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Home My WebLink AboutSpring15_AboutTown_Web‘Vision Edina’ Nears Completion Page 42 SPRING•2015 Official Magazine of the City of Edina AboutTown AboutTown Volume 26, Number 2 Circulation 25,000 Spring 2015 Official Publication of the www.EdinaMN.gov City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 West 50th Street Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-826-0359 Editors: Jennifer Bennerotte & Kaylin Eidsness Contributing Writers: Krystal Caron, Jordan Gilgenbach, Lauryn Grimes, Marci Matson, Frank Petrovic, Hannah Watkins and Mary Woitte. Photographer: Michael Braun Publisher: City of Edina About Town is produced by the City of Edina. To advertise in About Town, call Barb Pederson, 612-998-7412 . Copyright 2015 by City of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. About Town is published quarterly by the City of Edina. The purpose of the magazine is to keep Edina residents informed of news, activities and programs that are important to them. We include articles of interest about our residents and community history as well. About Town is printed on recycled paper to conform to City conservation guidelines. “Kayaking Down Minnehaha Creek.” Cover photo by Steve Timmer. Table Of Contents Calendar Of Events ..............................................................1 Spring Calendar Highlights ................................................4 A Word From The Mayor ...................................................5 Remembering George Mikan: The Laker Superstar Next Door .........................................6 It’s Not Only Neighborly ... It’s The Law .......................12 City Of Edina To Flush Hydrants ....................................14 Utility Boxes Are Works Of Art In Edina .......................16 Tin Fish Opening In Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse .....................................................18 Edina’s ‘Days Of Remembrance: From The Armenians To The Holocaust’ ..........................................22 Veterans Memorial To Open On Memorial Day ...........24 Entries Accepted For 12th-Annual Photo Contest ........26 Edina Public Schools Facility Improvements On May 5 Ballot ........................................................................30 More Than $100,000 Donated To City In 2014 ...............34 Heritage Preservation Board Seeks Nominations For Award ...................................................36 Retiring VEAP Director Leaves Legacy ..........................38 ‘Vision Edina’ Enters Final Phase ....................................42 Pamela Park Construction Nears Completion ...............46 Planning Matters ................................................................48 Business Notes ....................................................................50 The Last Word ....................................................................54 Te a r H e r e Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 No classes for Edina Public Schools. 2 No classes for Edina Public Schools. 4 p.m., Public Art Edina Working Group, Edina City Hall. 3 No classes for Edina Public Schools. 4 5 6 7 6:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., La Dolce Vita Jazz, Edinborough Park. 8 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Environmental Forum, Edina High School. 9 Noon, Mary Hall Show for Pipsqueaks, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 10 11 10 a.m., The Author’s Studio featuring Kristy Abbott’s “The Ghosted Bridge,” Edina Art Center. 12 7 p.m., St. Louis Park Community Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 13 7 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 14 5 p.m., Vision Edina Open House, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 15 7 p.m., Edina High School spring theater production, Edina High School. 17 7 p.m., Edina High School spring theater production, Edina High School. 18 7 p.m., Edina High School spring theater production, Edina High School. 19 1 p.m., Days of Remembrance: From the Armenians to the Holocaust, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Southside Big Band, Edinborough Park. 20 21 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Jazz Bands Concert, Edina High School. 7 p.m., Honeywell Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 22 5:30 p.m., Grandview- former Public Works Site Open House, Edina Senior Center. 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 23 4:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., South View Middle School Musical, South View Middle School. 24 6 p.m., Countryside Elementary School Carnival, Countryside Elementary School. 7 p.m., South View Middle School Musical, South View Middle School. 25 1 p.m., South View Middle School Musical, South View Middle School. 1 p.m., Willard Ikola Presentation, Edina Historical Society. 28 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 2726 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. April 2015 29 7 p.m., Current Jam Choir Concert, Edina High School. 30 4:30 p.m., Taste of Edina, Westin Galleria. 7 p.m., Current Jam Choir Concert, Edina High School. 16 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Edina High School spring theater production, Edina High School. About Town Calendar 2015 SPRING • 1 Te a r H e r e 2 • SPRING 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 6:30 p.m., Braemar- City of Lakes Figure Skating Club Spring Show, “Skating Passport to the World,” Braemar Arena. 7 p.m., Current Jam Choir Concert, Edina High School. 2 1 & 7 p.m., Current Jam Choir Concert, Edina High School. 4:30 p.m., Normandale School Carnival, Normandale French Immersion Elementary School. 3 7 p.m., Richfield Symphonic, Edinborough Park. 4 7 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 6:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 5 Edina Public Schools Bond Referendum Election; polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 6 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 Noon, Wendy’s Wiggle Jiggle & Jam, Edinborough Park. 4 p.m., Public Art Edina Working Group, Edina City Hall. 8 9 10 7 p.m., Northern Winds Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 11 12 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 13 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 15 7 p.m., Edina High School Choirs Happenin’ Concert, Edina High School. 16 7 p.m., Edina High School Choirs Happen’ Concert, Edina High School. 17 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Edina High School Concert Band Concert, Edina High School. 18 19 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Brooklyn Community Band, Edinborough Park. 20 21 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Edina High School Varsity Symphonic Band Concert, Edina High School. 22 23 26 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 25 Memorial Day. City Hall closed. 10 a.m., Veterans Memorial Dedication, Utley Park. 24 31 May 2015 27 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 28 4:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 29 14 Noon, Story Time with Joey the Mini Horse, Edinborough Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 30 About Town Calendar 3 • SPRING 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 6:30 p.m., Community Health Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 3 7 p.m., Good News Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 4 4 p.m., Public Art Working Group, Edina City Hall. 5 6 1 7 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 8 7 p.m., Southside Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 9 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 10 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 11 Noon, Will Hale and the Tadpole Parade, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall. 12 13 14 7 p.m., South of the River Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 15 7 p.m., School Board, Edina Community Center. 7 p.m., Edina Chorale, Centennial Lakes Park. 16 Noon, Bob the Beachcomber, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., City Council, Edina City Hall. 17 19 8:30 a.m., Braemar- City of Lakes Figure Skating Club competition, Braemar Arena. 20 8:30 a.m., Braemar- City of Lakes Figure Skating Club competition, Braemar Arena. 21 7 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 22 7 p.m., Jazz on the Prairie, Centennial Lakes Park. 23 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 24 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Star of the North Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 25 4:30 p.m., Arts & Culture Commission, Edina City Hall. 26 27 30 29 7 p.m., Brio Brass, Centennial Lakes Park. 28 7 p.m., St. Louis Park Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. June 2015 18 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. About Town Calendar Key: 3-7 p.m., Farmers Market, Centennial Lakes Park. 4 • SPRING 2015 Spring Calendar Highlights Other Dates To Remember April 2 Noon, Kid Power with Rachel – Music & Animal Show, Edinborough Park. April 16 Noon, Snap Dragon Seeds, Edinborough Park. April 23 8 a.m., Edina Senior Wellness Fair, Centennial Lakes Park. April 23 7 p.m., Edina High School Orchestra Concert, Edina High School. May 2 6:30 p.m., Braemar-City of Lakes Figure Skating Club Spring Show, “Skating Passport to the World,” Braemar Arena. May 12 7 p.m., Valley View Middle School Jazz Band Concert, Valley View Middle School. May 15 7 p.m., Brio Brass, Edinborough Park. May 21 Noon, Mister Jim, Edinborough Park. May 31 7 p.m., Edina High School Commencement, University of Minnesota Mariucci Arena. June 9 Noon, Jack Pearson storytelling and music, Centennial Lakes Park. Edina Garden Council Plant Sale What: This popular plant sale sponsored by the Edina Garden Council (EGC) offers flowering annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, combination hanging baskets and containers. Great deals can be found on the many winter-hardened perennials that EGC members bring from their gardens. Proceeds from the plant sale are donated for Arneson Acres Park improvements, horticultural scholarships and gardening beautification projects for the community of Edina. When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 8; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9 Where: Arneson Acres Park Greenhouse, 4711 W. 70th St. Info: www.edinagardencouncil.org Edina Art Fair What: The 50th & France Business & Professional Association will host the 49th-annual Edina Art Fair. One of the top fine art fairs in the nation, the event draws tens of thousands to downtown Edina each year. Featured art will include drawing, painting, ceramics, pottery, glass, jewelry, photography, sculpture and wood. The event will also feature live entertainment and food. When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, June 5; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 7 Where: Downtown Edina, 50th Street and France Avenue Info: 952-922-1524 or www.edinaartfair.com Edina Senior Wellness Fair What: The Edina Fire-Rescue & Inspections and Police departments will present, along with others, about fire, injury and fraud prevention and the importance of physical fitness and good nutrition. Businesses from around the community will be on location with valuable information and products. The cost is $10 per person. When: 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23 Where: Hughes Pavilion at Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S. Info: 952-833-9570 or www.EdinaMN.gov/SeniorCenter A Word From The Mayor 2015 SPRING • 5 Planning is paying off for Edina taxpayers. Like any successful organization, the City gives weight to its planning efforts. Before the 2014-2015 budget was prepared, the City Council set six strategic priorities for those years. Halfway through the two-year budget cycle, we have made great progress toward meeting the goals. Some of those accomplishments include: Infrastructure. Significant improvements have been made to the parking ramps and streetscape at 50th & France to better support our thriving downtown. France Avenue at 66th, 70th and 76th streets was improved for pedestrians and bicyclists. Missing sidewalk connections on the east side of France were also added and new lights will be erected this spring. Seven neighborhood street reconstruction projects were completed in 2014. This year, four neighborhood street reconstruction projects are slated. Portions of 54th Street and Valley View Road will also be reconstructed. The fourth phase of the Edina Promenade will be built. Commercial and Mixed-Use Development. In 2015, the City intends to implement the long-term community vision for the Grandview commercial area, beginning with the former site of the Public Works facility on Eden Avenue. We also hope to adopt a small area plan for the commercial area at Wooddale Avenue and Valley View Road. The City approved a number of significant commercial projects in the past year. Those projects include 71 France, Aurora on France, The Onyx and Continental Gardens. We continue to do what we can to support the redevelopment of Pentagon Park. Workforce. Attracting and retaining top professionals is key to the success of our local government. Several new directors have been hired in the past year, including Engineering Director Chad Millner, Police Chief Dave Nelson, Finance Director Eric Roggeman and Fire Chief Tom Schmitz. Other new staff who are very visible in the community include Chief Building Official David Fisher and Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joe Abood. Communication and Engagement. A new mobile app, Edina To Go, was launched. The City began publication of the newspaper insert Edition: Edina. A monthly online discussion is moderated at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. The City’s email subscription service, City Extra, was moved to a new easier- to-use and robust platform. Several neighborhoods have gone through the process to become recognized by the City. The next Quality of Life community survey will be conducted this spring or summer. Community Vision. Along with consultant Future iQ Partners, the City has worked over the past year to update its long- range strategic plan and create a vision for a more connected community in the decades to come. Draft reports of “Vision Edina” are now available. The Council hopes to adopt a vision later this spring. Aviation Noise. The City played a significant role in the effort to convince the FAA to defer implementation of RNAV procedures that may have resulted in more aviation noise heard by Edina residents. We were also successful in getting the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to do some baseline aviation noise in our community. We joined N.O.I.S.E. and regularly participate in MAC’s Noise Oversight Committee. 2014 was a busy year and the list of projects and accomplishments is long. 2015 is shaping up to be more of the same. Our focuses in 2016 and 2017 will be focused redevelopment, stability of our enterprise facilities, intergovernmental relations and transportation. We are now working to set objectives for those priorities and will share them with you later this year. James B. Hovland MayorTe a r H e r e Te a r H e r e A Word From The Mayor 2015 SPRING • 5 Planning is paying off for Edina taxpayers. Like any successful organization, the City gives weight to its planning efforts. Before the 2014-2015 budget was prepared, the City Council set six strategic priorities for those years. Halfway through the two-year budget cycle, we have made great progress toward meeting the goals. Some of those accomplishments include: Infrastructure. Significant improvements have been made to the parking ramps and streetscape at 50th & France to better support our thriving downtown. France Avenue at 66th, 70th and 76th streets was improved for pedestrians and bicyclists. Missing sidewalk connections on the east side of France were also added and new lights will be erected this spring. Seven neighborhood street reconstruction projects were completed in 2014. This year, four neighborhood street reconstruction projects are slated. Portions of 54th Street and Valley View Road will also be reconstructed. The fourth phase of the Edina Promenade will be built. Commercial and Mixed-Use Development. In 2015, the City intends to implement the long-term community vision for the Grandview commercial area, beginning with the former site of the Public Works facility on Eden Avenue. We also hope to adopt a small area plan for the commercial area at Wooddale Avenue and Valley View Road. The City approved a number of significant commercial projects in the past year. Those projects include 71 France, Aurora on France, The Onyx and Continental Gardens. We continue to do what we can to support the redevelopment of Pentagon Park. Workforce. Attracting and retaining top professionals is key to the success of our local government. Several new directors have been hired in the past year, including Engineering Director Chad Millner, Police Chief Dave Nelson, Finance Director Eric Roggeman and Fire Chief Tom Schmitz. Other new staff who are very visible in the community include Chief Building Official David Fisher and Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joe Abood. Communication and Engagement. A new mobile app, Edina To Go, was launched. The City began publication of the newspaper insert Edition: Edina. A monthly online discussion is moderated at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. The City’s email subscription service, City Extra, was moved to a new easier- to-use and robust platform. Several neighborhoods have gone through the process to become recognized by the City. The next Quality of Life community survey will be conducted this spring or summer. Community Vision. Along with consultant Future iQ Partners, the City has worked over the past year to update its long- range strategic plan and create a vision for a more connected community in the decades to come. Draft reports of “Vision Edina” are now available. The Council hopes to adopt a vision later this spring. Aviation Noise. The City played a significant role in the effort to convince the FAA to defer implementation of RNAV procedures that may have resulted in more aviation noise heard by Edina residents. We were also successful in getting the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to do some baseline aviation noise in our community. We joined N.O.I.S.E. and regularly participate in MAC’s Noise Oversight Committee. 2014 was a busy year and the list of projects and accomplishments is long. 2015 is shaping up to be more of the same. Our focuses in 2016 and 2017 will be focused redevelopment, stability of our enterprise facilities, intergovernmental relations and transportation. We are now working to set objectives for those priorities and will share them with you later this year. James B. Hovland MayorTe a r H e r e Te a r H e r e Remembering George Mikan: The Laker Superstar Next Door 6 • SPRING 2015 By Marci Matson Contributing Writer In the 1950s, children in the Rolling Green Neighborhood liked to play basketball with one of the fathers who lived on Knoll Drive. Tall, gangly and bespectacled, the young dad struggled to keep the ball away from his tiny defensemen. Little did they know they were playing with one of the greatest basketball players who ever lived: George Mikan, center for the newly formed Minneapolis Lakers. The 6-foot-10 athlete had little difficulty keeping the ball away from his opponents on the court, much less his young neighbors, but he held back to make them feel like champions, recalled Virginia Seegmiller, who got to know the Mikan family when she was a nanny in the neighborhood. “He was one of the most down-to-earth people I ever met. You would never know – other than his height – that he was a professional basketball player.” Mikan was not just any basketball player. He “truly revolutionized the game and was the NBA’s first true superstar,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern after Mikan’s death in 2005. “He had the ability to be a fierce competitor on the court and a gentle giant off the court. We may never see one man impact the game of basketball as he did, and represent it with such warmth and grace.” Humble Beginnings Even at the height of his fame, Mikan never forgot his roots growing up in a working-class neighborhood of Joliet, Illinois. He lived with his two brothers, parents and grandparents above the family bar and restaurant, Mikan’s Tavern. Born in 1924, Mikan grew up in the Great Depression and played basketball with a beach ball that had the valve taped down. Today, the tallest kid in the room would be an obvious pick for basketball, regardless of his natural talent, but back when Mikan tried out for his high school team, he was considered too tall for the game. Coaches dismissed tall players as too awkward and slow to excel at basketball. The description seemed apt for Mikan, who shot to 6 feet 4 inches by age 11 but was so clumsy that he shattered a knee when he tripped over a basketball and spent a year and a half in bed to heal. However, Mikan was determined to play and tried out for his high school team. Not only was he handicapped by his height, he was cut because he wore thick-lensed glasses for his extreme nearsightedness. In an era when contact lenses Mi n n e s o t a H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y C o l l e c t i o n “This plaque near the entrance of the house leaves no doubt about who lives inside and what the man of the house does for a living,” stated the caption from Minneapolis Sunday Tribune’s Feb. 18, 1951 Picture Magazine. 2015 SPRING • 7 were uncommon, glasses put even talented players out of contention because of their poor peripheral vision. Meeting Babe Ruth But Mikan could shoot – marbles, that is. He boasted that he could “dot the ‘i’ in his name at 40 paces” with his shooter, and he put that skill to the test at a county-wide marbles tournament when he was 10 years old and won the first-prize trip to see the Chicago White Sox play the New York Yankees. In a prophetic moment, Mikan met Babe Ruth. Both would later be named the top players in their respective sports in a 1950 Associated Press poll of sports writers and broadcasters. No one could have predicted in 1934 when he got a baseball autographed by “Mr. Baseball” that Mikan would later be known as “Mr. Basketball.” Coach Meyer’s ‘Project’ In 1942, when Mikan enrolled at Chicago’s DePaul University, he stood at 6 feet 10 inches and 245 pounds. He was a big man at a time when big men weren’t valued in basketball, but coach Ray Meyer saw potential in the shy freshman who stooped to disguise his height. A combination of dancing lessons, punching bag work and jumping rope transformed Mikan into a more confident and coordinated athlete. Meyer also put Mikan through hours of shooting so he could score with either hand. The exercise is still known to this day as the “Mikan Drill.” Meyer’s project paid off. Mikan used his height to great advantage by standing under the basket and blocking shots over the rim. His strategy was so successful that the NCAA later outlawed goal tending. Mikan’s dominant play would continue to transform the game throughout his career, leading to rule changes and bringing credence to the big men in basketball. “Without No. 99, there is no me,” said former L.A. Lakers star center Shaquille O’Neal, referring to Mikan by his jersey number. At 7-foot-1 and 325 pounds, O’Neal often credits Mikan with changing the style of play to allow big men to excel at the game. Mikan Signs With Lakers By the time Mikan graduated, he was such a known talent that he signed a five-year contract with the Chicago Gears, which folded after his first year from 1946 to 1947. Max Winter, who would later own the Vikings, and the then 25-year-old Minneapolis Tribune sportswriter Sid Hartman (continued on next page) Co u r t e s y o f D e n n i s S c h u l s t a d ’ s c o l l e c t i o n The future “Mr. Basketball” meets “Mr. Baseball,” Babe Ruth, in 1934. 8 • SPRING 2015 worked to bring the celebrity player to the newly formed Minneapolis Lakers. An oft-told story says that the negotiations ended with Mikan deciding against the move to Minneapolis from his Chicago-area family. Hartman, who was assigned to drive Mikan back to the airport, pretended to get lost so that Mikan would miss his flight. Given another day to sell themselves, the Lakers got their star center who would lead them to six national titles in seven years. On the way to the championship in the Lakers inaugural season, Mikan led the league in scoring with an unheard of 1,195 points. In a departure from the early days of basketball, the Lakers relied on three big men: Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen and Jim Pollard, who would also call Edina his home. ‘The House that Mikan Built’ When Seegmiller met Mikan and his wife, Pat, they were living in a new 17-room house in the newly developed Rolling Green Neighborhood. The house was featured in a 1951 Picture Magazine of the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Mikan in his blue Lakers uniform with 99 on his chest promoted the article inside: “The House That Mikan Built.” A recent high school graduate from the tiny town of La Porte, Minnesota, the 17-year-old Seegmiller (then Conant) answered an ad in the paper to be live-in help for Willard and Joanne Burnap, who lived across the street from the Mikans. She became friends with the Mikans’ nanny, another small-town girl caring for three Mikan sons. “I had already seen the Mikan house on the front page of the Sunday magazine,” Seegmiller said, “so when I walked in, I felt like I had already been there.” The magazine featured several photos of the home, custom built by contractor Carl M. Hansen to accommodate Mikan’s great height. The new Edina resident was pictured standing in the 7-foot high doorway to his dining room to demonstrate that the house was built so that Mikan did not have to “stoop when going from room to room.” Another photo showed Mikan sprawled on a nine- foot davenport, a luxury for the player who traveled to games scrunched into short train bunks and cramped in small airline seats. As the Tribune reported, “The ‘king’ of basketball, George Mikan of the Minneapolis Lakers, has built himself a castle. Well almost. It’s a sumptuous, two-level rambler with some 17 rooms,” including five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a large living room, dining room, kitchen and breakfast nook, a den, amusement room, billiards room and a laundry. The $40,000 home was impressive but “it was a place where you could feel at home,” Seegmiller said. “It was a place for family, not a showplace.” Co u r t e s y o f D e n n i s S c h u l s t a d ’ s c o l l e c t i o n George Mikan poses with the other big men of the Lakers, Jim Pollard (left) and Vern Mikkelsen (right). 2015 SPRING • 9 Patrick Mikan told a Timberwolves staff writer that his memories of growing up in the house during the peak of his father’s popularity meant “playing ball outside the house, putting on George’s uniform at home and the piles of tennis shoes and basketballs sitting by the door.” While the home was built to be lived in, the Mikans entertained often and invited the Lakers and their families, prominent neighbors and business owners like the Naegeles (of billboard company fame) and the McGlynns (who owned a bakery chain), news broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and others. “George and Patty just adopted me and treated me like one of the family,” said Seegmiller, who fondly remembers going out to dinner with the Mikans and being treated to Lakers games. The house reflected George’s hobbies when he was off the court. The amusement room featured an upright piano for the accomplished pianist who entertained his guests at parties. Mikan posed for photos swinging a golf club as well as chalking up pool cues with his builder Carl Hansen, whom he would continue to socialize with as neighbors. Carl’s nephew Harvey would get to serve as ball boy at Lakers games. The five bedrooms soon would fill up with children. Larry, nearly 3, and Terry, age 2, (pictured in the magazine story) would be joined by Patrick, Michael, Tricia and Maureen. St. Patrick’s Parishioner Long months on the road limited Mikan’s ability to get involved in community life, with one exception – his church. A devout Roman Catholic, Mikan attended mass regularly at St. Patrick’s Church or various churches when on the road. Parishioners remember seeing the tall man seated at the back pew so he could stretch his long legs out into the aisle. Mikan incorporated the sign of the cross into his free throw shooting ritual, and it soon became his trademark. Globetrotter Marques Haynes told a story about seeing the Pope make the sign of the cross and the guy next to him asked what the gesture meant. Haynes replied, “I don’t know, but I think he’s going to shoot a freethrow.” Other players may have kidded him, but Mikan took his Catholic faith seriously and sought special dispensation to eat meat on the night of big Friday night games. His older (continued on next page) Mi n n e s o t a H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y C o l l e c t i o n Picture Magazine showed the Mikan family in the breakfast room. 10 • SPRING 2015 children attended Catholic school Benilde-St. Margaret’s. His daughters graduated from Edina Public Schools. Although crowds gathered around Mikan on the road to ask for his autograph, he was given his privacy when he was home in Minnesota, said friend retired Brigadier Gen. Dennis Schulstad. “He couldn’t walk down the street anywhere else in the country, but people around here gave him his space.” ‘Mike and Ike’ In 1956, Mikan announced his retirement after a bruising nine years of basketball that had taken a toll on his body and his private life. With months on the road, he felt he was a stranger to his growing family. After failed salary negotiations with owner Max Winter, Mikan left the team to become an attorney. That same year, the 31-year-old was convinced to run for Congress. No one expected him to take the seat away from the Democratic stronghold, but if anyone could win from sheer name recognition alone, it was the popular George Mikan. True to form, Mikan kicked off his campaign by shooting baskets with kids at campaign stops. Several times a day, he stopped at suburban street corners with a sound truck carrying a basketball hoop and “Elect Mikan” signs. Youngsters in his crew knocked on doors and rounded up kids to shoot hoops with “Mr. Basketball” to spread the word about his candidacy. Mikan met President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Minneapolis Wold-Chamberlain airport. “Mike and Ike” campaigned together; it’s hard to say who was more famous. However, Eisenhower won his second term in office and Mikan lost by a slim margin. Growing House For Growing Family His bad knees and nagging pain from injuries affected the Mikans’ decorating decisions. Every square foot of flooring in the home was covered in carpet, including the kitchen and the bathroom to provide a cushion for Mikan as he walked through his home. In 1966, the Mikans remodeled their kitchen to make it “big enough to feed a basketball team,” but this time instead of hosting the Lakers, the Mikans planned for their “team” of growing boys – Larry, 18, Terry, 17, Patrick, 14, and Michael, “Without you, there would be no me,” L.A. former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal signed a photo of him with the pioneer of the game, George Mikan. Co u r t e s y o f D e n n i s S c h u l s t a d ’ s c o l l e c t i o n 2015 SPRING • 11 10 – and “cheerleaders” Tricia, 7, and Maureen, 3. The Star Tribune featured the home, touting its gold carpet and countertops, kelly green refrigerator and patterned cushions in green, gold and pumpkin – the popular colors of the 1960s and 1970s. The kitchen overlooked the swimming pool and patio installed in 1959, the site of many kid gatherings. In 1966, fire damaged part of the home and Mikan showed his appreciation every year by sending a gift to the Edina Fire Department, according to former Fire Chief Bob Buresh’s daughter, Diane Harrison. The gesture was typical of Mikan, who taught his children to treat others well. “I’ve got one word that describes my dad, and that’s kindness,” Terry Mikan said after his father’s death. “Whenever he would make a toast at a family function, dad would ask us to raise our glass to kindness, and that’s the type of man he was.” Memorialized In Bronze After the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, fewer people remembered the basketball pioneer George Mikan. “When people ask ‘who is George Mikan?’ to me it’s like asking ‘who is Babe Ruth?’” said Schulstad, who grew up in awe of the basketball star. Mikan had a hand in bringing basketball back to Minnesota, and Schulstad – then a Minneapolis City Council Member– suggested that the state honor its legendary player at the new Timberwolves court. After corporate sponsor Target got the name for the arena, Schulstad came up with the idea of a statue immortalizing the player wearing his No. 99 uniform and wearing his trademark spectacles. Now an Edina resident, Schulstad remembers the dedication at center court on April 8, 2001, as one of the greatest moments of his life. The 77-year-old Mikan, confined in a wheelchair after a leg was amputated as a result of diabetes, was surrounded by all of his living Lakers teammates, as well as many other legends of the game. In his career, Mikan was showered with many accolades, from being named “Mr. Basketball” to being among the inaugural inductees of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The private party at Schulstad’s Edina home the night before the dedication was perhaps among the most meaningful; the tribute near the end of his life became an outpouring of love from his teammates, friends and family. Mikan’s accomplishments are well documented, but the statue serves as a reminder to young fans as they stream past to watch the Timberwolves play, Schulstad said. The plaque reads in part: “So every young hoopster, every NBA superstar and every fan stop for a moment and remember George Mikan who made it all possible.” After Mikan died on June 1, 2005, Schulstad delivered a eulogy to his friend in front of the statue of him shooting his trademark hook shot. Information in this story used tax assessor records from the Edina Historical Society collection, new interviews with retired Brig. Gen. Dennis Schulstad and Virginia Seegmiller, and several news stories. Information on Mikan’s childhood came from Michael Schumacher’s 2007 book Mr.Basketball: George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers, and the Birth of the NBA. Marci Matson is Executive Director of the Edina Historical Society. 12 • SPRING 2015 It’s Not Only Neighborly … It’s The Law The Law: Minnesota State Statute 169.18 Motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians using the roadway except under stated scenarios. What It Means: • Motorists must stop behind all marked crosswalks or intersections to allow pedestrians to cross safely. • Where traffic signals are not in place or operation, motorists shall stop to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection with no marked crosswalk. The motorist must remain stopped until the pedestrian has passed the lane in which the vehicle is stopped. The Law: Minnesota State Statute 169.222, Edina City Code Chapter 26, Article X, Section 26-282. Traffic laws apply. Every person operating a bicycle shall have all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle. What It Means: Like any other drivers, bicyclists must abide by all traffic laws, including: • Bicyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic. • Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it is dark. A rear-flashing light may be added. • Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to each other. • Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner. The Law: Minnesota State Statute 169.21 Pedestrians shall be subject to traffic-control signals at intersections, but in all other places shall be accorded the privileges and shall be subject to the restrictions stated in Sections 169.21 and 169.22. What It Means: All pedestrians are subject to traffic laws, but are given special privileges in certain instances, including: • Between adjacent intersections at which traffic signals are not in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk. • Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection with no marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to all motorists on the roadway. • No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is too close for the motorist to yield. For more information, contact the Edina Police Department, 952-826-1610. – Compiled by Lauryn Grimes Motorists Bicyclists Pedestrians 2015 SPRING • 13 Knowing How to Choose Wisely Many years ago I was at a Home and Garden Show. I was struck with pictures of great work at a particular booth – great design and outstanding detailing so I decided to take a closer look. The sales person approached me and I complemented him on their work. But as we spoke, the sales person wasn’t able to talk about the projects as thoroughly as I would’ve expected. So I asked him: “did your company design and build this work?” He said “well, no.” Puzzled, I thought: why would they show work they didn’t do? So I asked him, and he replied: “This work is not so hard to do, it’s just some drywall and…” Well, I knew that wasn’t really true. But it got me wondering, how many homeowners would know? Do they even know the right questions to ask? So how do you choose the right designer and builder for your project? There are a lot more than pretty pictures or an attractive price that make up a successful remodel or new home project. Homeowners are faced with a challenge of Perception vs. Reality. Before you start planning the details of your project, choose the proper approach that suits your project first. There are generally five to choose from: 1. Do it yourself (Typically smaller fix up projects, a simple deck, or a homeowner choosing to act as their own general contractor.) 2. Tailgate Remodeler (Typically a “handyman,” smaller remodels and fix-up work.) 3. Owners Representative (Organizes your project for a fee, you write the checks directly for sub-contracted labor and for all materials.) 4. General Contractor (A construction company directed by a homeowner or design professional to build a project.) 5. Design/Build (An Integrated design and build team functioning with a single point of accountability or the outcome of the project.) You likely won’t be satisfied with the process and/or the result if you choose an approach that doesn’t fit your needs. So to help homeowners in the community learn the advantages and disadvantages of each, we’re offering a “Lunch ‘n Learn” seminar. Visit our website, mapeterson.com to sign up. Or call 952-925-9455. Spots can fill up quickly, so take this opportunity to learn from our 36 years of experience. Please keep sending in other questions for future topics in About Town Magazine. There are a lot more than pretty pictures or an attractive price that make up a successful remodel or new home project. “ “ Mark Peterson is owner and lead designer of M|A|Peterson, an Edina-based design and build company. - ADVERTISEMENT- 14 • SPRING 2015 To purge rust and stagnant water from the water distribution system and identify hydrants in need of maintenance, the Utilities Division of the City of Edina’s Public Works Department will begin flushing hydrants in late April and early May. Random hydrants are also flushed throughout the year as weather and water demand allow. Hydrant-flushing will take place 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. In an attempt to minimize the impact on residents, hydrants will be flushed on the east side of Minnesota Highway 100 the week of April 27, and will be flushed on the west side of the highway the week of May 4. Due to the hydrant flushing, it is inevitable that some residents will receive rust-colored water that could stain laundry, but is safe to drink. You should check for signs of discoloration prior to washing clothes. If the water is discolored when you turn on your tap, simply run the water until it is clear. Because the water system is a “single-pressure zone,” it is possible that red water problems will occur in any area of the City while flushing is occurring. For more information regarding hydrant flushing, call the Utilities Division at 952-826-0375. City Of Edina To Flush Hydrants Coverage for backups of sewers and basement drains is available, but not always included in a basic homeowner’s insurance policy. In addition, insurance companies that do offer the protection have varying amounts of coverage. Check your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if you have coverage for backups. If you do not have coverage, consider adding to your policy because in most cases the City is not liable for damages and provides only limited coverage. D O YOU have insurance for sewer back-up s? Check your policy today! ? 2015 SPRING • 15 Celebrating 22 Years of Dance Excellence www.victoriadance.com (952) 835-7497 EDINA’S PREMIERE DANCE STUDIO 7109 AMUNDSON AVE. Training Minnesota’s Top Dancers Since 1993! Enroll Today! VDP offers high energy classes with PROPER technique! TAP l JAZZ l CLASSICAL BALLET l LYRICAL l MODERN l HIP HOP CREATIVE MOVEMENT l MUSICAL THEATER l DANCE LINE 16 • SPRING 2015 Utility Boxes Are Works Of Art In Edina By Krystal Caron After beautifying 66th Street and Valley View Road with one last fall, Public Art Edina, a working group of the Edina Arts & Culture Commission, is looking for additional opportunities to install utility box wraps. “We would like to have this be a showcase for artists in Edina. This is just one whimsical way that we can [highlight the artists by] saying this utility box was wrapped by this Edina artist,” said Public Art Edina Chair Barbara La Valleur, who noted the City will look for additional artist submissions for utility boxes this year. The wrap on 66th and Valley View was designed by Public Art Edina Working Group member and owner of Lidke Advertising & Design, Mark Lidke, and was installed by Unleashed Productions out of Minneapolis. Lidke is a professional graphic designer with over 30 years in the field. “Knowing winter was just around the corner, I wanted the design to be a reminder that, ‘Yes, flowers will eventually bloom again!’ It’s a splash of color on those grey winter days,” said Lidke. “Public Art Edina hopes people enjoy it. Our plan is to have a call for entries go out to other Edina artists so each box will be represented by a different artist.” The City of Edina owns 13 utility boxes and the Public Art Edina Working Group hopes to install additional art wraps when the covers are due for replacement. The next box will likely be at the corner of 50th Street and Wooddale Avenue since it is scheduled to be replaced this fall. “The box at 66th and Valley View has received a great reception,” said Edina Art Center General Manager Michael Frey. “We work in conjunction with [Public Works Director] Brian Olson and Public Works so that we are aware of boxes that have reached their life expectancy and are scheduled to be replaced.” Olson finds this relationship to be a win-win. He explained that in addition to the improved aesthetics, the wraps serve a valuable purpose. Since the wraps are resistant to paints and other types of vandalism, they can easily be wiped clean, saving the City money on vandalism repairs. “It is a collaborative effort between the Public Works Department and the Arts & Culture Commission,” said Olson. “They select the artwork and the benefit that Su b m i t t e d P h o t o Owner of Lidke Advertising & Design Mark Lidke designed the first utility box art wrap installed in Edina. Sylva Zoraqi REALTOR® Edina Realty Office: 952-924-8739 50th & France Cell: 612-710-8081 SylvaZoraqi@edinarealty.com SylvaZoraqi.edinarealty.com 2015 SPRING • 17 [Public Works] sees is that if vandalism occurs … you don’t have to repaint – you can just wipe it off.” Frey is also happy with the durability of the wrap materials. The artwork has withstood a very cold and snowy winter with no issues. “I drive by the box two times a day and it looks perfect; no damage,” said Frey. “The wrap is a pretty high- strength industrial wrap they use for buses and billboards and holds up very well in bad weather.” Since the wrap at 66th and Valley View has been such a success, Public Art Edina looks forward to the chance to install additional boxes. La Valleur stressed that public art in Edina is made possible through donations from community members and art lovers. Each utility box costs between $550 and $750 to wrap. To donate to Public Art Edina, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/epac-yourart. To express interest as an artist, contact Frey at 952-903-5729 or mfrey@EdinaMN.gov. For more information about Edina Public Art, visit www.EdinaPublicArt.org. Tin Fish Opening In Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse 18 • SPRING 2015 By Krystal Caron As part of the many upgrades that Braemar Golf Course will see during this upcoming season, the clubhouse will soon be home to the Twin Cities’ second Tin Fish location. Tin Fish, a casual seafood restaurant, has called Lake Calhoun home for 11 years and expects to open the doors to its Braemar Golf Course location on April 1. “[We] brought them in because they’re going to add energy to the facility,” explained Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joe Abood. “They have a good customer base that they’ll be bringing from Lake Calhoun and it’s just going to upgrade our food service all the way around.” The City oversaw demolition of the space and handed management of the construction over to Sheff and Athena Priest, owners of Tin Fish. “The new location at Braemar will differ from our Lake Calhoun location in that we will have the opportunity to extend our season since we [will be] inside a four- season building,” said Sheff Priest. “We look forward to helping the City of Edina revitalize Braemar Park into a community destination for golfers and non-golfers alike.” Despite Tin Fish’s seafood-rich menu, the restaurateurs will also offer traditional golf fare and quick-order foods such as club sandwiches and hot dogs. In addition to the restaurant upgrade, the clubhouse entrances and ballroom will also be upgraded. Those improvements will complement the look and style of the upgrades made for Tin Fish. The clubhouse was built about 50 years ago, though it has seen a number of additions and small enhancements over the years. The most recent update came in 2004 when $500,000 was spent to add new restrooms to the lower level, a fireplace to an expanded banquet room and updates to the Harry Cooper Lounge. This remodel will be the first overall indoor update that most areas have seen since it was built in 1963. “[The clubhouse updates are] more of a facelift, brightening the space and using more energy-efficient lighting. It’s very dark and dated right now,” said Abood. “We’ll probably do some finishes to the ceilings to Ph o t o b y M i c h a e l B r a u n Sheff and Athena Priest, owners of Tin Fish, are opening their second location at Braemar Golf Course this season. (continued on page 20) 2015 SPRING • 19 Driving Range To Be Updated In addition to the clubhouse updates, the driving range and executive course at Braemar Golf Course will see $1.8 million in upgrades. Work will begin after the Fourth of July holiday and is expected to be complete by the late spring of 2016. “The underlying reason to do the entire project was … to expand the driving range to create a bigger teeing surface and a farther, longer driving range,” explained Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joe Abood. “In order to do that, we had to expand out into the executive course, [making the executive course a par three course].” The teeing area of the driving range will nearly double and the overall length will extend to about 300 yards long, with added target greens. To make room, the layout of the current executive course will also be adjusted. Presently, the course has five holes on the southwest side of Hilary Lane with the remaining four on the northeast side. After adjustments have been made to the course, only two holes will remain on the west side of the road – Holes 1 and 9. The revised course will have two altogether new holes created (Holes 3 and 4) with other holes reconfigured to minimize sand hazards and forced carries over wetlands and open water. These changes will result in larger greens with softer and more accommodating holes for all different types of golfers. The wetlands and buffer areas will also be improved and expanded as part of the construction. Improved irrigation is also planned. To accommodate golfers during construction, Braemar will offer several options. The Braemar Golf Dome will open over the summer and a shorter course has been created on the Clunie 9 to accommodate similar play to the executive course. Abood explained that the length will be comparable, though cart specials will be available for patrons who don’t want to walk the full area. For more information contact Abood at 952-903-5754 or jabood@EdinaMN.gov, or visit the Braemar Golf Course blog at www.Blogs.EdinaMN.gov. BRAEMARCeud MileFailte 20 • SPRING 2015 brighten the wood and do something to a lot of the brick columns to brighten those up.” Abood also noted that curtains and carpets will be updated throughout the clubhouse. City costs for all clubhouse updates, including the Tin Fish addition, are expected to be around $415,000. Abood hopes that the updates to the clubhouse will bring in a new crowd, as well as appeal to existing patrons. To supplement the already large patio area, the renovations will include the addition of an enclosed patio in front of the clubhouse. Abood and the Priests expect to see a large walk-up crowd taking advantage of the patios and open- air seating. “While most of the spaces around [Edina look out over traffic or a parking lot], this one will be looking out over a green space,” Abood said. “We feel that Tin Fish is a perfect fit for Braemar given our history of going into a public facility with a new concept. [We will] generate a vibrant and thriving presence, which is welcoming to everyone,” said Priest. For more information, contact Abood at 952-903-5754 or jabood@EdinaMN.gov. Information about Tin Fish can be found at www.tinfishmpls.com. With you every smile of the way. General dentistry for the entire family | New patients welcome Early morning & evening appointments | Saturdays are for children Preferred provider for most insurance companies. Call or request your appointment online. 6545 France Ave. S, Suite 390, Edina, MN 55435 952-926-3534 | parkdental.com Ann M. Thiele Burt, DDS Walter F. Teske, DDS Sandra R. Nelson, DDS Annette G. Dunford, DDS Camille M. Jensen, DDS C M Y CM MY CY CMY K EdinaOnTheGoAd-Alex2.pdf 1 2/23/15 9:58 AM 2015 SPRING • 21 IntroducingU.S. Bank FlexPerks® American Express® Cards. See how FlexPoints go farther. Apply today at your local Edina U.S. Bank branch or visit ﬂexperks.com. The creditor and issuer of the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards American Express Card is U.S. Bank National Association pursuant to a license from American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. © 2014 U.S. Bank National Association. All rights reserved. 22 • SPRING 2015 To mark Edina’s fifth-annual Days of Remembrance program, the City of Edina will host “Days of Remembrance: From the Armenians to the Holocaust” from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at Edina City Hall. The community event is sponsored by the City of Edina’s Human Rights & Relations Commission (HRRC) in partnership with World Without Genocide. “The City of Edina is committed to remembering those who perished and to protecting human rights for all people. Edina’s Days of Remembrance event, initiated by a local resident, aims to raise awareness and understanding for those whose lives and cultures have changed forever as a result of the Holocaust and other genocides,” said HRRC Chair Jan Seidman. “The goal of the annual event is also to encourage our residents to reflect and act on the need for respect of all people.” In 2011, an Edina resident asked that the City of Edina organize an event to honor survivors, rescuers and liberators of the Holocaust. In response, the City Council approved a proclamation to annually acknowledge the National Days of Remembrance. Since then, Edina’s HRRC has organized and presented the annual event to remember and honor victims and survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides. This year, the City will host the Days of Remembrance program in conjunction with the State of Minnesota’s Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. The Days of Remembrance program will have three components. To begin the event, Ellen Kennedy, member of the HRRC and Executive Director of World Without Genocide, a human rights organization, will speak about denial of the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust. She will discuss what happens to a person and culture when the tragedy that befell them is not acknowledged? How do survivors and witnesses move forward and find justice, either through legal means or through efforts to find truth and to reconcile with the past? Through these questions, Kennedy will examine the denial of the Armenian genocide. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, an area we now call Turkey, during World War I. More than 1.5 million innocent men, women and children were starved to death or murdered. Edina’s ‘Days Of Remembrance: From The Armenians To The Holocaust’ Su b m i t t e d P h o t o Protesters in Turkey march against the denial of the Armenian genocide. 2015 SPRING • 23 “When Hitler was contemplating the extermination of the 11 million Jews of Europe, he was asked how he thought he would be able to accomplish such a feat. He replied, ‘Who today remembers the Armenians?’ There are no [longer any] survivors of the Armenian genocide … and the few remaining Holocaust survivors are elderly,” said Kennedy. “When we have no more survivors and no more witnesses, how do we understand what happened, and more critically, how do we use that information to prevent future genocides?” This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This program will examine these questions in the single most important way: through the in-person testimony of a survivor. Holocaust survivor Dora Eiger Zaidenweber will share the personal story of her family’s incarceration in a Polish ghetto, imprisonment at Auschwitz, transfer to Bergen-Belsen and liberation. She will talk about her efforts to inspire the public to take important steps to reduce discrimination and hate. She also will have copies of her family memoir, Sky Tinged Red, available for purchase. A play, “Upstanders: Saving Armenians and Jews,” will conclude the event. At Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, Israel, more than 25,000 people from around the world are recognized as “righteous among the nations:” those who risked their lives to save Jewish friends, neighbors and even strangers. Only four of these “righteous among the nations” were Americans, while 24 were Armenians. They had experienced the Armenian genocide and fled to countries throughout Europe. When the Nazis targeted the Jews, these courageous Armenians paid it forward to save them. This play tells their stories and invites others to become upstanders for human rights. The April 19 event is free and open to the public. Lawyers can receive two standard continuing legal education (CLE) credits ($35 fee), peace officers can receive two peace officer standards and training (POST) credits ($35 fee) and educators can receive two “clock hours” at no cost. Registration is not required in advance. For more information about legal education credits, contact World Without Genocide, 651-695-7621. For more information about the City of Edina’s Days of Remembrance observance, contact HRRC Staff Liaison MJ Lamon at 952-826-0360 or MLamon@EdinaMN.gov. Minnesota Center, Suite 270 I 7760 France Avenue South l Minneapolis, MN 55435 ISC FINANCIAL ADVISORS Helping you achieve your financial goals. TOM GARTNER, MSAPM, CFP® Wealth Manager ISCﬁnancialadvisors.com 952-835-1560 24 • SPRING 2015 Veterans Memorial To Open On Memorial Day By Krystal Caron This Memorial Day, Utley Park in Edina will be home to a new veterans memorial that pays tribute to the 32 native and adopted sons of Edina who paid the ultimate price to protect our nation’s freedom. A dedication ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. May 25 in Utley Park at the corner of Wooddale Avenue and West 50th Street. “The Edina Veterans Memorial will be a place to reflect and honor all Edina residents who have served our country. For the past four years, a group of dedicated committee members have worked to make this memorial a reality,” said former Recreation Supervisor Kristin Aarsvold, who served as staff liaison to the Veterans Memorial Committee. The dedication ceremony will include remarks from elected officials, as well as Veterans Memorial Committee Chair Richard Olson and area veterans. In addition, the Committee plans to organize a gun salute, color guard and the singing of the national anthem. The memorial will consist of a V-shaped granite plaza, emblematic of “victory,” leading up to a bronze eagle and flag sculpture above a wall featuring the names of Edina soldiers who gave their lives in service to the United States since Edina’s founding. Three illuminated flagpoles will also be placed at the edge of the plaza, proudly displaying the American flag, state flag and a white-on- black POW flag to honor troops in captivity or missing in action. The site has already made significant progress toward completion. The footings, landscaping, electrical, irrigation and granite pavers have all been installed. “The sculpture has been completed and will be installed in the spring with the granite base,” explained Aarsvold. “It’s very exciting to see the progress and we look forward to seeing the finished memorial in time for the Memorial Day Dedication Ceremony.” The Veterans Memorial Committee organized fundraising for the memorial and reached its goal of $450,000 through the contributions of private donors, community organizations and state grants. Over $196,000 in private cash donations was raised, including a $100,000 contribution from Dave Frauenshuh and his family and Su b m i t t e d I l l u s t r a t i o n The Veterans Memorial opening on Memorial Day at Utley Park will feature an eagle and flag sculpture and granite memorial wall engraved with the names of Edina residents who died in service of their country. Cosmetic, Family & Sports Dentistry, PA Dentistry with eye on today a vision for tomorrow..!& Call us at 952-922-9119 www.yoursmiledocs.com DR. DOUGLAS L. LAMBERT, DDSDR. SANDRA HOUCK, DDS ELIZABETH A. LAMBERT, DDS 2015 SPRING • 25 $20,000 from the Edina Rotary Foundation. In addition, the Edina City Council approved $39,461 in City funds, the State of Minnesota issued a Legacy Fund grant in the amount of $9,900 available upon completion of the project and the State Legislature issued a general matching grant in the amount of $225,000. “We want to thank the community, individual donors, the Edina Community Foundation, the City of Edina, the State of Minnesota and any other individuals who have helped to make this memorial possible,” said Olson. “The Veterans Memorial Committee looks forward to having this opportunity to recognize the veterans of Edina.” For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/VeteransMemorial. Stango Parkes Yuroz Markes 612-338-4333 www.jsgalleries.com jsg@jsgalleries.com Monday - Saturday, 10am - 6pm 4811 Excelsior Boulevard • St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Hart Mario Sukhum Munier Dr. Seuss Wilkinson Rembrandt Thorpe Personal Cheffor hire: Italian & French Specialties Planning • Shopping • Prep and Service • Clean-upLuis [References available upon request] FOR SCHEDULING OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: emilypederson@comcast.net 612-251-0651 ENTERTAINING MADE EASY, EXCELLENT, AND SPECIAL! 26 • SPRING 2015 Entries Accepted For 12th-Annual Photo Contest From ice skating at Centennial Lakes Park, sledding at an Edina park, dining at one of Edina’s restaurants to simply walking the dog – the opportunities to snap a photo that captures the essence of Edina are endless. The 12th-annual photo contest, sponsored by the City’s Communications & Technology Services Department, is now accepting entries. The contest is free to enter and open to both amateur and professional photographers who live, work or go to school in Edina. For the fifth year, Edina Magazine is a co-sponsor, allowing entrants to submit their photos online at www. edinamag.com. Category winners, “Best in Show” winner and “Readers’ Choice” winner will receive gift certificates to local restaurants or businesses. Winners will also receive plaques, be recognized at a City Council meeting and have their work displayed for up to two years at Edina City Hall. Photos may also be published in issues of Edina Magazine or City of Edina publications such as About Town. Photos can be submitted online through June 15 at www.edinamag.com. Readers can vote for their favorite photos from June 16 to July 17. ‘Images of Edina’ Photo Contest Rules For a complete list of official rules, contest criteria and to submit your photos, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/ PhotoContest or www.edinamag.com. Photos must have been taken in Edina, and should be entered in one of five categories representing the City’s vision statement: • Living: People • Living: Plants/Wildlife • Learning • Raising Families • Doing Business Photographers may submit up to five photographs with a maximum of one per category. Only photos taken between June 13, 2014 and June 15, 2015 are eligible. All submissions must be the original work of the submitting photographer. Fi l e P h o t o Timothy Macht’s photo “Silky Streams” won Best in Show in the City’s 2014 Images of Edina Photo Contest. 2015 SPRING • 27 West 50th & Vernon Avenue at Hwy. 100 952-920-3996 www.washburn-mcreavy.com Family Owned & Operated Since 1857 EDINA CHAPEL FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES STANDUP PADDLEBOARDS 5015 Penn Avenue S. Minneapolis 612-925-4818 www.scubacenter.com We’ve got everything you need: boards, paddles, and accessories. PLUS a staff of knowledgeable experts to get you started. All photo entries become the property of the City and Edina Magazine. By submitting one or more photos, photographers must agree to the terms of the City’s Submitted Photo & Original Artwork Policy, found online at www.EdinaMN.gov/PhotoContest. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/ PhotoContest or contact Communications Coordinator Jordan Gilgenbach at jgilgenbach@EdinaMN.gov. Design your ownBusiness Cards& Postcardswith our NEW Online Ordering System! 952-920-1949 facebook.com/jerrysprintingedina Enter Promo Code: AT10 when ordering and receive 10% off! Visit: www.jerrysprinting.com 28 • SPRING 2015 1INSALES # FIFTEEN YEARS RUNNING CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE 2015 SPRING • 29 Jeff and Diane Anderes 952-927-2842 Winnie Crosbie 612-741-9556 Diane Eldredge 612-310-3812 John Everett 952-927-1646 Mark Granlund 612-803-8129 Ruthann Holetz 952-927-1624 Cindy Jarvis 612-600-4119 Gary Judson 612-859-4863 Mary Greig Krieter 612-719-0665 Jane Larson 612-720-1048 John MacKany 952-927-1163 Francy Matson 612-865-3549 John McDonald 952-927-1197 Kim Melin 952-201-4758 Jane Oelfke 952-200-5712 Jude Dugan Olson 952-927-1186 Aaron Ouska 612-940-8020 Ginna Raming 952-210-8342 Kevin Ries 952-927-1196 Tom & Erick Ries 952-393-6600 Margie and John Sampsell 952-927-1195 Danya Spencer 952-237-6611 Josh Sprague 612-501-0252 Jim Starr 612-247-5898 Michael Tierney 952-927-1676 Susan Wahman 952-927-1114 Chris Willette 612-388-8828 Dan Willette 952-927-1694 Find us at edina6800.edinarealty.com Find us at edina50thandfrance.edinarealty.com EDINA 6800 FRANCE EDINA 50TH & FRANCE Pam Aagaard 952-261-7576 Dave Anderson 612-750-2209 Babette Bean 952-924-8722 Meg Boehne 952-240-4417 Megan Brinkman 612-802-5057 Stephanie Chandler 612-599-7107 Krysta Clark 612-644-3173 Morgan Clawson 612-810-5793 Sheila Cronin 952-915-7951 Karen Daly 612-751-0663 Alli Deckas 612-306-3735 Amy Deckas 612-735-7430 Chad Eckert 612-590-3090 Lisa Eckert 952-915-7964 Mark Kouatli 612-708-8400 Kyle Litwin 612-803-5595 Brad and Amy McNamara 952-924-8785 Tom and Meg Meyers 952-924-8712 Andy and Teresa Mitchell 612-242-4514 Elizabeth McKevitt Perez 952-500-1500 Sandy Remes 612-791-1094 Marcia Russell 612-965-7997 Margaret Shaw 952-928-9810 Linda Smaby 612-325-7972 Kris Waggoner 612-965-3655 Martha Webb 612-384-4413 SALES By Mary Woitte, Edina Public Schools Communications Manager In the world of school architecture, the current design of Edina Public Schools (EPS) buildings is referred to as “cells and bells.” It is the educational model that most adults experienced and has been the model since the days of country schools. The bell rings and students file into rectangular rooms with rows of chairs designed for teaching by lecture and learning by listening. In 2012, the district began implementation of its Next Generation of Edina Public Schools Strategic Plan. The plan focuses on ways to build on past successes while continuously improving the learner experience. However, teaching to the future in schoolrooms of the past makes learning difficult. On May 5, the district will ask the community to weigh in on this strategic vision with a $124.9 million facilities referendum. The Next Generation Facilities Plan includes improvements to facilities district wide, touching every one of its 10 buildings with renovations, enhancements and construction of new spaces. District officials believe these improvements will position the district to meet current and future learning needs, advance the district’s strategic efforts and maintain the community’s investment in its schools. “We now know that students learn in many different ways, and while lecture works for some, it does not work for others,” said Superintendent Ric Dressen. “We also know that businesses today put a high premium on creativity and team work. We need Edina graduates to be prepared for post-secondary opportunities, careers and lives that will look very different from our own.” The facilities proposal includes projects that fall into three categories: enhancing building security, investing in district infrastructure and advancing Next Generation Learning Spaces. By creating controlled entrances and installing security technology at every school, which represents about 6 percent of the total proposal, district officials believe that aging facilities would be better designed for today’s world. Approximately 13 percent is slated for maintaining the district’s infrastructure, including: improvement of 30 • SPRING 2015 Edina Public Schools Facility Improvements On May 5 Ballot Su b m i t t e d P h o t o On May 5, the district will ask the community to weigh in on its strategic vision with a $124.9 million facilities referendum. outdoor playing surfaces, addressing accessibility and safety concerns of outdoor athletic and competition spaces, and construction of an updated transportation services building since many of the newer buses do not fit into the current structure. The majority of referendum funding will address the needs of Next Generation Learners, from early childhood through high school as well as adult learners in the community. Renovations, reconfigurations and additions of academic and activity spaces at all sites represent about 81 percent of the total proposal. The goal is to create a variety of adaptable spaces to address multiple styles of learning and teaching, as well as accommodate future grade level reconfigurations of the middle and high schools. While the district plans to retain some of its traditional classrooms, the proposal, which is aligned with the district’s Next Generation Strategic Plan, has sparked numerous conversations among students, teachers and parents about what could be. Mark Wallace, a continuous progress teacher at Highlands Elementary, imagines combining traditional classrooms into a “learning studio.” Instead of small groups of students sitting outside the classroom amid hallway traffic and puddles tracked in by snow boots, there would be “breakout spaces” with sections of the studio enclosed by glass walls for use by small groups or for independent study, yet still easily supervised by teachers. For the district’s youngest learners, proposed renovations to the first floor of the Edina Community Center (ECC) would create an expanded early childhood center, with dedicated spaces for family education, special education, preschool and school readiness programs. “This would allow us to serve more of our community’s 3- and 4-year-olds, which is a critical age for learning readiness,” said Valerie Burke, Director of Community Education Services. In addition, Burke noted that the proposed renovations and additions throughout the district would not only serve students in Grades K-12, but also support lifelong-learning opportunities for adults. “The spaces can be easily adapted to accommodate after- school programs and evening programs for kids and adults, serving our entire community of learners,” she said. The Edina community has long supported the school district’s facilities improvement with approved bond referendums about every 10 years. The 2015 referendum will be the first request since 2003 for these types of improvements. A recent community survey indicated that the majority of Edina residents believe it is time to once 2015 SPRING • 31 (continued on next page) again invest in the district’s bricks-and-mortar resources, the average age of which is 40 years old. As with the district’s strategic plan, the theme of the facility plan is a focus on learning. “The physical environment of our buildings should be driven by the learning needs of our students, not the other way around,” said Dressen. “Those needs have changed as the world continuously evolves and we need to change, too, to ensure a relevant education for our Next Generation students. We don’t want Edina students to just ‘go to school’ – we want them to have a well-rounded learning experience.” To read more about the district’s Next Generation Facilities Proposal, visit www.edinaschools.org/referendum2015. 32 • SPRING 2015 In Edina since 1961, serving Christian families with an outstanding education built upon a rich, biblical world view. Visit today! Call to arrange a school-day visit that ﬁts your schedule. Kindergarten through 8th grade CALVIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL www.calvinchristian.org 952-927-5304 4015 Inglewood Ave. S. www.calvinchristian.org 952-927-5304 Stephane CattelinGRI, e-PRO, CIPS, TRC The InternationalApproach to Real Estate Serving the Edina French-American Community Realtor/Agent Immobilier Minneapolis Lakes Office SaCattelin@CBBurnet.com612-924-4352 Office612-703-8229 Mobilewww.StephaneCattelin.com Owned and Operated by NRT Incorporated 2015 SPRING • 33 Red Cross Baby Sitter Tra i n i n g C o o k i n g • D r iver’s Education • Gymnastics Global Languages Basketball • Global Aw are ne s s S c i e n c e • S N A G Golf • Lunch Buddies • Cre ati n g C o d e • D i g i t a l F ilm Red Cross Baby Sitte r T r a i n i n g C o o k ing • Driver’s Educatio n • G y m n a s t i c s G lobal Languages Bask e t b a l l • G l o b a l A wareness Science • SNAG Golf • Lunch Family Offerings Health Life Skills Technology Aquatics Fitness Hobbies Crafts Food Edina Community Education Youth summer enrichment opportunities extend thro ugh august 14, 2015 For more information on classes and camps, KIDS Club, WISE Guys, SURGE and other opportunities, visit www.edinacommunityeducation.org or call 952.848.3952 34 • SPRING 2015 The City of Edina is the fortunate recipient of many donations each year that improve its parks and programs, adding to the quality of life enjoyed in the community. In 2014, more than $100,000 in donations was received. “Edina residents show their support for their community in many ways. Some give their time. Some give their money. We are fortunate here to receive ample amounts of both,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “Gifts help us keep Edina’s quality of life high and our taxes low – a combination that all cities try to achieve.” The largest donation to the City in 2014 was an heirloom clock for Centennial Lakes Park donated by the Edina Rotary Foundation in honor of the City’s quasquicentennial. The handmade clock was dedicated in July and chimes on the hour. Those who made donations of $500 or more to the City in 2014 were: Lisa and Neil Benson Electric kiln for Edina Art Center Browndale Park Association Two trees for Browndale Park Edina Community Foundation Framing of photos in the Braemar Arena lobby Edina Rotary Foundation Heirloom clock at Centennial Lakes Park Edina Swim Club Ultraviolet light disinfection system for Edinborough Park swimming pool Karol Emmerich 100 clumps of daylilies for City flower beds Cal Ripken Jr. Autographed jersey and photograph for Parks & Recreation Department Snuffy’s Malt Shop Breakfast for 100 people for Wooddale/Valley View small area plan workshop Nancy Ward Equipment and glazes for the pottery studio at the Edina Art Center Ralph Schleuter $500 to the Edina Art Center in honor of Mildred Schlueter Edina Community Foundation $613 for Night to Unite expenses Macy’s Southdale $616.76 in improvements at Yorktown Community Garden Dow Chemical Foundation $1,000 for recycling containers at the Parks & Recreation Department’s edible playground More Than $100,000 Donated To City In 2014 2015 SPRING • 35 N.C. Little Memorial Hospice $1,000 to the Police Department Edina Crime Prevention Fund $1,500 in transportation services for summer Playgrounds program Fairview Hospitals and Clinics $1,700 to the Parks & Recreation Department N.C. Little Memorial Hospice $2,000 to the Fire-Rescue & Inspections Department Doug Polish $2,000 to the Police Department Edina Garden Council $2,300 in flowers for Edina Veterans Memorial and Arneson Acres Park Pinstripes $2,500 for Public Art sculpture exhibit opening reception Dow Chemical Foundation $3,000 to the Fire-Rescue & Inspections Department Edina Community Foundation $5,000 to Parks & Recreation Department from Donald Nyrop Memorial Fund Edina Federated Women’s Club $5,000 legacy grant for a sculpture garden Cedars of Edina $6,000 in materials for Hazelton Road roundabout Edina Baseball Association $6,200 for dugout fence renovation at Braemar Park Edina Community Foundation $8,000 for Grant-in-Aid for Parks & Recreation programs USA Hockey Foundation $10,000 for books and videos in the Coaches’ Resource Room at Braemar Arena Edina Crime Prevention Fund $15,000 for K-9 expenses in 2013 In addition to accepting donations for general programs and activities like those listed above, the City is working to develop a tree and park bench donation program and fundraising campaign for sculptures at Braemar Arena in 2015. For more information on donations made in 2014, contact City Clerk Debra Mangen, 952-826-0408. To donate to a City department or program this year, contact the Communications & Technology Services Department, 952-826-0359. Heritage Preservation Board Seeks Nominations For Award 36 • SPRING 2015 By Krystal Caron A historic home on the west side of Edina, built through the direction of (Frank) Lloyd Wright Jr., was named the 2014 Heritage Award recipient. Now the City’s Heritage Preservation Board is asking residents to submit nominations for the 13th-annual Heritage Award. The Heritage Award is given to a deserving local business, person or neighborhood for achievements in preservation or restoration. The Award was established in 2003 to showcase preservation within the City. Any individual, company or organization is eligible for the award, including non-residents, but the historic property or resource must be located in Edina. Current members of the Heritage Preservation Board and past recipients are not eligible. Senior Planner Joyce Repya, who serves as staff liaison to the Heritage Preservation Board, encourages residents to recognize notable Edina landmarks and properties. “The Heritage Award provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate a property in the community that has not only embraced its past, but also maintained its vitality into the future,” she said. The property recognized in 2014 was commissioned in 1950 by Arthur Erickson. Erickson and his brother Alfred Su b m i t t e d P h o t o The Arthur Erickson House, owned by Brian and Linda Tell, was the recipient of the 2014 Edina Heritage Award. 2015 SPRING • 37 ran a petroleum business called Erickson Brothers, which has now grown to become Holiday Stationstores. The current home owners, Brian and Linda Tell, have made every effort to preserve the home at 5501 Londonderry Road, but due to the aging house and unique designs maintenance hasn’t been easy. Despite that, the Tells have preserved the integrity of the original design while still adding modern amenities like a home theater system and a remodeled kitchen. “No expense was spared in this house,” said Linda Tell. Even details as simple as the lattice on the light screen are intricate. “Whenever I have maintenance or someone come in, they’re always [taken aback] because this was built in the 1950s before computers and before all of the technology to help make all these cuts.” In addition to the Arthur Erickson House, previous winners include Southdale Center, the Convention Grill, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, a colonial revival home in the Edina Country Club District, the Coddington House on Blake Road, Edina Morningside Community Church, the historic Sly Farmhouse on Brookview Avenue, the Morningside Neighborhood, Edina Cinema for its iconic sign and the Baird House on West 50th Street. Award nominations are due 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8. Nominations can be submitted online at www.EdinaMN.gov/heritage-awardform. Submissions should include the address of the resource; description of its preservation or restoration; and the name and address of the owner. A photo should also be included. Entries can also be mailed to Edina Heritage Award, Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. The award will be presented at the Edina City Council Meeting during National Preservation Month in May. For more information, contact Senior Planner Joyce Repya at 952-826-0462 or jrepya@EdinaMN.gov. Spring is busting out all over. Is your driveway? www.hageconcrete.com612-861-4243 CONCRETE WORKS TechniCrete.The only concrete with a lifetime, no-crack guarantee. 38 • SPRING 2015 Retiring VEAP Director Leaves Legacy By Jordan Gilgenbach Susan Russell Freeman cares a great deal about the communities in which she works. As her 39-year career ends as Executive Director of Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP), her life’s focus continues to be helping those in need. “I’m always looking to see what’s next,” Freeman said. “I’ve been thinking about retirement for some time, and now is the right time for me.” An Illinois native, Freeman attended Marquette University and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare. Once she graduated, Freeman had a short stint at United Way before someone approached her in 1976, looking for a person to direct and lead the newly formed VEAP on a part-time basis. Freeman has led the organization through tremendous growth. She has seen VEAP’s annual revenue rise from $3,000 in 1976 to about $2.7 million in 2013, and annual volunteer hours increase from 1,800 hours to more than 64,000 hours. “There are a lot of great people in the community,” Freeman said. “The key is to recruit those with the skills and talent and challenge them to rise.” “[Freeman] is one of the superb non-profit directors in the region, and has led and grown VEAP to have increasing importance to our community and residents. She has grown the organization to a level that few likely expected nearly 40 years ago,” said Edina Mayor Jim Hovland. “The City’s support of VEAP over the years is due in large part to her leadership qualities and how she has grown it to effectively serve our residents.” A major accomplishment was VEAP’s transition from a food shelf. What began in a church closet is now a newly opened facility where more than 300,000 pounds of food is distributed to nearly 10,000 low-income residents every month. “It’s really astounding what it takes for that kind of growth over that time,” said Jean Berry, President of VEAP’s Board of Directors. “When [Freeman] started with VEAP, it served 70 people per month.” Ph o t o b y M i c h a e l B r a u n Retiring VEAP Executive Director Susan Russell Freeman was instrumental in increasing VEAP’s donations and volunteers in her 39-year career. 2015 SPRING • 39 “Our services are meant for the working poor and low- income – those 200 percent below or at the poverty level,” Freeman said. An annual income of about $23,000 per year for a family of four is considered poverty, according to the State of Minnesota. In Edina, more than 1,500 individuals, or about 3.3 percent of the City’s population, are below the poverty level, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The recession in the late-2000s had a challenging effect on VEAP, which saw fewer volunteers and donations, but a higher need. Freeman said the low-income were hit the hardest. “The people VEAP serve [during a recession] are often the first to see problems and the last to see benefits in an upturn,” she said. “The poor are not getting less poor, and the [income] gap only gets bigger.” Freeman and VEAP’s ultimate goal is to stabilize people for the long-term, but also to assist those with immediate needs. Following a staff restructure in 2008 and new building in 2013, she said the organization is in a good place to continue that goal. “We changed how we do some things and are constantly evaluating how to see the outcome,” Freeman said. “2014 was the final spurt for collaboration with Human Services with Hennepin County. 2015 is about growing programming in outcomes, not outputs, and doing more follow-ups.” Freeman said VEAP has four licensed social workers on staff. In the last several years, new programs have been added, including a school program, summer lunch program and a nutrition education program in partnership with the University of Minnesota and General Mills. “[Freeman’s] energy and innovative thinking has made VEAP a leader in providing services that directly and positively impact low-income neighbors in our community,” said Patty Schulz, Advancement Director at VEAP. “She has made VEAP’s mission of ‘neighbors serving neighbors in need’ come to life.” Freeman credits the success of these programs, and of VEAP itself, to the staff, volunteers, supporters and communities which it serves. “[Freeman] is very good at what she does, and it allows us to do good for the community. It really takes a special kind of person to now be at the level of service she has taken us to,” Berry said. “The Board and the volunteers appreciate what she has done for the communities.” “Edina has been very supportive,” Freeman said. “My joke and motto has always been, ‘I don’t know anything, I just know someone who does.’ I use my capability to find good people and the right people that help to make the organization a success.” “Volunteers are here because they care,” she added. “They want their neighbors housed, fed, to have and to return to dignity.”(continued on next page) 40 • SPRING 2015 She said the time is right for retirement. “All the pieces are in place. With the strategic focus, I’m confident another leader could take [the organization] forward,” Freeman said. In retirement, Freeman plans to “keep on” with her interest in the fields of hunger and poverty in some way. “I don’t use my free time well,” she joked. “I’m very fortunate to have a wonderful group of friends and the ability to travel, but I will always be somehow involved. I live in the community and see the challenges.” A transition team, made up of board members, is working with a search firm to fill Freeman’s position. For more information, visit www.veapvolunteers.org. Stan Brown+Associates, LLC Job Search+Career Coaching Assessment Strategy Powerful Tools Fulfilling Results 6908 Antrim Road, Edina, MN 55439 Phone: 952-943-0718 • Mobile: 612-296-9129 stan@stanbrown.us www.stanbrowncoach.com Assisting people in transition since 1992. When it comes time to make your most important financial decision, trust an expert. Experience the Bell Mortgage Difference. Ramona Jenkins Senior Loan Officer NMLS ID 264221 Direct: 952.905.5558 www.ramonajenkins.com 2015 SPRING • 41 70th & Cahill (952) 944-5770 www.FlowersOfEdina.com $10 off any order over $40 Local area only. Not valid with other offers. Expires Jan. 1, 2015 Voted Best Florist in Edina for the past 5 years!Flowers of Edina Exceptional 24 Hour Personal At-homeAdultAssistance&Care NURSING HHA’S COMPANIONS 612-708-1079 www.adulthelpcare.com Assisting throughout the Twin Cities. Insured s Licensed s Dependable Expires July 1, 2015 SOUTHDALE Y FREE WEEK PASS $0 ENROLLMENT, $150 SAVINGS *OFFER EXPIRES 4/23/2015 x FREE DROP OFF CHILD CARE x 190+ GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES x SWIMMING & FAMILY POOL x FULLY EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER x ALL AGES & FITNESS LEVELS To activate pass - contact Karl 952 897 5476 karl.wilbur@ymcatwincites.org ‘Vision Edina’ Enters Final Phase By Lauryn Grimes After months of preparation and surveying, the City’s broad-based and inclusive community visioning project, Vision Edina, is finally nearing its final phase. The project, which began last fall, was created to build on the work that was undertaken 15 years ago with Vision 20/20. The City began its exploration with two “think- tank” workshops in September and continued to gather feedback through December with a series of public sessions and privately hosted workshops. The information gathered was analyzed and compiled into a Draft Strategic Vision and Framework Report and Community Engagement Report that were presented to the City Council in January. “Vision Edina represents a fresh look at the future for the City of Edina, and has presented a unique opportunity for the community to come together and explore the longer- term future,” said Future iQ Partners CEO David Beurle, the consultant on the project. “The community and City of Edina stands poised before some significant choices about future trajectory and outcomes. The Vision Edina process has allowed nearly 600 stakeholders to participate in a meaningful and intelligent discussion about further options and implications.” The Community Engagement Report outlines the entire Vision Edina process from start to finish, including background research, survey results, data analysis, characteristics, the importance of defining a vision and more. The Draft Strategic Vision and Framework Report is a summary of the draft strategic vision and framework for the City as outlined by data collected throughout the surveying process. It identifies key features important to the community, analyzes data and proposes an avenue on how to evaluate the best vision for Edina. According to Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt, these documents will be key in the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Capital Improvement Plan and other long-term planning documents and efforts. The report identified five features that define the future community of Edina: Inclusive and Connected The community of Edina embraces its diversity, promotes a healthy demographic mix and values contributions from all residents. Edina offers an appealing mix of residential development and transportation of all kinds that seamlessly link the community all while being able to retain the unique character of each neighborhood. Built-to-Scale Development Edina has worked hard to create a long-term Comprehensive Plan with the right balance between renewal and progress that promotes and encourages innovative ideas and fosters partnership between the community and developers to result in the best long-term outcome. The City’s commercial and retail base has been 42 • SPRING 2015 VISIONEDINA enhanced through the formation of additional mixed-use locations within neighborhoods. The planning procedures and policies that have been developed allow the character of Edina neighborhoods to be protected and enriched and make it so local development directly reflects the aspirations of these neighborhoods and their residents. Sustainable Environment Edina takes its responsibility for the environment very seriously and has implemented recycling, energy efficiency and water management systems to reduce the City’s overall environmental impact while significantly increasing efficiency. Planning efforts have incorporated the best-proven standards of sustainable building and environmental stewardship. The community continues to cherish and protect the City’s public spaces and parks. They have been further enhanced to build biodiversity and natural ecosystems which support and purify Edina’s natural environment. A Community of Learning Edina has an extremely engaged community where residents share the responsibility for decision making and working collectively toward common goals. The City recognizes and appreciates the value of its education system and never tires in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Future-Oriented Community members are continually looking ahead and working to remain competitive, relevant and innovative. City leaders and organizations are actively involved in regional leadership. Edina is willing to use its fortunate position, resources and expertise to employ new ideas and technology. In addition to the five key features, the report covers strategic focus areas, including residential redevelopment, transportation, commercial development live and 2015 SPRING • 43 Data collected during the Vision Edina process can be manipulated online to give those interested an opportunity to analyze the data in a unique way. (continued on next page) work popularity, education, population, environmental stewardship and regional leadership. “It’s hard to understate how pervasive Vision Edina is going to be in Edina’s city government,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “Once the final vision work is approved by our elected officials, it’s going to influence our strategic planning, operations, budgeting, zoning and other city government policies. It’s going to fundamentally shape how we see the future of Edina.” Mayor James Hovland quoted Danish physicist Niels Bohr, “‘Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future,’” he said,’… There has been great community investment of time and considered thought in this endeavor and I think all involved have appreciated the complexity of trying to define a preferred future and the actions necessary to keep us moving on a pathway of continued community success.” “On behalf of Future iQ Partners, I would like to thank the Council, City staff and residents for an intriguing, thought- provoking and thoroughly enjoyable planning initiative,” said Beurle. “It has been our pleasure to partner with the City of Edina on this vitally important project.” Following feedback gathered in spring, the City Council will adopt a final version of the vision statement at a meeting in May. The draft strategic vision and framework report and community engagement report are available at www.EdinaMN.gov/vision. Join the conversation about the City’s visioning process at an open house 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 in the lobby of City Hall or contribute online at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/vision or contact Kurt at 952-826-0415 or kkurt@EdinaMN.gov. 44 • SPRING 2015 Home Rehab Funds For Qualified Edina Home Owners You may qualify for up to $30,000 to make repairs or necessary improvements to your Edina home through Hennepin County Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program. This program provides deferred repayment funds on a first-come-first-served basis to people who can show financial need. If you would like to receive information, income guidelines, qualification summaries, interest rates, and applications, please call Jim Graham at Hennepin County Housing, Community Works and Transit, 612-348-2235. Dozens of Edina residents have protected the value of their homes by using this program. If your primary residence is located in Edina and needs repair or structural improvements, please give Jim a call.CITY OF EDINA PLANNING DIVISION 2015 SPRING • 45 MORE ARTS & CRAFTS EdinaLiquor.com Every Purchase You Make Supports Public Art, Music and the Edina Art Center All Your Favorite Brands Three Convenient Locations Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff 46 • SPRING 2015 Pamela Park Construction Nears Completion By Hannah Watkins After taking a hiatus over the winter, construction workers will finish improvements at Pamela Park this summer. “Among many of the great changes made to the park [is a new] shelter building, which is exciting for the community,” said Assistant Parks & Recreation Director Susan Faus about the $3.37 million project. The new shelter building will include a storage area for use by athletic associations and the Parks & Recreation Department, restroom facilities, a fireplace for ice skaters to warm up by in the winter, a kitchenette and work space, as well as a room for the community to utilize for neighborhood gatherings and special occasion rentals. RJM Construction is overseeing construction of the project, and has worked with the City in the past on construction of the Hornets Nest, Braemar Golf Dome and Braemar Field. “They have done great work for us and their familiarity with the City, our requirements and our staff has definitely helped us to complete several large and successful projects,” said Parks & Recreation Director Ann Kattreh. Other renovations being made to Pamela Park include the conversion of the north field to a sand peat field; changing the senior lighted field to an artificial turf field; the addition of paved trails around the park; the expansion of the parking lots on the north, west and south sides of the park and more. With such significant renovations being made to Pamela Park, community members are excited to benefit from these changes and begin using the park to its full potential. Jeff Northrop is one of those who can’t wait for construction to be complete. “Over the years, these fields had gotten into very poor condition and were bordering on unsafe in some areas, so Su b m i t t e d R e n d e r i n g Su b m i t t e d R e n d e r i n g This 3-D rendering illustrates the interior of the future shelter at Pamela Park. Construction of the park shelter should be complete this summer. 2015 SPRING • 47 6600 France Ave. Suite 310 General Dentistry Let us improve your smile! Schedule an appointment www.Markjjohnsondds.com or call 952-941-1911 Creating Beautiuful Smiles for 30 Years! Mark J. Johnson, DDS *Mention this ad for a complimentary initial exam the Pamela Park initiative has massive impacts for soccer in Edina,” said Northrop, who’s a member of the Park Board’s Pamela Park Working Group and also works on strategic field planning for Edina Soccer Club (ESC) and Edina Soccer Association. “The new turf will give ESC a quality training site for our senior teams. We can also play games there, which is a great benefit,” said Northrop. For more information, contact Faus at 952-826-0431 or visit www.EdinaParks.com. IT’S SIMPLY BETTER 7.75% APR* • No-fee BalanceTransfer • Earn Rewards RCU.ORG 1-800-341-9911 *Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is variable and may be adjusted quarterly based on Prime rate. Cash advance fee is 3% of transaction amount with $10 minimum, $75 maximum; foreign transaction fee is up to 2%. No annual fee. 48 • SPRING 2015 Planning Matters City Adopts Tree Preservation Ordinance With residential redevelopment not slowing down, the City has taken steps to curb the loss of its healthy tree canopy with a tree preservation ordinance, which goes into effect July 1. The new “tree preservation” ordinance applies to all demolition and building permits, including additions and accessory structures such as decks, garages and pools, and subdivision applications. To obtain a permit, the property owner is required to submit a tree inventory plan indicating where protected trees are located and each tree’s species, health, and canopy height and width. The plan must also outline how protected trees will be preserved and protected during construction; if any protected trees will be removed; and location, species and size of all replacement trees. The City did not previously have a tree preservation ordinance. The ordinance is meant to preserve and grow Edina’s tree canopy cover by protecting mature trees throughout the City. A healthy tree canopy can protect and enhance property values, give a distinct neighborhood character, improve quality of life and protect the environment. All deciduous trees at least 8 inches diameter at breast height are considered “protected trees” except box elders, poplars, willows, silver maples, black locusts, fruit trees and mulberrys. Coniferous trees at least 20 feet tall are also protected. A healthy protected tree removed as part of a project requiring a demolition permit or building permit for a structural addition or an accessory structure outside of the building pad, deck or patio area, public infrastructure or utility area or within the driveway or parking area must be replaced one-to-one. A replacement tree that dies within three years of planting must be replaced. However, any healthy protected tree that is removed within a 10-foot radius of a building pad, deck or patio or within 5 feet of a parking area or driveway does not need to be replaced. Healthy protected trees removed as part of public improvements such as utilities, roadways and storm water retention areas do not need to be replaced, either. As part of the new ordinance, tree preservation will be enforced by the City’s Forester. The position may become full-time, or a second part-time position may be added. The ordinance will add an expense to a building permit and will require a longer plan review time. For more information, contact the Planning Division at 952-826-0369. Beekeeping May Come to Edina Edina residents may soon be able to take up a new hobby: beekeeping. “Edina is part of the GreenSteps Cities program, which recommends beekeeping as part of the local food movement,” said Dianne Plunkett Latham, member of the Energy & Environment Commission. “Not only is it great for honey, but it also teaches kids about the environment and it will raise awareness among residents that they need to reduce pesticides and plant more flowers for pollinators – because all pollinators are in decline, not just bees.” Apiaries would be limited to two per half-acre, with a maximum of 12. A 20-foot setback from the property line would be required and apiaries in front yards would be prohibited. Notification of neighbors within 200 feet would also be required. At press time, the Council had accepted the proposal on first reading. For more information, contact Environmental Engineer Ross Bintner at rbintner@EdinaMN.gov or 952-903-5713. Wooddale/Valley View Small Area Plan Residents say they would like to keep the retail node at Wooddale Avenue and Valley View Road and enhance it with outdoor gathering spaces and easy mobility options. The City asked residents earlier this winter to weigh in on a draft small area plan. The draft plan can be found at www.EdinaMN.gov/wvv. “Doing the small area plan is really about learning our residents’ vision for that area so that when a [redevelopment] proposal does come forward, we’re able to better evaluate the project,” said Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt. “We have heard from residents that they want the space to be a place that is central to the neighborhood and where there are retail businesses that can meet their needs,” said Wooddale/Valley View Planning Team Co-Chair Arlene Forrest. “We have also heard a lot about outdoor gathering spaces, ease of walking and biking and other modes of transportation.” The plan was reviewed by the City Council in March. “The most important thing to remember throughout this process is why we are doing this and that is because we want to stay ahead of the curve and this area is ripe for change,” said Wooddale/Valley View Planning Team Co-Chair Susan Lee. For more information, contact Kurt at 952-826-0415 or kkurt@EdinaMN.gov. 2015 SPRING • 49 Fil e P h o t o Beekeeping may come to Edina soon. 50 • SPRING 2015 Hennepin County Recognizes Six Edina Businesses In late January, Hennepin County announced its 2014 Environmental Partners for their prominent efforts to recycle and divert organic waste from the garbage through composting, donations or sending food scraps to local farmers to feed animals. Among the 40 businesses recognized, six were from Edina. These include Cocino Del Barrio, Edina Cinema Landmark Theater, Edina Grill, Fairview Southdale Hospital, International Dairy Queen and Salut Bar Américain. Through the business’ strong recycling programs, these organizations help conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the local economy. Cocina Del Barrio Manager Sean Foley is proud of his restaurant’s efforts to protect the environment and the economy. “We are really trying to reduce the size of our carbon footprint on the environment and we enjoy being part of the movement toward social responsibility,” he said. Businesses are eligible for recognition by completing an application detailing the recycling programs that are in place, which are then verified by Hennepin County’s Environment and Energy Department staff members during site visits. Wayne Kostroski Receives Pedestal Award Late last year, Taste of the NFL founder Wayne Kostroski received the Pedestal Award at the 24th-Annual Legends Invitational in Pebble Beach, California. The award was created to honor former NFL players and other playmakers who make a significant impact on the community through their philanthropic efforts. Kostroski was given this honor because of his commitment to raise awareness and money for hunger in America. Over the course of the organization’s existence, Taste of the NFL has distributed over $22 million to help feed the 37 million Americans who don’t know where their next meal is going to come from. Since 1992, Taste of the NFL has incorporated top chefs from around the country and the NFL’s greatest players into its events that raise money in support of local food banks throughout the United States. One of these events Business Notes Ph o t o b y H a n n a h W a t k i n s Cocina Del Barrio was among the 40 businesses recognized for their prominent recycling efforts. 2015 SPRING • 51 is Taste of the NFL’s Party with a Purpose – a unique way to experience exceptional cuisine, meet NFL players and coaches and join in the fight against hunger. As an Edina resident, Kostroski owns Cuisine Concepts, an Edina-based, full-service consulting and management company offering specialized services to the hospitality industry. Nakamori Celebrates One Year Categorized by its chic and contemporary space, Nakamori Japanese Bistro is proving to be one of Edina’s favorite new restaurants after opening in February 2014. Nakamori is not just another sushi restaurant, but described as a fusion Japanese-based cuisine – a blend of French, American and Asian cuisines. According to Manager Lydia Liu, the chefs are always creating new dishes and offering new specials. “Every time you come, you can try something new,” she said, also mentioning the wide variety of meats and other fresh foods they serve. From a full hibachi dinner to tempura, Nakamori has dozens of dishes sure to please any palette. They also have a happy hour that features new items every two months or so. “I think the most special thing is our food, because it’s so different. The food is really good,” noted Liu. Nakamori Japanese Bistro is located at 7101 France Ave. S. For more information, contact Nakamori at 952-920-9980 or visit www.nakamorimn.com. Edina Business Group Welcomes New Members The 50th & France Business & Professional Association has welcomed three new members since last January. Joining the Association in 2014 were Sota Rol, Benefit Design Association and Denny Kemp Salon. “50th & France offers a wide range, from professional services to restaurants to unique boutiques,” said 50th & France Business & Professional Association Executive Director Rachel Thelemann. “We are excited when new businesses come into the area and offer something to enhance the area.” For more information on the 50th & France Business & Professional Association, visit www.50thandFrance.com or call 952-922-1524. Club Accepts Nominations For Women’s Leadership Award The Rotary Club of Edina seeks nominees for the seventh- annual “Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award.” Reflecting society in 1905, the Rotary organization was limited to male members and remained so officially until 1989, when the Council on Legislation, Rotary’s parliament, voted to eliminate the male-only provision, opening up membership to qualified women across the world. However, the forward-thinking Rotary Club of Edina welcomed its first female member, Chrysanne Manoles, a year earlier in 1988. Manoles continues to be active in Rotary. (continued on next page) 52 • SPRING 2015 In Manoles’ honor and to celebrate the work of women in the community, the Rotary Club of Edina established an annual Women’s Leadership Award in 2008. Previous winners include Dr. Laurel Wills, Ann Byrne, Donna Tilsner, Terrie Rose, Katey Taylor, Ruth Valgemae and Kim Foote. Nominees cannot be current Rotarians and must live, work or volunteer in Edina. Female nominees must demonstrate Rotary’s “Four Way Test” of the things we think, say or do: Is it the truth? Is if fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? To nominate a woman for the prestigious award, submit a one- or two-page letter explaining how the person demonstrates the Four Way Test and what she does in the community. Letters should be sent to Rotary Club of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424 and must be postmarked by Thursday, April 30. The 2015 Chrysanne Manoles Women In Leadership Award will be presented at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Edina in May. The Rotary Club of Edina meets Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave. For more information about the Rotary Club of Edina, visit www.EdinaRotary.org. For membership information, contact Membership Director Josh Sprague, 612-501-0252 or josh@joshsprague.com. – Compiled by Lauryn Grimes and Hannah Watkins www.smilesatfrance.com 4999 France Ave. South, Suite 230 • Minneapolis • 612-824-7033 Enhancing Smiles... Building Confindence... Changing Lives Complimentary,Cosmetic,Resorative & Implant Consultation Located at50th &France 1011 Feltl Court · Hopkins, MN 55343 952-933-3333 Independent Living · Senior Apartments with Services Assisted Living · Memory Care Adult Day Program · Short Term Stay Suites www.StThereseSouthwest.com Gracious Retirement Living Options For Over 25 Years! 2015 SPRING • 53 We want to help you OWN AN EDINA HOME Want To Learn More? Contact Joyce Repya 952-826-0462 or jrepya@EdinaMN.gov Heritage of Edina Is Proud to Present its 5 Star Assisted Living Community t1SJWBUFBQBSUNFOUTXJUINPOUIUPNPOUISFOUBM t'MFYJCMFNFBMQMBOT t5SBOTQPSUBUJPOGPSTIPQQJOH CBOLJOHBOENPSF t1IZTJDJBOWJTJUTBOEIPVSOVSTJOHTUBêPOTJUF t1FSTPOBMDPODJFSHFTFSWJDFT t8FMMOFTTQSPHSBNXJUI15" t8FFLMZIPVTFLFFQJOH t3FTQJUFBOEIPTQJDFTUBZT t"HFJOQMBDFXJUIMPWJOHDBSF EJHOJUZBOETFSFOJUZ Call for a tour and a FREE LUNCH! (952) 920-9145 Independent Living, Assisted Living, Extended Assisted Living and Memory Care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Unit www.heritageofedina.com Over 50 years of service to the community 612-789-7337 EdinaMN.gov/opentobusiness Starting or Expanding a Business? Put An Expert on Your Side METRO FOOT & ANKLE CLINIC We treat: "UNIONS 54 • SPRING 2015 The Last Word Earlier this year, I was in a meeting with some of our I.T. staff and our two new Council Members, Kevin Staunton and Bob Stewart, touting the need to further invest in our geographic information system (GIS). One after another, staff explained the shortcomings of our current GIS. We talked about upfront costs, additional licenses, copyrights and integration – the important stuff to improve the system. Then, when staff took a breath, Staunton interjected a concise, but insightful request. He asked us to talk about the benefits of the proposal, not just its features. Speaking as a city government insider, it is so easy to get caught up in the process of defining a problem and creating solutions that we forget to talk about benefits that will result by solving the problem. We get caught up inside the problem itself, which is sometimes necessary in order to diagnose the problem and design the remedy. Forgetting to talk about a future free of the problem we are trying to solve is a failure to close the communication loop, which can result in some frustrating miscommunications. Staff are frequently asked questions by elected officials, appointed commissioners and residents who we want to answer quickly and accurately, but can’t because our GIS data is below average and its user interface is not always easy to use. We think that the fact that we can’t answer the question is our problem. We believe that makes us look bad and that it frustrates the person asking us for the information. Staff have worked hard to design a remedy to that problem. We’ve got a roadmap for implementing a modern GIS. We have a good idea of what it will cost, how long it will take to implement and what some of the implementation problems will be along the way. We’ve got the features of the system down pat. But we haven’t talked much about the benefits. The benefits to staff are numerous, and include answering questions better, faster and cheaper. We benefit because the new data will allow us to make better, more thoughtful decisions and recommendations. We also benefit from the satisfaction that comes with providing fast, reliable and accurate support to our elected and appointed officials. Our elected and appointed officials benefit because they will be able to make better overall decisions because they will have accurate, reliable information available to them in real time. The information will be visual on maps and in graphic formats that provide insight into public policy choices in an understandable manner. The most important benefits, though, are for our residents. If staff have better information available, we can make better operational decisions, which will allow us to provide better services to our residents. If elected and appointed officials have better information available to them, they can make better public policy decisions, which creates a better community for our residents. Benefits, not just features. We must do a better job remembering that mantra. When it comes to talking about our city government’s spending decisions, nothing else really matters. Scott H. 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