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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdinaApril2016Junior Varsity golfer Sophie Rewey was one of the first to use the newly renovated driving range at Braemar Golf Course, which opened Friday, April 15. The improved range is over 300 yards long and can accommodate up to 58 golfers at one time. New target greens have been added and a new irrigation system will improve turf conditions and reduce maintenance time and expense. Golfers will hit off of mats until August when the turf has been established. Speak Up, Edina! APRIL 2016 Volume 3, Issue 4 Edi tion: The City’s next online discussion is now available at SpeakUpEdina.org. The discussion, which focuses on the 50th & France district, is available until June 13. 50th & France, Edina’s downtown, has a long history as a successful retail area. Current-day 50th & France is home to a variety of business, shops and restaurants. It is also the center of several annual events, including the Edina Art Fair, Open Streets on 50th, Pumpkin Fest and more. The City of Edina owns and maintains the parking ramps in the district and maintains the sidewalks. One of Edina Liquor’s three locations is also located at 50th & France. In the discussion, the City asks whether residents visit 50th & France and how often they visit, what they like most about the district, what they think of the events hosted there, and if there are any business types or industries that are missing from the 50th & France mix that the City could help recruit. Feedback from this discussion will be compiled, shared with staff and the 50th & France Business & Professional Association, and presented to the City Council June 21. This month, the City has been gathering feedback on the Centennial Lakes Park Farmers Market. In the discussion, the City asks whether residents visit and buy products at the Centennial Lakes Farmers Market and what they purchase, what they think of the quality and selection of products available from vendors, and what types of products or vendors should be added or explored that aren’t currently available. This discussion is open until May 9. Feedback from this discussion will be compiled and presented to the City Council May 17. To weigh in on a discussion, visit SpeakUpEdina.org. Renovations at Braemar Golf Course are going beyond fairways and greens. This spring, the clubhouse will receive new siding and roofing. The clubhouse’s interior underwent significant renovations last year, including updates to the banquet room and the addition of Tin Fish. Updates to the exterior were contemplated in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan. General Manager Joe Abood said these updates come at the perfect time, as the Golf Course is undergoing a much larger renovation. “It’s a much-needed update to the facility and will make coming to the golf course a more enjoyable experience,” he said. “We’ve been improving our banquet facility to attract more weddings and events. The overall entrance to the facility needed a facelift. The exterior needs an update to match the rest of the interiors and to fix some hail damage.” The clubhouse’s roof line will be modified to be uniform in order to accommodate a more modern looking roof instead of the individual “hats” the existing roof has. The siding will primarily be a color change, but will also have a more modern aesthetic. Business Manager Amy Smith, who oversees rentals in the banquet facility, said this $300,000 cosmetic update will have minimal structure change, but maximum visual appeal. “It will be a world of difference,” she said. The City Council approved the updates at its April 5 meeting and Zeman Construction began work on the project the second week of April. The project is expected to take about 12 weeks. The Academy 9 Clubhouse on the driving range also underwent a recent upgrade, including updated bathrooms and a new-and-improved golf shop. An open house to celebrate the completion of the Golf Course’s recent renovations will be held early August. The clubhouse will remain open during construction. For more information, contact the Golf Course at 952-903-5750. Learn what it takes to keep Edina orderly and functional at an open house at the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21. The open house at 7450 Metro Blvd. will wrap up national Public Works Week, May 15 to 21, and will follow the theme “Always There.” Public Works employees will be on hand to educate and answer questions. The public is encouraged to tour the facilities, try out some tools, eat some tasty snacks – and, of course, have a blast while checking out the fire truck, Bear Cat, tractor, bucket truck, cam truck, miller, roller, sprayer or any of the other vehicles and attractions – like the brine system, sign maker and GPS/survey equipment. This event is suited for all ages. “We’re really excited for this year’s Public Works Open House. It’s a fun family outing and a great interactive opportunity for kids to get up close and personal with a lot of cool and unique tools and equipment,” said David Goergen, Public Works Coordinator. “I think the wide range of services that our department provides surprises not only the kids, but the adults as well.” Everyone is welcome to attend this free event, to be held rain or shine. For more information, call Public Works at 952-826-0376, or visit EdinaMN.gov/PublicWorks. Braemar Clubhouse to Get a Facelift Public Works Open House Set for May 21 New Driving Range Opens at Braemar Following several months of donations and crowdfunding, a hockey sculpture called “Slapshot” has found its permanent home at Braemar Arena. “Slapshot,” a four-foot, 300-pound steel sculpture, was crafted by artist and Minnesota native Judd Nelson and depicts a hockey player in the midst of taking a slapshot. The sculpture was on display on the Edina Promenade in 2013 as part of the annual outdoor public art exhibition. It was on loan and displayed at Braemar Arena during fundraising efforts. Nelson has a long history in hockey. Not only did he watch his kids play hockey, he played it himself. Additionally, Nelson’s father, Hubert “Hub” Nelson, was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978. “I have been around hockey and rinks and players for so long,” Nelson said of his desire to depict hockey through his art. “I have hockey in my blood.” The City will use donations totaling about $7,500 to purchase the sculpture as part of its permanent public art collection. “Slapshot” will be permanently displayed in the main lobby or immediately outside the main lobby entrance at 7501 Ikola Way. “This is really exciting, to blend art and athletics, and to have done so with so much community support,” said Susie Miller, General Manager of Braemar Arena. “It’s great to have ‘Slapshot’ help represent Edina’s long and successful hockey legacy for years to come.” “City residents and especially our hockey families have demonstrated the importance of public art in the purchase of “Slapshot,” said City Council Member Ann Swenson, who led the fundraising efforts. Miller expects permanent installation of “Slapshot” to take place in the next several months. For more information on the placement of “Slapshot,” contact Miller at 952-833-9502. For more information on public art, visit EdinaPublicArt.org. ‘Slapshot’ to Call Braemar Arena HomePhoto by Frank PetrovicCity of Edina employees recently collected more than 1,000 items for Oasis for Youth, a Bloomington-based organization serving homeless suburban youth. Oasis for Youth provides housing, employment, education and wellness services to homeless youth all over the metro. Oasis for Youth currently receives human services funding from the City because they provide services to some Edina youth. In 2015, Oasis for Youth served 13 Edina teens and young adults. Collecting donations was a natural extension of the City’s support. “They told us they were in need of kitchen and cleaning supplies, so that’s why we came up with ‘pantry starter kits,’” said City of Edina Project Coordinator MJ Lamon. In total, employees donated 176 laundry baskets or trash bins, and 1,086 household items including: bathroom and glass cleaners, dish soap, laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, hot pads, dish towels, hangers, kitchen utensils and more. “One youth took cleaning supplies with them to a friend’s house as barter for a place to stay, which happens often. We are able to give youth food, or in this case cleaning items, and they are able to use that as ‘rent,’” said Oasis for Youth Executive Director Nicole Mills. “So, thank you. Your donation is more than just giving things – it helps stretch Oasis’s resources. Young people who live on limited incomes probably haven’t actually gotten cleaning items or a laundry basket ever, or in a long time. “Just last week, I literally filled up an old butter container with dish soap for a client so he could help out at the place he was staying … we won’t have to do that for a while!” “This just saved me $100! My housing case manager is going to be so happy with me – I am cleaning all weekend!” said one youth who is part of the program. The drive for supplies was part of a month-long wellness challenge for City employees. For more information on the City’s donation, contact Lamon at 952-826-0360 or MLamon@EdinaMN.gov. For more information on Oasis for Youth, contact Mills at 952-512-2061. City Employees Donate to Oasis for YouthPhoto by Jordan GilgenbachFollowing a community fundraising effort, the sculpture “Slapshot” will be added to the City’s permanent public art collection. 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 952-927-8861 mail@EdinaMN.gov EdinaMN.gov The City of Edina Legend of 2016-2017 Priorities: Focused Redevelopment Planning for the Future Intergovernmental Relations Transportation & Infrastructure Enterprise Facilities APRIL 2016 Residents can expect to see more tennis in their neighborhoods this summer. Because of renovations happening at Edina High School this season, the Park & Recreation Department’s tennis program has been shifted and will now make use of the tennis courts at neighborhood parks. Cornelia School, Lewis, Pamela, Walnut Ridge and Weber parks will all be home to Pee Wee and Beginner tennis sessions this summer. Sessions are 45 minutes long and offered between 9 a.m. and noon. Recreation Supervisor Eric Boettcher hopes this change will open up more availability for youth tennis players. “Moving the morning program over to the neighborhood parks has allowed us to have a lot more offerings so that popular times have more availability,” he explained. “Now, the younger ones can take lessons in their own neighborhood park, rather than traveling to the Community Center.” Session times and locations for all other sessions will be the same as in years past. Youth Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate sessions, as well as the Junior Tennis League, will be offered from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Edina Community Center (ECC). Parent/Child and all adult sessions will also be offered at the ECC after 5 p.m. In years past, youth tennis offered about 200 session spots each for Pee Wee and Beginner, but this year there are over 500 openings for each age group. The program had eight instructors last year, but Boettcher expects to hire as many as 12 this season, with two staff at each park to maintain the 6:1 ratio. Since the sessions will be held in the neighborhood parks that also serve as Playground Program sites, extra staff will also be available to help with the increased programming. He has already re-hired four instructors from the 2015 tennis program, including Aanik Lohani, who is coming back for his third season and will also serve as Program Coordinator this year. “I keep coming back to this program because I want to teach tennis, get more kids involved in the game and help out in the Edina community,” said Lohani. “The important aspect this year is that holding morning sessions in neighborhood parks brings the tennis into the kids’ own neighborhoods and spreads it not just at the ECC, but all over Edina. The kids get more playing time and will be able to interact with the courts near their homes as well.” “Our program is very affordable and the sessions are short. It’s two days a week and you can sign up for two classes in the same session if you’d like,” said Boettcher. “We try to make sure everyone has a good time.” Lohani encourages adults to find time to register for the City’s tennis program as well. “The Edina tennis program doesn’t just cater to kids. … I found during my first year that teaching adults was just as fun as teaching kids,” he said. To register for the City’s tennis program, visit EdinaParks.com. For more information contact Boettcher at 952-826-0432 or eboettcher@EdinaMN.gov. Arts & Culture Commission Stella Chaffee Olivia Chen Student Commissioner Kandace Ellis Cheryl Gunness Vice Chair Barbara La Valleur Dana Lappin Ray Meifert Anne Miller Chair Farhia Osman Student Commissioner Steven Suckow Adriana Zabala Tavenas Board of Appeal & Equalization Ron Anderson Edward Cracraft Roger McVeety Alex Slichter Scott Smith Community Health Commission Jessica Hong, Student Commissioner Melinda Bothun-Hurley Kristen Conner Cathy Cozad Britta Orr Chair Allison Pence, Vice Chair Steve Sarles Caleb Schultz Nina Sokol, Student Commissioner Constance Weston Christy Zilka Construction Board of Appeals Brian Berube Scott Busyn Jennifer Carlson Douglas Hall Kip Peterson Energy & Environment Commission Jeffrey Burmeister William Glahn Michelle Horan Carolyn Jackson Keith Kostuch Richard Manser Vice Chair Sanat Mohanty Emily Reinke, Student Commissioner Lauren Satterlee Melissa Seeley Sarah Stefanik, Student Commissioner Louann Waddick Sarah Zarrin Chair Heritage Preservation Board Michael Birdman Chair Jennifer Christiaansen Karen Kelly Bruce McLellan Robert Moore Sarah Nymo Heritage continues in next column… Peter Otness, Student Commissioner Colleen Pearson Payton Puerzer Student Commissioner Peter Sussman Ryan Weber Vice Chair Human Rights & Relations Commission Patrice Arseneault Chair Catherine Beringer Heather Edelson Cindy Edwards Caitlin Kearney, Student Commissioner Ellen Kennedy Kristina Martin Michelle Meek Sidharth Ramesh Student Commissioner Sarah Rinn Vice Chair Margaret Vecchio- Smith Park Board Lauren Crist Student Commissioner Matt Dahlien Daniel Gieseke Greg Good, Vice Chair Gerard Greene Koren Hawk Nelson Aanik Lohani Student Commissioner Eileen McAwley Brenda McCormick, Chair Randy Meyer Michael Miller Julie Strother Planning Commission Claudia Carr Vice Chair John Hamilton Steven Hobbs Peter Kivimaki Student Commissioner Susan Lee Amy Ma Student Commissioner Ian Nemerov Joann Olsen Michael Platteter Chair Gerard Strauss Todd Thorsen Transportation Commission Katherine Bass Emily Boettge Andrew Brown Emily Ding Student Commissioner Surya Iyer Jennifer Janovy Tom LaForce Chair Ralf Loeffelholz, Vice Chair Louis Miranda Larry Olson Lindsey Ruehl Student Commissioner Edina Youth Tennis to be Held at Neighborhood Parks By the Numbers: Water Resources The City of Edina’s Comprehensive Water Resource Management Plan covers runoff management; flood control and clean creeks, ponds and wetlands and other services that are implemented through the storm water utility. 9 At its deepest, Centennial Lakes is 9 feet deep. Centennial Lakes measures 9.5 acres. 2 The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stocked two fishing lakes – Lake Cornelia and Centennial Lakes – in 2015. 0 28 There are no public beaches in Edina.Edina has 28 public waters wetlands. There are more than 130 lakes, ponds and wetlands in Edina. The median size is less than 1 acre. The average depth is less than 2 feet. Learn more about Edina’s water resources at: EdinaMN.gov Submitted photoFile photoFile photoFile photo4 & 2 Minnehaha Creek has four stream miles meandering through Edina. Nine Mile Creek has two stream miles. 130 Braemar Arena will host the North American Hockey League (NAHL) 2016 Robertson Cup Championship Tournament May 12-15. “We are thrilled to have been chosen as the host of the tournament,” said Braemar Arena General Manager Susie Miller. “We’re excited to represent the State of Hockey and feel fortunate to have this opportunity.” The 2016 Robertson Cup, which includes the Final Four teams, is awarded to the national playoff champion of the NAHL. The oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States, the Robertson Cup is named in honor of Chuck Robertson, a pioneer of junior hockey in the NAHL and youth hockey in the state of Michigan. “The last two years have been a play-down to where the high seed remaining hosts the tournament,” said Alex Kyrias, Director of Communications and Sales for NAHL. “With how the league has changed and how economics have changed, we try to find nice balance between a logistical standpoint and an economic standpoint to make everything fit nicely into a package. [Hosting at Braemar] probably accomplishes that because it is a neutral site. “It’s not only accessible for teams to get to, but also for scouts, where a lot of NCAA and NHL guys are located. Traditionally, Minnesota is the state with the most players in the NAHL, so odds are there will be players from Minnesota in the tournament, making it a close, convenient location for their families and friends to come watch.” In addition to the Robertson Cup, Braemar will host the NAHL Combine for players ages 13-16, which will be going at the same time as the tournament in other rinks. The NAHL Midget League will also take place that weekend. “It’s a really big celebration of hockey going on,” Kyrias said. “There will be 400 hockey players in the building that weekend.” Braemar Arena hosts nearly 17 large tournaments a year, so preparing for this event comes easy to the Braemar staff. This is the first time Braemar has hosted the Robertson Cup. In preparation for the tournament, as well as during the tournament, the Arena will increase staff to help with crowd control and rink maintenance. During the tournament, Braemar Arena will sell alcoholic beverages, which is another first for the facility. The City Council amended the City’s liquor laws to allow Braemar Arena and other municipal facilities to apply to sell alcohol at special events such as the Robertson Cup. “We’re fortunate to be able to accommodate so many spectators with the bowl seating in the west arena,” said Miller. “I hope we’ll have great attendance and the NAHL will be encouraged to continue to use our facility in the future.” “We believe we’ve picked a really nice facility and it comes at a really good time because, usually, in May in Minnesota, there is not much hockey going on,” said Kyrias. “We feel it’s a win because of the location and the facility. It could be something that we continue to see in the future.” Clubs are seeded within the four divisions based upon their finish in the NAHL regular season, with the top four teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs. The four divisional playoff champions will advance to the Robertson Cup Championship, which will be determined by May 8. Clubs will be seeded based upon their finish in the NAHL regular-season standings. The No. 1 Seed will face the No. 4 seed in a best-of-three series. The No. 2 seed will face the No. 3 seed in a best-of-three series. The winners of the two series will advance on to a one-game playoff to determine the Robertson Cup Champion. The event is open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door and will cost $15 for a day pass or $10 for a youth day pass. Spectators can also purchase a group day pass for 10 or more people for $10 each. Passes for all four days of the event will be available for $40. For more information, contact Miller, smiller@EdinaMN.gov. For more information on the NAHL and the Robertson Cup, visit nahl.com. Braemar Arena To Host Robertson Cup 13 There are 13 DNR public waters in Edina. Council Appoints Board and Commission Members The Edina City Council recently made its annual appointments to 10 advisory boards and commissions. Current membership includes (names of new members are bolded): For more information on Edina’s advisory boards and commissions, contact Project Coordinator MJ Lamon, 952-826-0360 or MLamon@EdinaMN.gov.