alone or come with a friend! Join us at the Methodist Church at Como and Hillside for appetizers, and receive your schedule for the evening.  Find the registration form here.

At the St. Anthony Park United Methodist Church (Como and Hillside)

All current and aspiring block captains, leaders and coordinators are invited to a gathering of Blockheads to share ideas and information about formal and informal block groups in St. Anthony Park.  Todd Seabury-Kolod, of Mac Groveland organizing fame, will lead a discussion on organizing your block for a single trash hauler.  We will also talk with an experienced participant from Paint the Pavement, a program that promotes community building and “placemaking” through creating neighborhood art.  You can look forward to dinner from a neighborhood business, plus lots of good company from the Park.  Contact Renee to sign up.

Due to the reduction in Local Government Aid to the City of Saint Paul, the Saint Paul Public Library has been asked to reduce its 2010 operating budget by $889,240, which is 4.8 percent.  You can read more about the changes, which include reduction of hours and a 15% reduction in the collection budget, at http://www.sppl.org/news/2009/2010-budget-fast-facts.pdf.  At St. Anthony Park Library, hours are proposed to be reduced from 63 total hours per week to 48.5.  The proposal includes closing SAP on Sundays, opening at noon instead of 10am Mon and Wed, closing at 8pm Mon-Wed, and 5:30pm Thurs-Sat.

On Wednesday, January 6, 5:30 pm, the City Council will hold a public hearing on the qualifications and the examining committee regarding the new police chief selection process. There is also a city web page on the selection process at  http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=3595. Included on the web page is a flyer  announcing 2 community meetings in late February.

Are there sidewalks in your neighborhood that need to be shoveled?  The St. Anthony Park Community Council has door-hangers that act as a friendly reminder for neighbors to shovel within 24 hours after a snow fall.   The free doorhangers are available for pickup by calling 651-649-5992.

Any senior or person with disabilities in SAP can use the Senior Chore Service to find someone to shovel their walks: 651-649-5984.

The Annual Shop Home for the Holidays celebration kick-off will be this Saturday, December 5 from 9:30-5pm. The schedule of events includes our artisan village, Santa and reindeer rides at the bank, Micawber's book sale fundraiser for the elementary school, a wine-tasting at the little wine shoppe and more! Check the Bugle for more information or visit www.sapfoundation.org for a full schedule of the day's events.

We look forward to seeing you at our annual open studio and sale. Along with the great art works in glass, pottery, painting, sculpture, and crafts. There is a first floor gallery and new artists for you to enjoy!

HOURS: Friday Nov. 20, 2009 - noon to 9 pm
Saturday Nov. 21, 2009 - 10 to 7 pm
LOCATION: 2402 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114
DIRECTIONS: 2 blocks east of highway 280 on University Ave. Biggest building on south side.
PARKING: plenty of on street parking and metered parking
INFO: 651-644-4144

Every year, the district councils are asked to recommend three neighbors who have been doing outstanding work on behalf of their neighborhood. We are looking for nominations for St. Anthony Park.  Those nominated and chosen for the Honor Roll attend a dinner on their behalf along with three honorees from each of the other 16 district councils.  It's a nice event and a chance to hear about what other district councils are doing.

These are some of the neighbors we have honored over the years for their outstanding contributions to the neighborhood.