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Neighborhood Matters

Ice Cream, Peanut Butter, and Jam on September 17 will feature music by Nomad (above) and other local bands.
Upcoming meetings

UPDC Board

Wednesday, September 7
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Concordia University
Library Technology Center Room 215

Land Use Committee
Monday, September 12
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Episcopal Homes, 1860 University Ave.

Transportation Committee
Monday, September 12
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Spruce Tree Centre
1600 University Ave. W.

Neighborhood Involvement
Committee

Wednesday, Sept. 14
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Spruce Tree Centre
1600 University Ave. W.

Environment & Parks Committee
Wednesday, Sept. 21
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Merriam Park Rec Center
2000 Saint Anthony Ave.

Contact us:
Julie Reiter,
Executive Director
julie@unionparkdc.org
www.unionparkdc.org

Michael Johnson,
Community Organizer
michael@unionparkdc.org
www.unionparkdc.org

 
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Website
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Ice Cream, Peanut Butter & Jam 

Join us for this fourth annual community festival featuring free Izzy’s ice cream, peanut butter for the food shelf, and jamming to local folk music on September 17th from noon to 4 p.m. at Merriam Park (2000 St. Anthony Ave).

We'll have children's activities, local artists, businesses and organizations, food trucks, and more -- including music by local bands Eli’s Sons, Joy and Jovi, Wayward, and Nomad. Come connect with neighbors, enjoy the beauty of Merriam Park, and don’t forget your peanut butter donation.  
As one of the event activities, we'll be coloring our own Union Park coloring pages created from photos from our community. For a chance to have your image included, please send a photo that you've taken in our neighborhood to michael@unionparkdc.org by Septemer 14th!

Friendly Front Yard Festival &
Sidewalk Parade


The 1st Annual Friendly Front Yard Festival and Sidewalk Parade on Sunday, September 18th from 2-5 p.m. aims to build community one home at a time by inviting residents to create fun in their own front yards!

Join us by creating your own friendly front yard or participate in our sidewalk parade highlighting friendly fronts in the Midway. Walks will begin at 2 p.m. at Gordon Parks High School (1212 University Ave) and at 3:30 p.m. at Groundswell (1340 Thomas Ave). You'll recognize us by our accordion player!

For more information and to enter into the festival, check out: www.friendlyfronts.com The Friendly Fronts Yard Festival and Sidewalk Parade is brought to you by The Musicant GroupFriendly Streets Initiative, and Union Park District Council with funding from Knight Foundation.

Make Art at WACPAC

Come check out a mysterious storefront at 161 Snelling and help create a collaborative painting that represents our neighborhood in an abstract way, guided by local artist Emily Hoisington. This painting will become the design for a public artwork that we will later paint on the Aldine pedestrian bridge over I-94. 

People of all ages and abilities are welcome to paint with us on Sunday, October 2 from 1-3 p.m. If you are interested in being involved, contact michael@unionparkdc.org.

The WACPAC -- Whimsical Alternatives Coalition Political Awareness Coalition -- is a space hosting eclectic local art events.

What do you think?


Community Survey: As one of the 17 district councils in Saint Paul, Union Park works to inform residents on local issues, connect neighbors with resources and each other, and empower community leadership. Please complete this short survey to tell us how we’ve impacted you, and what you’d like us to focus on in the future.

Medians on Snelling: Based on resident inquiry, we're considering the desirability of adding medians along Snelling between Selby and Summit. Similar to the stretch south of Grand Avenue, the medians would allow left turns and through traffic at every other block, while providing pedestrian refuge at other crossings. Please give us your input in this brief survey.  

Parks and Recreation: And, the city's Department of Parks and Recreation is reviewing park and recreation priorities would like to learn about ways you use our parks, and how satisfied you are with them. Complete the city's survey here


Join us for a pop-up park and festival on September 24th from noon to 3 p.m. at the Jimmy Lee Rec Center, 1063 Iglehart (activities will take place on the lawn at the corner of Lexington and Concordia Ave as well as north of the highway on Lexington and St. Anthony). Art, games, food, and entertainment will celebrate the “Dignity of Work” value assigned to the Lexington bridge by the Rondo community.

Projects include a community sculpture, a temporary mural, and a mobile art museum. Come early for a book give­away and don’t miss excerpts from the new play “THE HIGHWAYMEN” by Josh Wilder about the history of I­-94’s impact on the Rondo community. 

This event is made possible by the Friendly Streets Initiative in partnership with the Lexington-Hamline Community Council, Concordia University Department of Art and Design, and the Union Park District Council.

Burglary prevention

The Western District of St. Paul has been hit hard by burglaries -- reporting 45 burglaries from 8/19 to 9/1. Over 60% of these were of garages. Saint Paul police offer these prevention strategies:

Lighting – Make sure there is sufficient lighting outside and inside your home when you are away.  Install dusk to dawn or motion lighting outside for very little cost.

Landscaping – Cut overgrowth that cover the lower part of windows where someone can break a window or screen and crawl in without being detected.

Doors and windows – Close and lock windows at night to avoid entry through cut screens, and lock doors even if you're on your property (doing yard work, etc.) Keep garage doors locked, including the service doors. 

Tools – Do not leave items such as ladders and buckets in the yard where they can be used to enter a window, and do not leave other tools out that could be used to break in.

Garage – Keep overhead garage doors closed even when working outside to avoid “advertising” what you have to steal.

Valuables – Never leave items such as purses, laptops, and wallets in front of windows or doorways where people can reach in and grab them without entering the home.

Recycling tips and tricks

Now through September 11th, recycle an old car seat at Target and get 20% off a new car seat. The Saint Paul Fire Department doesn't recommend buying or selling car seats at garage sales, Craigslist, etc. because the seat may have been in a crash and damaged, and seats expire 6 years after their manufacture date.

Did you know that you can get free household products from Ramsey County's Product Reuse Center? Common products include interior and exterior house paint, spray paint, stains, household cleaners, motor oil, antifreeze, and the list goes on. Whether you are painting your bedroom, refinishing old furniture, washing windows, or changing the oil in your lawnmower, they have free products suited to the task. Over 6,000 of your neighbors took home nearly 100 tons of free products in 2015! 

Have a broken TV tucked away in the basement closet? Or an aging laptop that doesn’t start up? It's illegal to throw these items, which often contain toxic substances, in the trash. Instead, visit RamseyRecycles.com to learn about several local recycling options for these electronic items and more. You can also call 651-633-EASY (3279), which is answered 24/7.

Discover traffic-free biking on Minnesota's biggest bike tour

The 22nd annual Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour will take place on Sunday, September 11, beginning and ending at the University of St. Thomas. Join 6,000 riders to enjoy a casual ride through the city’s traffic-free streets and parkways.
 
Choose a 15-, 32- or 47-mile route. Rest stops provide scenic views, hot coffee, cool beverages, tasty local treats, live music and more! Click here to learn more about the event and registration: https://www.bikeclassic.org/
 
St. Thomas is a proud sponsor of the bike tour, a fundraiser for the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. 


 
Our mailing address is:
1602 Selby Ave., Suite 10
St. Paul, MN 55104

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Union Park District Council · 1821 University Ave Suite 308 · S308 · Saint Paul, MN 55104 · USA

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