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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAboutTown_2005SummerPRESORT STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID Permit No.3932 Edina, MN AboutTown Magazine City of Edina 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.CityofEdina.com SUMMER•2005 About Town Official Magazine of the City of Edina ***ECRWSS*** POSTAL PATRON CAR-RT-WS ©C O L O U R S 2 0 0 5 Retiree Gives Back To City See page 24 for details After securing the money for two new special operations vehicles last year, the Edina Fire and Police departments stopped looking at pictures of the trucks and recently brought home the real things. Earlier this year, the Police Emergency Response Team wheeled its 17,000-pound Lenco Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck (BearCat) into the garage, and the Fire Department Special Operations Team packed all its equipment into its new transport truck. The emergency teams started training with the vehicles almost immediately, and they plan to train with other local departments in case other cities need assistance of the trucks in the future. For more information on the ERT, call Scott Kuyper, 952-826-1610. For more information on the SOT, contact Task Force Leader Tom Schmitz, 952-826-0329. Table of Contents Calendar Of Events...............................................................1 Summer Calendar Highlights...............................................4 A Word From The Mayor ......................................................5 Edina’s Liquor Store Profits Have Supported Community Since 1951...........................................................6 City Thanks Volunteers At 26th-Annual Reception...........18 Cornerstone Provides Support For Edina Community....22 City Retiree Leaves Behind A Gift For Others..................24 City Of Edina To Flush Hydrants In September...............26 The Community Partners Program For Our Neighbors In Need........................................................28 VEAP Continues Back-to-School Program........................30 Residents Reap Benefits When Cops Get Tough..............32 Mother Nature Teaches Students About Human Nature...........................................................36 Sun,Fun, Water ... And Safety.............................................40 Morningside Neighborhood Celebrates 100th Anniversary AndEdina Heritage Award............................42 Designers Open Up City Hall From The Inside...............44 Step Into The Pool At The Aquatic Center This Summer....46 State & Federal Elected Officials.......................................47 July 4th Spectators Will Wave ‘Hands Across Edina’......48 It’s Not Only Neighborly, It’s The Law.............................50 AboutTown Volume 18, Number 3 Summer 2005 Official Publication of the City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 West 50th Street Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-927-8861 Circulation 25,000 Editor:Jennifer Bennerotte Assistants to the Editor:Sarah Berg and Lelan Bosch Publisher:City of Edina About Town is produced by the City of Edina. To advertise in About Town, contact Richard Barbeau at Barbeau Marketing Group, 610-277-9252 or 612-965-2041. Copyright 2005 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 citizens and community history as well. About Town is printed on recycled paper to conform to City conservation guidelines. www.CityofEdina.com Cover photo by Bob Atol Emergency Vehicles Are Larger Up Close 1•SUMMER 2005 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 1 2 3 7 p.m., Eden Prairie Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 4 Independence Day. Most City Offices Closed. 10 a.m., July 4 Parade, Eden Avenue and Grange Road. 5 Noon, Wonderful World of Woody, Centennial Lakes Park. By appointment 1:30-3:30 p.m., Hearing Tests, Edina Senior Center. 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 6 7 p.m., St. Louis Park Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 Noon, David Walbridge &The Big Fun Show, Centennial Lakes Park. 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 8 Podiatrist Appointments, beginning at 8:30 a.m., Edina Senior Center. 9 10 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 11 7 p.m., Hyebar Dancers, Centennial Lakes Park. 12 Noon, Craig Carlson Show, Centennial Lakes Park. 1:15-3 p.m., Blood Pressure Clinic, Edina Senior Center. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 13 7 p.m., Cathy &Tom Platenberg, Centennial Lakes Park. 1516 17 7 p.m., Calhoun Isles Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 18 7 p.m., Brooklyn Community Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 19 Noon, Magic of Brian Gilbertson, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Human Rights &Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 20 7 a.m., Recycling and Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Star of the North Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 21 Noon, Carol McCormick Storyteller, Centennial Lakes Park. 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 2223 26 Noon, Underwater Adventures -- Totally Turtles, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Human Rights &Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 25 7 p.m., American Dance Ensemble, Centennial Lakes Park. 24 7 p.m., Hopkins Westwind Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Northern Winds Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. About Town Calendar JULY 2005 27 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Claire Van De Crommert, Centennial Lakes Park. 28 Noon, Ms. Catherine &Friends, Centennial Lakes Park. 29 14 Noon, Alpha Bits Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 30 31 2•SUMMER 2005 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 2 Noon, Mary Hall Show for Pipsqueaks, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., HRAand City Council, Edina City Hall. 3 7 p.m., Stan Bann Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 4 Noon, Wiggle, Jiggle &Jam, Centennial Lakes Park. 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 561 7 p.m., Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 7 p.m., Minneapolis Police Concert Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 8 7 p.m., Southside Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 9 Noon, Children’s Music with Bruce Bell, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall. 10 7 p.m., Zuhrah Shrine Flames, Centennial Lakes Park. 11 Noon, Bob the Beachcomber, Centennial Lakes Park. 12 Absentee voting begins. Podiatrist Appointments, beginning at 8:30 a.m., Edina Senior Center. 13 14 Lighthouse Night, Centennial Lakes Park. 8:30 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 15 7 p.m., Wayne Hamilton, Centennial Lakes Park. 16 Noon, Kristi’s Kid Songs, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 17 7 a.m., Recycling and Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., River City Jazz Orchestra, Centennial Lakes Park. 19 1 p.m., Adaptive Recreation Theater Camp Performance, Edinborough Park. 20 21 7 p.m., Moonlight Serenaders Big Band, Centennial Lakes Park. 22 7 p.m., Jack Norton & The Mullet River Boys, Centennial Lakes Park. 23 Noon, Dakota Wild Animals, Centennial Lakes Park. 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 24 7 p.m., Zuhrah Shrine Jolly Nobles, Centennial Lakes Park. 25 Noon, Will Hale & The Tadpole Parade, Centennial Lakes Park. 8 p.m., Splash Jam, Edina Aquatic Center. 26 Podiatrist Appointments, beginning at 8:30 a.m., Edina Senior Center. 27 30 Noon, David Walbridge &The Big Fun Show, Centennial Lakes Park. 29 7 p.m., Mark Kuitzer, Centennial Lakes Park. 28 7 p.m., Whistle pigs, Centennial Lakes Park. 8 p.m., Edina Aquatic Center closes for the season. About Town Calendar AUGUST 2005 31 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Scott Frasier Guitar Duo, Centennial Lakes Park. 18 Noon, Underwater Adventures -- Sharks, Centennial Lakes Park. 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 5•SUMMER 2005 This year marks the 15th anniversary of the opening of one of the crown jewels of Edina’s impressive Park and Recreation system – Centennial Lakes Park. In the late 1980s, the Hedberg Gravel pit on France Avenue was the last available parcel of significant size for commercial development in the community. In 1987, the Hedberg estate sponsored a limited competition, which United Properties won with its idea of a mixed-use development anchored by a major public park, much like Edinborough. United Properties served as master developer and BRW, Inc., the Minneapolis architecture and planning firm responsible for Edinborough, served as master planner. A stormwater storage need became an amenity early in the planning process. BRW designed a pond within the public park that winds through the site. Centennial Lake is designed to absorb 34 acre-feet of stormwater runoff, the amount deemed necessary for the "100-year storm event." To prevent overflow, the water is drained out slowly at the southwest corner. Furthering the park’s position as the "glue that holds the development together," the body of water acts as a link and buffer between the commercial, retail and office space on the west side of the development and the housing on the east. Centennial Lakes Park was designed as a collection of smaller parks with different types of uses, such as formal gardens, lawn games, putting course and entertainment, all tied together by a system of well-groomed paths and trails. In the summer, activity on the lake includes casual paddleboat rides and operation of radio-controlled model sailboats and speedboats. In the winter, Centennial Lake is groomed daily for ice skaters. The 7,000- square-foot Park Centrum is the central gathering spot in the park and is rented for receptions, parties and business meetings. In the winter, it is a warming house. Like the housing and office buildings in the development, Centennial Lakes Park was completed in phases. With just five years under its belt as a complete park, Centennial Lakes boasts some impressive revenue and statistics. The putting course averages more than 25,000 rounds per year, bringing in gross revenues of nearly $1.2 million since opening in 1998. Nearly 20,000 park visitors tour the lake each summer in self-propelled paddleboats. Each winter, more than 30,000 ice skaters visit the 10-acre skating rink and the park rents over 8,000 pairs of skates and 1,600 ice sleds each year. Last month marked another significant moment in the park’s history. The amphitheater, which has hosted more than 550 cultural performances and nearly 200 weddings since its opening in 1999, was appropriately renamed “Maetzold Amphitheater at Centennial Lakes” in honor of former Mayor Dennis Maetzold. A true champion of the community, Dennis was a member of the City Council when the final phases of Centennial Lakes were approved. He is a true believer in the benefits of public-private partnerships, like that used to create Centennial Lakes. Dennis has been a long-time member of the Edina Crime Prevention Fund, which annually hosts the Fall into the Arts Festival at the park and has recently resumed a position on the Board of Directors of the Edina Community Foundation. Among other things, Dennis is also an avid supporter of the arts and was deeply touched by the renaming of the amphitheater. Take time to enjoy our beautiful Centennial Lakes Park this summer. There are few parks of its type and caliber in the United States. Try angling for bluegill or bass. Challenge a friend to a putting contest or a game of croquet or lawn bowling. Sit quietly on a swinging park bench and take in the surrounding beauty. Go for a paddleboat ride. Take in a concert at the Maetzold Amphitheater at Centennial Lakes. See you there! James B. Hovland Mayor 4•SUMMER 2005 LIGHTHOUSE NIGHT What:Started by the Edina Model Yacht Club, Lighthouse Night has become an annual event at Centennial Lakes Park. More than 100 Tiki Torches will burn behind the Centrum and the park’s special lighting will be highlighted. At 8 p.m., there will be open boating in the Central Pond for model yachts. The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band will perform in the amphitheater at 8:30 p.m. At dusk, the boats from the Model Yacht Club will light up the lake. Interior cockpit and cabin lights, searchlights and floodlights will shimmer off the water. The backdrop will be a floating and fully operational scaled model of a lighthouse. When:Sunday, Aug. 14 Where:Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S. Info:952-832-6789 FALL INTO THE ARTS FESTIVAL What:As summer draws to a close, people will start thinking about fall and winter – holiday gift- giving, back-to-school shopping, fall and winter entertaining and indoor décor, rustic accessories and glittering jewelry. More than 125 talented artists from around the Midwest will display and sell their work at the third-annual Fall into the Arts Festival at Centennial Lakes Park. The arts festival will also feature favorite fall foods and entertainment, children’s activities and artist demonstrations. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Edina Crime Prevention Fund. When:10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 Where:Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S. Info:www.FallintotheArtsFestival.com or e-mail EdinaFallArts@aol.com Summer Calendar Highlights A Word From The Mayor 3•SUMMER 2005 SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAYSATURDAY 1 Noon, Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree, Centennial Lakes Park. 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 23 4 5 Labor Day. Most City Offices Closed. 6 Opening day of school for Edina Public Schools’ Grades 1-12 and Early Childhood Special Education. By appointment 1:30-3:30 p.m., Hearing Tests, Edina Senior Center. 7 p.m., HRAand City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 5-8 p.m., Fall skating class registration, Braemar Arena. 8 Opening day of school for Edina Public Schools’ kindergarten classes and Early Childhood Family Education. Noon, Underwater Adventures -- Totally Turtles, Edinborough Park. 910 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Fall into the Arts Festival, Centennial Lakes Park. 11 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fall into the Arts Festival, Centennial Lakes Park. 12 13 Primary Election. 1:15-3 p.m., Blood Pressure Clinic, Edina Senior Center. 14 7 p.m., Park Board, Edina City Hall. 1617 181920 7 p.m., HRA&City Council, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., Community Health Committee, City Hall. 7 p.m., Zuhrah Shrine Concert Band, Edinborough Park. 21 7 a.m., Recycling and Solid Waste Commission, Edina City Hall. 2223 Podiatrist Appointments, beginning at 8:30 a.m., Edina Senior Center. 24 27 7 p.m., Human Rights & Relations Commission, Edina City Hall. 2625 7 p.m., First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Centennial Lakes Park. About Town Calendar SEPTEMBER 2005 28 7 p.m., Planning Commission, Edina City Hall. 29 30 15 5:30 p.m., Board of Appeals, Edina City Hall. 6 p.m., Transportation Commission, Edina City Hall. 7 p.m., AR&LE Annual Meeting, Edina Senior Center. 6•SUMMER 2005 Edina’s Liquor Store Profits Have Supported Community Since 1951 Arnold Stenson, two local businessmen. Longtime Edina resident Earle Sharp Jr. whose father Earle Sr., was Edina’s mayor in 1934, told me, “Hay and Stenson were business acquaintances of my father. Hay worked in the Thorpe Brothers Realty office on Sunnyside Road and Stenson had a twine business in St. Louis Park.” The Village Council also issued two on- sale “club” licenses—covering “by-the-drink”sale of liquor, wine and beer—to the Interlachen Club and the Edina Country Club. They would be the only on-sale liquor licenses issued in Edina for many years to come. A few “non- intoxicating”beer licenses, allowing only 3.2 percent beer sales, had been issued shortly after Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Hoover in the 1934 presidential election. Those “3.2” licenses went mainly to restaurants— including Nolan’s Café, The Village Inn and The Brown Derby Café—all near 50th & France. On Feb. 24, 1934, Hay & Stenson Liquors, Edina’s first off-sale, “package” liquor store, opened its doors at 3922 W. 50th St., directly across the street from the new Edina Theatre, which was under construction and set to open in August of that year. For the first time in the mostly rural village’s history, Edina residents were able to buy off-sale, 6 percent “strong” beer (as opposed to 3.2 percent beer), wine and liquor in takeout packages on their home turf. (continued on next page) By Joe Sullivan Contributing Writer Thanks to former President Herbert Hoover, Prohibition (with a capital “P”) became known in the 1920s and early 1930s as our nation’s “noble experiment.” It had its roots way back in temperance movements of the 19th century, which advocated abstinence from the consumption of beverage alcohol. Congress finally caved in to the “teetotalers’” pressure and passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting “manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors… .” On Jan. 29, 1920, the required number of states ratified the amendment and Prohibition became the law of the land. Incredibly unpopular from its very beginning, Prohibition resulted in widespread, willful disobedience of the hard-to- enforce law. Somehow, the fact that alcohol was prohibited made it irresistible. As McWilliams wrote in his article Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do:“By 1923, finding ways to ‘beat the feds’ had surpassed even baseball as the national pastime.” (Even my normally law-abiding father brewed “bootleg” beer in our basement. And, in thousands of American homes, otherwise model citizens made production of “bathtub gin” a very popular cottage industry.) An enormous illegal industry grew up around the production, sale and serving of contraband beer, wine and liquor. The 18th amendment was repealed on Dec. 5, 1933—the only time a constitutional amendment has ever been repealed—and Prohibition was history. The nation was thrown into a state of frenzy when the ban was lifted. After being “mothballed” for 13 years, former illegal breweries, wineries and distilleries were fired up again. Thousands of license applications came from wanna-be beer, wine and liquor wholesalers and retailers, who far outnumbered the licenses granted by municipalities where “booze” was legally available again. Edina Issues A Single Off-Sale Liquor License To gain some measure of control during the chaos that reigned after repeal, Edina’s Village Council decided to award a single off-sale liquor license to Charles Hay and Opened in 1934, Hay & Stenson was Edina’s first liquor store. Located at 3922 W. 50th St., it was the closest liquor store south of Lake Street for Edinans and most south Minneapolis residents. In 1948, Edina opened its first municipal liquor store in the same building. This advertisement for the Hay & Stenson liquor store at 3922 W. 50th St., Edina, appeared in the April 1941 issue of Countryside magazine. It featured the store’s owners Charles T. Hay and Arnold R. Stenson. “Prohibition is a great social and economic experiment—noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose.” Herbert Hoover 7•SUMMER 2005 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 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 a political campaign for two candidates in a Village election. A flier aimed at residents proclaimed: “ … a vote for Gene Cooper for mayor and Dick Palen for [Village Council] trustee will result in a municipal off-sale liquor store to be run for the benefit of the taxpayers of Edina.” Activity For And Against Edina’s Municipal Liquor Store Was Intense But not every resident was for municipal liquor sales. In the weeks leading up to the referendum, there was a rumor (later determined to be unfounded) that “a South St. Paul underworld character has been mentioned as a candidate to run Edina’s municipal liquor store.” Angry protests came from some residents, at least one of whom was said to be a potential applicant for a private liquor license himself. According to Charlotte Hauck’s 1970 interview with longtime Edina resident Lewis Jones, “Lewis … was involved in the establishing of municipal liquor in Edina. Lewis said, ‘It was a monopoly. Edina had private ownership of the liquor stores for many years. Politically and otherwise, they didn’t have any success in cracking the monopoly until about 1948.’ Jones believed that a monopoly should only belong to the public.” “There was a bitter, drawn-out fight before the municipal liquor store was established. Those who were for it were called a bunch of Reds… .” The Dec. 31, 1947, Edina-Morningside Courier reported a Village Council resolution to appoint a fact-finding 9•SUMMER 2005 Hay & Stenson’s Edina Liquor Store Was A Monopoly The Village Council had created a monopoly for the Hay & Stenson Co.—and an apparently profitable one at that. Their competitive position was further strengthened by an old Minneapolis ordinance that had long ago established so-called “patrol limits” for south Minneapolis. This meant that for decades liquor licenses had not been allowed south of Lake Street—before, during and after Prohibition. You might wonder why. In the early days, policemen patrolled south Minneapolis on horseback. Lake Street was considered to be as far south as a beat cop could travel and still get himself and his horse back to the downtown police headquarters by the end of their shift. A later factor was a 1930s vote by residents of Minneapolis’ 13th Ward, which still borders Edina on the east side of France Avenue, to go “dry.” The result of those two laws was that the closest liquor store for many south Minneapolis residents was Hay & Stenson’s. As a boy growing up in the Linden Hills Neighborhood of southwest Minneapolis, I can remember riding with my father all the way out to 50th & France so he could restock his home beer and liquor supply. Edina resident John Cardle, whose boyhood home was at 50th and Oliver in Minneapolis, said his father did his wine shopping at Hay & Stenson’s, too. “Dad always said Edina was the closest place, and besides, they had a wonderful wine cellar,” Cardle said. Support For A Municipal Liquor Store Grows Shortly before the end of World War II, long-simmering sentiment for establishment of a city-owned liquor store in Edina came into the open. The Nov. 27, 1947, Minneapolis Star reported that nine metro-area communities, including nearby Richfield, were operating municipal liquor stores with glowing results. Richfield’s report said, “Liquor off-sale municipal store has paid for trucks, graders, firefighting uniforms and park facilities. Forty-two thousand dollars is now in the liquor fund.” Excelsior’s report stated, “One-third of the cost of operating the village is paid with profits of the municipal off-sale liquor store.” Energized by these and other success stories, many Edina citizens started to get serious about getting their own municipal liquor store. It even became the basis of 8•SUMMER 2005 (continued on next page) We Have Lost Our License! WE ARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! FINE WINES AND LIQUORS STILL AVAILABLE See Us Today! HAY & STENSON CO. WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANTS on 50th at France Avenue, South Advertisements for Hay & Stenson’s liquor store boasted of this “nationally-known wine cellar,” which was in the basement of the store on 50th near France. Edina resident John Cardle remembers seeing this 1948 Hay & Stenson newspaper ad. It created quite a scene when buyers mobbed the store to buy up liquor, beer and wine at reduced sale prices. “Customers, including my Dad, were going wild,” Cardle said. 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 Min n e s o t a H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y committee “to study and inform the public” on four alternative plans for off-sale liquor: • A municipal liquor store. • A single license in private hands. • More than one license in private hands. • No liquor store. Citizens appointed to the fact-finding committee included: L.A. Dyragrov (chairman), the Rev. Bernard Hummel of St. Steven’s Episcopal Church; the Rev. Louis W. Forrey of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church; Chester L. Nichols, T.L. Todd and Alfred Hiatt. To sound out public sentiment on the subject, the committee recommended a public referendum. It was scheduled for Feb. 24, just prior to the March 31 expiration of the Hay & Stenson store’s license. First Edina Municipal Liquor Store OK’d In 1948 The Feb. 25, 1948, Minneapolis Star announced, “Edina citizens, in an advisory election…went on record in favor of a municipal off-sale liquor store. A total of 3,048 ballots were cast, the largest vote ever to be cast in the Village outside a presidential election year.” Residents of the suburb had voted 1,921 to 1,040 in favor of a municipal operation. The Village of Edina signed a one-year, $53,400 contract-for- deed with the Hay and Stenson families, which covered the liquor store building on 50th, an adjacent lot used for parking and the purchase of $4,952 of merchandise and fixtures from the Hay & Stenson Co. Edina Liquor 3922 W. 50th St. Sales & Net Profit First 15 Months (June 5,1948 – Aug. 31,1949) Period CoveredSalesNet Profit June 5-September 25,1948$82,252.40$6,220.73 September 25-December 31, 1948 $103,293.64$13,722.29 January 1-April 30,1949$93,238.18$10,011.30 May 1-July 31, 1949$82,816.75$10,807.70 August 1-August 31, 1949$27,271.88$3,486.01 Totals—First 15 Months $388,872.85$44,248.03 11•SUMMER 2005 Sale of $75,000 of Liquor Dispensary Revenue Bonds was authorized to cover the cost of the building and adjacent lot. The liquor store reopened under Village management on June 5, 1948, with minimal remodeling. The store showed an operating profit from the start. In order to clear the Village’s indebtedness resulting from the $75,000 bond issue, no distribution of liquor store profits to other City accounts was allowed before the bonds’ Dec. 31, 1951, maturity. The bonds were retired and to this day, Edina’s municipal liquor operations have been completely debt-free. In the following 54 years, many, many millions of liquor store profit dollars have supported Edina’s parks and recreation facilities, construction of a 1953 City Hall and have helped keep residents’ property taxes low. 10•SUMMER 2005 (continued on next page) When Hay & Stenson owned the liquor store on 50th Street, the basement of the building was used as a wine cellar. The first major remodeling of the 50th & France store took place in 1954 when the decorative railing and stairway to what had been Hay & Stenson’s basement wine cellar were removed and the wine cellar became a basement storeroom. Announcing The Opening Saturday of an Exclusive Off Sale Liquor Store on 50th St. at France Ave. So. (EDINA OFF SALE LICENSE NO. 1) Offering a complete assortment of choice imported and domestic wine, champagnes, liquors and 6% beers at uniform and reasonable prices. Quality guaranteed to Be as Represented OPEN DAILY 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. SATURDAY 8 A.M. TO 10 P.M. WE DELIVER–PHONE WALNUT 3900 Hay &Stenson Co. Charles T. Hay A R. Stenson This advertisement in the Feb. 24, 1934, Saturday Minneapolis Tribune announced the opening of Hay & Stenson’s ‘Exclusive Off-Sale Liquor Store’ near 50th & France. (Note the reference to “Edina Off- Sale License No. 1.”) The store opened for business that same day. In 1956, a second municipal liquor store was opened on the upper level of the then-new Southdale Center. In November 1957, the store was moved down to this location on the main floor of the shopping center where more space was available. Ed i n a H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y 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 Second Liquor Store Opened At Southdale In 1956 In 1956, a second liquor store was opened on the upper level of the newly opened Southdale Center. Warren Hyde, Edina’s Village Manager, hired Bob Snyder away from Snyder Bros. Liquor Store in downtown Minneapolis to manage the second store. Snyder, who ran the Southdale store for many years, would eventually become manager of all Edina Liquor stores. In November 1957, the Southdale liquor store was moved down to the shopping center’s main floor where more space was available. Also, there was more customer foot traffic in the new location, which shared an outside entrance with a Red Owl supermarket. At the time, self-service was not widely available in liquor stores and Hyde solicited outside advice about the emerging self-service trend from several industry sources before the remodeling of the new store was begun. New shelving and checkout counters were installed to take advantage of self-service merchandising. Edina’s third liquor store opened for business in 1964 on Vernon Avenue at Interlachen Boulevard in the former location of Olson Bros. Pharmacy, which proprietors Doug and Roy Olson had moved a few hundred feet west to a spot next door to the new Jerry’s supermarket in the Grandview Shopping Center. The Vernon store would undergo a series of makeovers, including a major renovation completed in 2002. Southdale Liquor Store Moved To York Avenue In 1973 Chuck Peterson, who started working in Edina’s 50th Street liquor store in 1959, recalled the 1973 decision to move the Southdale store to 6801 York Ave. “There was definitely more visibility for a store on [heavily traveled] York Avenue,” he said. “Also, they wanted to operate in a Village-owned, free- standing building so the Village could quit paying rent on the Southdale space.” A third factor was a desire to stay close to the Red Owl supermarket, which had moved to a location across the street from Southdale on York Avenue. The original York Avenue liquor store was built just south of the new Red Owl Country store. Peterson, who had managed both the Southdale and York stores, eventually became director of all three Edina Liquor stores from 1996 until his retirement in 1998. (Recently, Chuck was wooed out of retirement and is now back as a part-timer at the York store.) Original 50th Street Liquor Store Closed—New Location Opened In 1977 As part of an extensive redevelopment of the 50th & France 13•SUMMER 200512•SUMMER 2005 Edina’s third liquor store opened in 1964 in the former Olson Bros. Pharmacy building on Vernon Avenue at Interlachen Boulevard. The Edina Eye Clinic and a National Tea Co. grocery store were torn down in 1977 to make way for the two-story structure that now houses the 50th Street municipal liquor store. Located just west of the Edina Theatre, the eye clinic building was the City’s last remaining example of art deco architecture. Ph o t o b y D i c k P a l e n In 1973, after Red Owl Country Store moved from Southdale to York Avenue, the Southdale municipal liquor store relocated next door at 6801 York Ave. Many Edina residents remember the new liquor store’s distinctive cedar siding and the curved part of its streetside wall. Steve Grausam (left) has been Director of Liquor Operations in charge of all three Edina liquor stores since 1998. His first job with Edina was at the 6801 York Ave. store in 1987. Later, he managed the 50th Street store from 1992 until 1998. Chuck Peterson (right) started at the 50th Street liquor store in 1959 and later managed the Southdale and York stores. He eventually directed operations at all three Edina municipal liquor stores until he retired in 1998. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n (continued on next page) area in 1977, the one-story Edina Eye Clinic and a National Tea Co. grocery store were torn down to make way for a modern, two-story structure, which had a new Edina Liquor store as a ground -floor tenant. The original liquor store remained open until the new quarters were ready later that year. Conveniently located just a few steps from a new Lunds supermarket, a City parking ramp and surface parking, the new location had three times more floor space than the old store across 50th Street. New Yorkdale Liquor Store Resulted From A Land And Building Swap In the mid-1990s, Welsh Companies, a developer of commercial properties, and Jerry’s Enterprises formed a partnership to redevelop the Red Owl Country Store into a new Cub Foods and upgrade existing properties in Yorkdale Shoppes on York Avenue. The partnership needed to raze the existing Edina Liquor store to make room for a new parking lot that would serve the Yorkdale retailers’ customers. The Welsh/Jerry’s partnership offered the City of Edina a swap of the liquor store building and land at 6801 York Ave. in return for a new $700,000 building complete with equipment, fixtures and dedicated parking spots on a new location facing York Avenue immediately west of the new Cub store—at a very attractive total cost of $100,000 to the City. Edina’s then-Assistant City Manager Gordon Hughes and then-Assistant Finance Director Eric Anderson completed the negotiations and the new store opened in October 1996. It has been the City’s leading liquor store ever since. Incidentally, it’s not a mere coincidence that all three of Edina’s stores are now located in bustling shopping centers anchored by strong supermarkets. “It’s really convenient for people shopping at the Cub store on York or Jerry’s Foods on Vernon or the Lund’s supermarket at 50th & France to stop at one of our liquor stores on the same trip,” said Steve Grausam, Director of Liquor Operations at all three Edina Liquor stores since 1998. 15•SUMMER 200514•SUMMER 2005 Richfield Liquor Stores Have Been Worthy Competitors An estimated 70 percent of the three Edina Liquor stores’ customers live in Edina. Much of the balance comes from southwest Minneapolis and Richfield. For many years, Richfield was the top Minnesota municipal liquor operation in gross sales and Edina was in second place. Edina first unseated Richfield for gross sales in 1999 and took over the No. 1 spot for net profit in 2001. At the end of 2003 (the latest data available from the state auditor), Lakeville was No. 1 in sales and Edina was No. 2, but Edina was still leading the pack in net profit. “According to the current forecast, Edina should be back to No. 1 in sales again in 2004,” Grausam said. In a recent interview, City Manager Gordon Hughes had words of high praise for the employees of Edina’s three liquor stores. “Edina Liquor continues to build on a long tradition of service to our City,” he said. “The men and women who are involved with this City enterprise are not only exemplary public servants, but entrepreneurs as well. They do a great job of preventing youth access to alcohol while, at the same time, advocating responsible consumption by adults. We’re very proud of their achievements.” 1948 Vision Of Municipal Liquor Stores’ Advantages Fulfilled Perhaps Paul D. Hesterman, Edina historian and author of The History of Edina, Minnesota,put it best: “Despite the strains of rapid expansion of City services, Edina managed to maintain one of the lowest mil rates in the state on its property tax assessments. Why was Edina able to provide high quality services at relatively low cost with relatively little controversy while other suburbs faced inadequate The success of the Yorkdale Shoppes has contributed to the growth of sales at the municipal liquor store at 6755 York Ave., which has been Edina’s top liquor store since 1966. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n (continued on next page) The Vernon store is the most recent Edina Liquor store to get a full-scale remodeling. Totally gutted in 2002, it opened seven weeks later with all-new shelving, counters, fixtures and a redesigned exterior. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n services, skyrocketing tax rates and taxpayer revolts? Edina’s municipal liquor store profits helped keep the mil rate low.” According to Edina’s Finance Director John Wallin, in the last seven years alone, $5.2 million has been transferred from $6.1 million of liquor store net income to support the Art Center, Braemar Arena, park improvements, public safety and the general fund. Former Mayor Jim Van Valkenburg extolled the contributions that municipal liquor store profits have made to our City’s quality of life. “Municipal liquor store profits have benefited this community in a lot of ways,” he said. “The City Hall, built in 1953 at a cost of $252,360, was paid for largely with liquor store proceeds. Many millions of liquor store profit dollars have gone toward other buildings, parkland and programs— including Braemar Golf Course, the ice arena, the aquatic center, several ballparks and the Edina Art Center’s building and programs—to say nothing about contributions to the City’s general fund, which have helped to keep our property taxes among the lowest in the state.” Background material and photographs for this article came from the collections of the Edina Historical Society and the Minnesota Historical Society; meeting minutes of the Village of Edina and Edina Liquor Commission; files of the Minnesota State Auditor and City of Edina; writings of Charlotte Hauck; and the following publications: Edina- Morningside Courier, Minneapolis Star and the www.ephedrina.org website.Joe Sullivan is an Edina resident and freelance writer. He can be contacted by writing to EdinaMail@ci.edina.mn.us. 17•SUMMER 200516•SUMMER 2005 HONESTY, INTEGRITY & COMMITMENT FOR 50 YEARS YYOOUURR EEDDIINNAA NNEEIIGGHHBBOORRHHOOOODD RREEAALL EESSTTAATTEE PPRROOFFEESSSSIIOONNAALLSS:: MORTGAGE TITLERELOCATION warranties INsurance hotline HOMEDOCSrecommends moving services guaranteed sales program exceptional properties Jeff and Diane Anderes 952-927-2842 jeffanddianeanderes@edinarealty.com jeffanddianeanderes.edinarealty.com Ginni and Jeff Anderson 952-927-1669ginniandjeffanderson@edinarealty.com ginnianderson.edinarealty.com Jeff and Connie Cauble 952-927-1115jeffandconniecauble@edinarealty.com jeffcauble.edinarealty.com John Everett 952-927-1646johneverett@edinarealty.com johneverett.edinarealty.com Ted Field 952-927-1650tedfield@edinarealty.com tedfield.edinarealty.com Jackie Goodlund 952-927-1647jackiegoodlund@edinarealty.com jackiegoodlund.edinarealty.com Ruthann Holetz 952-927-1624ruthannholetz@edinarealty.com ruthannholetz.edinarealty.com John McDonald 952-927-1197johnmcdonald@edinarealty.com johnmcdonald.edinarealty.com Joan E. Mitchell 952-927-1147joanemitchell@edinarealty.com joanemitchell.edinarealty.com Jude Dugan Olson 952-927-1186judeduganolson@edinarealty.com judeduganolson.edinarealty.com Linda Platt 952-927-1179lindaplatt@edinarealty.com lindaplatt.edinarealty.com John Raichert 952-927-1189johnraichert@edinarealty.com johnraichert.edinarealty.com Kevin Ries 952-927-1196kevinries@edinarealty.com kevinries.edinarealty.com Margie and John Sampsell 952-927-1195margieandjohnsampsell@edinarealty.com margiesampsell.edinarealty.com Corky Weber 952-927-1198corkyweber@edinarealty.com corkyweber.edinarealty.com Top 7 Municipal Liquor Operations in Minnesota—2003 (Source: Minnesota State Auditor) City*SalesNet ProfitTransfers To Other Funds Lakeville$9,852,366$788,688$1,046,141 Edina$9,659,631$895,550$895,000 Richfield$9,001,739$469,592$704,270 Eden Prairie$8,404,740$745,730$653,444 Columbia Heights$6,934,572$398,513$261,981 Apple Valley$5,916,861$431,991$250,000 Fridley$5,364,588$361,405$450,500 *Note: Cities are ranked according to sales. Transfers to other funds are not calculated in the same way in all communities. 19•SUMMER 200518•SUMMER 2005 Community Library. As the Regent of her Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, she helped coordinate the donation of a flagpole there. Mayor’s Outstanding Senior Commendation Awarded to a senior citizen for outstanding volunteer service within the community. Since 1981, Jean Hedberg has been an active member of the Edina Federated Women’s Club. She has served as club president and this year served as co-chairwoman of the very successful club fundraiser known as the Feds Fest. Hedberg just finished a six-year board term with the Braemar Golf Association, having been president for the past three years. She has maintained a loyalty to the mission of the Southdale YMCA, joining the board and helping with their fundraising campaign. Hedberg continues to support the work of the Children’s Cancer Research Fund, serving on the board for six years. With the Hedberg Foundation, she endowed a chair to pediatric brain tumor research at the University of Minnesota. In addition, she remains a faithful supporter of the Edina Community Foundation. Mayor’s Youth Commendation Awarded to an outstanding young person who has demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of life in the community. Catherine Elliott, a ninth-grader at South View Middle School, comes from a family where community service and volunteering are a big part of their lives. Catherine is the Student Leadership Council President at South View, Receiving Mayor’s Commendations were front: Jean Hedberg, Outstanding Senior; Edina Morningside Rotary Club President Annie Kennedy, Outstanding Service Club; City of Edina Communications Director Jennifer Bennerotte, Community Involvement; Catherine Elliott, Youth; and back: Mayor Jim Hovland; Dianne Plunkett Latham, Individual Service; Mark Peterson, Connecting With Kids; and Edina Rotary Club President Bruce Templeton, Service Club. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n (continued on next page) City Thanks Volunteers At 26th-Annual Reception If streets and sidewalks are the spine of the City, volunteers are the heart. To honor the many volunteers who contribute to Edina’s quality of life, the City hosted the 26th-annual All Volunteer Awards Reception in mid-April at Edinborough Park. Nearly 200 people attended the evening reception inside the park’s Great Hall. “Each year, we invite our community organizations to recognize the service of their volunteers. Even though only a few individuals [are being recognized at this event], we know that the work of any organization depends on the collective efforts of many individuals,” said City Manager Gordon Hughes, who emceed the program. “On behalf of the City, thanks to all of you and the organizations you represent that make Edina the preeminent place for living, learning, raising families and doing business. Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Remember, Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals!” To recognize some of the community’s outstanding volunteers, Edina Mayor Jim Hovland presented six commendations. Mayor’s Service Club Commendation Awarded to a club or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the community through its regular activities or through special projects. Thanks to the generosity of the Edina Rotary Club and the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, the Edina Senior Center is now equipped with a commercial kitchen, providing new opportunities for hospitality by serving food to patrons. When the Senior Center opened in 2002, money was not available to equip the kitchen for commercial use. The Morningside Club developed the initial plan for donating money to renovate the kitchen at the Senior Center. The Morningside Club asked the Edina Rotary Club to help with the project. The Edina Morningside Club went on to raise $9,700 at its winter fundraiser, and the Edina Noon Club matched that amount. The City and a handful of private donors covered the rest of the cost. The renovation allows the kitchen to meet commercial codes so the Senior Center can use it for “express” lunches featuring soup and sandwiches. Caterers are also able to serve food out of the kitchen. Mayor’s Individual Service Commendation Awarded to an individual for outstanding and exceptional volunteer service to the community at-large. Dianne Plunkett Latham, president of the Edina Garden Council, has applied her considerable enthusiasm and communication skills to inform Edina’s public officials and residents of the need for buckthorn abatement in City parks and neighborhoods. Her personal efforts have included appearances before public bodies, volunteer coordination and extensive phone and e-mail communication. She played a major leadership role in distributing informational door hangers throughout the community and in obtaining funds for buckthorn abatement in public areas, including the grounds around the Edina Art Center. Plunkett Latham has also led the Garden Council in its efforts to replace the fountain at Arneson Acres Park. Another of her projects can be seen just outside the Edina 20•SUMMER 2005 21•SUMMER 2005 presented to: Marce Daehn, Edina Garden Council; Kathy Borg, Edina Girls Athletic Association; Linda Kieffer, Edina Art Center; Skip Thomas, Edina Chamber of Commerce; Pacy Erck and Matt Nilsen, Edina Chemical Health Partners; Cindy Bingham and Patricia Tucker, Edina Community Foundation; Cheryl Gunness, Edina Family Center; Jan Johnson and Mavis Klefsaas, Edina Federated Women’s Club; Jim Anderson and John Heinz, Edina Golden K Kiwanis Club; Linda Shirk, Edina Historical Society; Alan Thiel, Edina Lions Club; Lisa Kochiras, Edina Morningside Rotary Club; Chaplains Chaim Goldberger, Tony Jones, Kurt Kalland and Rich Phenow, Edina Police Department; Barbara Elder, Edina Recycling and Solid Waste Commission; Joan Lee, Edina Woman’s Club; Delores Randby, Fairview Southdale Hospital; Harold Liljenquist, Fourth of July Parade Committee; Marie Goblirsch, Friends of the Edina Community Library; Suzanne Kerwin, League of Women Voters of Edina; Paul Crockett, Southdale Y’s Men Club; Matt Briggs, Nicole Slomiany and Jean Thomas, Youth Development –Youth Service. For more information on the All-Volunteer Awards Reception or the mayor’s commendations, contact Human Services Coordinator Susan Heiberg, 952-826-0403. Gentle Imaging for People Who Deserve to be Treated Well Southdale 6525 France Avenue Phone 952.215.4320 Edina 3955 Parklawn Avenue Phone 952.285.3700 www.consultingradiologists.com Consulting Radiologists Imaging gives you personal attention from people who want to make you comfortable. And you also receive world-class diagnostic imaging, interpretation and pain management from Minnesota’s premier subspecialty radiology group.When you want to know what’s going on inside, come to us. focusing on community and school service projects with a peer group. She is also the President of The Builders Club, with the club members working their way toward raising $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In this endeavor, they are sponsoring a boy so that he and his family can go on a Disney Cruise. Currently, Catherine is working on her Girl Scout Silver Award Project, which is a 30-hour commitment toward making and collecting blankets for donation to the Harriet Tubman Family Alliance. Catherine has put in more than 100 hours of community service in the past year, doing such things as working at Feed My Starving Children, sorting clothes for Sabathani Community Center, scooping ice cream for Concord Elementary School and working as a hostess at the Mayor’s house during the Edina Community Foundation’s Holiday Home Tour. Mayor’s Connecting With Kids Commendation Awarded to an individual or organization making a positive impact in the lives of youth. A self-described “recovering attorney” who spent much of his career in criminal defense, Mark Peterson now focuses his efforts principally on issues involving youth and families. Peterson became involved in youth asset-building initiatives after seeing enough of the “aftermath” of underage alcohol use. He now serves as a member of Edina Chemical Health Partners, Alcohol Action Group of Tri-City Partners and the Connecting With Kids positional leaders group. In addition, he has collaborated on forums for the parents of Edina athletes focusing on Minnesota State High School League rules relating to substance use. Mayor’s Community Involvement Commendation Awarded to a City employee for outstanding volunteer service to the community, above and beyond his or her position with the City. Since beginning work for the City of Edina in 2000, Communications Director Jennifer Bennerotte has steadily grown the City’s communications program. Despite her workload, Bennerotte has been an active volunteer in Edina. She is an avid supporter of the Edina Chamber of Commerce, regularly volunteering to help with the group’s golf tournament and Gala fund-raisers. In 2003, the Chamber recognized her as its “Volunteer of the Year.” Bennerotte is a new member of the Edina Rotary Club and will head up its public relations campaign later this year. In addition, Bennerotte has been an active member of the National Association of Government Communicators, City-County Communicators and Marketing Association and Minnesota Association of Government Communicators, of which she currently serves on the Board of Directors. Many service organizations also recognized their own exemplary volunteers at the reception. Awards were 23•SUMMER 2005 “A lot of people don’t realize how devastating it is to children,” Neis said. All of the stress, tension and anxiety in the household effects children, too. “Children learn what they live. This insidious thing passes from generation to generation – 50 percent of girls raised in violent homes become victims of domestic abuse and 80 percent of boys become abusers,” said Neis. “What distinguishes Cornerstone is that we’re invested in early intervention and prevention.” Cornerstone offers classroom education through its Preventing Abuse and Violence through Education (PAVE) program. PAVE teaches students about harassment, young men’s and young women’s anger awareness and gender issues. PAVE also promotes nonviolence through student groups in the school. Cornerstone also offers recreational activities for youth. Children who see or experience family violence often assume adult responsibilities and forfeit their childhood. Fishing trips or going to a ballgame are a special treat for these children. When someone first meets an abusive partner, they are charming, romantic and fun. Once the relationship is in place, a pattern of abusive behavior begins, but it often takes a while to recognize, Neis said. “It’s someone you love. You want to believe what they say -- that it won’t happen again.” When asked, many women just want the abuse to stop and for things to be the way they were in the beginning, Neis said. “The question we should be asking is not, ‘Why did she go back?’ but ‘Why did he hurt her again?’ ” Neis explained. In August 2005, Cornerstone moved into its new Sheila Wellstone Center. The building is named for the late Sheila Wellstone, an advocate for victims of domestic abuse, supporter of Cornerstone and wife of late Sen. Paul Wellstone. The new 30,000-square-foot facility allowed Cornerstone to build a playroom and a music and art room for kids, as well as creating comfortable meeting rooms for support groups and adding office space. Cornerstone has 38 full-time staff, 16 part-time staff and about 200 volunteers. “We’re a volunteer intensive agency,” Neis said. Volunteers do everything from manning the crisis line to helping clients with their job skills and resume. Cornerstone also has groups of volunteers – church or school groups – who come in together and do fall and spring yard work at Cornerstone’s houses and shelters or take kids on outings. Working with victims of domestic violence day after day can be difficult. “Despite our best efforts, we’re never able to do enough,” Neis said. Cornerstone works to promote a healthy work environment where staff can vent and support one another. “The people who benefit the most from that is our clients,” Neis said. “We have smart, intuitive people to help them get through a rough time.” The City of Edina’s Human Rights and Relations Commission has awarded grants to Cornerstone for 17 years. In 2004, the City gave Cornerstone a total of $15,100. Of the grant money, $5,100 is used for advocacy and $10,000 for intervention. For more information on Cornerstone, call 952-884-0376. If you or someone you know needs help, call the crisis line 24-hours a day at 952-884-0330. 22•SUMMER 2005 Cornerstone Provides Support For Edina Community By Sarah Berg “There used to be a myth that domestic abuse doesn’t happen in places like Edina. But socioeconomic status has nothing to do with domestic violence,” said Susan Neis, Executive Director of Cornerstone Advocacy Service. “In fact,” she said, “it might be easier to hide when the next house is 50 yards away, rather than through the paper-thin walls of some apartment buildings.” In 2003, Cornerstone programs served 200 Edina residents. And in 2004, the Edina Police Department responded to 130 domestic disputes, 24 of which resulted in domestic assault arrests. Cornerstone is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence. “Cornerstone’s mission is to prevent domestic abuse. We support children and adults to live violence-free lives. We are a catalyst to end violence in the community,” its mission statement states. Cornerstone, founded in 1983, serves five metropolitan communities – Edina, Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield and St. Louis Park. “Cornerstone is an integral part of the Edina Police Department’s response to domestic violence,” said Edina Police Chief Mike Siitari. In fact, Cornerstone is a part of the department’s written policy when handling a domestic dispute. If the Edina police are called to handle a domestic abuse situation, they always provide the victim with information about Cornerstone. Sometimes, the officers will even go so far as to place a call to Cornerstone’s 24- hour help line and then hand the phone to the victim. “[The Edina Police Department is] a short-term solution,” Siitari said. “We’re out there to stop the fight, but it does nothing to address the ongoing problem.” Cornerstone is able to follow- up and provide support for the victim. Cornerstone offers both residential and community services for victims of domestic violence. Residential and advocacy services include emergency and transitional shelter as well as housing resources for victims of domestic violence. Cornerstone also provides a 24-hour help line so that victims can have immediate access to emergency services. The program works to educate about the issue of domestic assault, increase the safety of victims and assist participants in finding permanent housing. Cornerstone’s community and intervention services support the victim through the court process by helping with safety issues and writing Orders for Protection. Cornerstone works from within the criminal court system to hold people who assault their partners accountable by entering a guilty plea. Cornerstone also offers support groups, some specialized for senior women or victims of same-sex abuse, parenting education and youth counselors. Cornerstone provides counseling services to victims of domestic violence. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n 25•SUMMER 200524•SUMMER 2005 By Sarah Berg When Payroll Technician Sandy Anderson retired April 29 – 20 years to the day after she began working for the City of Edina – she donated a teak bench for others to enjoy outside Edina City Hall. “I wanted to give something back to the City,” Anderson said. “The City of Edina has been very good to me over these 20 years.” During her time with the City, Anderson never missed a payroll. For 20 years, she planned vacations around getting checks out on time. A few years ago, when she was diagnosed with appendicitis, Anderson returned to work to finish payroll and then drove herself to the hospital to have her appendix removed. She was back in the office in time to do the next payroll. “Sandy never missed a thing,” said Eric Anderson, Assistant City Manager. “She was a model employee – dependable and reliable.” While working for the City, Sandy Anderson learned three different payroll systems and handled the increased payroll from summer program employees, seemingly without a hitch. “I can’t imagine anyone doing as fine a job as Sandy,” said Diane Julien, Public Works Department Secretary. “I was in Human Resources when Sandy was hired and as soon as she walked in I said, ‘This is the lady for us.’ ” With her new free time, Anderson hopes to do “as little as possible.” But she plans to keep busy by reading, traveling, volunteering at church, exercising and spending time with friends. Every holiday season, Anderson and two other City employees get together to make lefse, a Scandinavian favorite. Someday, Anderson hopes to travel to Norway to visit relatives. Anderson’s first trip, though, was to Tucson, Ariz., for her granddaughter’s high school graduation. She hopes to spend time with her daughter in Tucson during the winter. The bench Anderson donated is one of three that have been placed in the circular courtyard on the south side of City Hall. The other two benches will be paid for by employee donations made to the Edina Community Foundation. Anderson said she wanted to donate something that could be enjoyed by the City employees she left behind. Employees and residents can use the benches to eat lunch, enjoy the sunshine or read a book – things Anderson enjoyed during her tenure with the City of Edina. City Retiree Leaves Behind A Gift For Others When Payroll Technician Sandy Anderson retired from the City of Edina in late April after a 20-year career there, she donated a teak bench for residents, visitors and City employees to enjoy. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n Fee Only Investment Advisory Experience Service Performance Innovation Integrity Discipline 7400 Metro Boulevard •Suite 100 •Edina, MN 55439 Tel: (952) 746-6777 •e-mail: trgrace@thosgrace.com 26•SUMMER 2005 27•SUMMER 2005 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 flush hydrants for two weeks in September. Random hydrants are also flushed throughout the year as weather and water demand allows. 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 Sept. 12 and on the west side of the highway the week of Sept. 19. Due to the hydrant flushing, it is inevitable that some residents will receive rust-colored water that could stain laundry, but it 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 or 952-826-0312 or visit the City’s website, www.CityofEdina.com. 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CCoonnttaacctt uuss aatt:: 995522--883377--88440000 7650 Edinborough Way, Suite 20, Edina, MN 55435 Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n of the allocation to the Edina Community Foundation shall be maintained in a separate Designated Fund for program grants by the Foundation’s Board of Directors to other charitable organizations for purposes consistent with the Community Partners mission. The Community Partners program has been developed and will be supervised by a Coordinating Committee consisting of a board and a staff member from each of the three charities: Gary Surdel and Mark Wilkening* from the YMCA, Paul Gubrud and Karin Meier from VEAP, Geof Workinger and myself from the Foundation, and Dennis Maetzold, who joined the boards of both VEAP and the Foundation last fall, while also serving as chairman of the Southdale YMCA’s Annual Support Campaign during this last year. We are all excited about the potential for the Community Partners program to help each of our organizations better achieve our mission—Building Strong Kids, Strong Families, and Strong Communities (the YMCA), Neighbors Helping Neighbors (VEAP) and Strengthening Our Community (the Edina Community Foundation). *Wilkening accepted a position as Director of Donor Relations for the Foundation in April 2005. Questions about Community Partners or other Foundation programs may be addressed to Dick Crockett, Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation, at 952-833-9573 or edinacommunityfoundation@ci.edina.mn.us. 29•SUMMER 200528•SUMMER 2005 S TRENGTHENING O UR C OMMUNITY By Dick Crockett Executive Director The Edina Community Foundation is undertaking a major initiative this year to fulfill a long-standing ambition of former Mayor Dennis Maetzold. During his public service to our City, he concluded that there was an untapped potential for several nonprofit organizations in the community to collaborate in obtaining support for vital human resource needs from major business enterprises. This is important because one key measure of a community’s health and prosperity is its ability to support its neighbors in need. More than 14 percent of all the residents living in the southwest suburban area are considered low-income. These residents have needs that include: • affordable housing• food services • child care• health care • education• transportation • family and youth programs• wellness programs The Edina Community Foundation, Southdale YMCA, and VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People) are inviting major businesses and other enterprises with local headquarters or other significant operations to join them as Community Partners in a commitment to meet the critical needs of our low-income neighbors. Through combining our efforts, we will strengthen our community and make it a better place for all of us to live, raise families and conduct business. Contributions to the Community Partners program are an investment in the future of our community and our neighbors in need. The three participating public charities each have a strong commitment to meeting the needs of low-income families and individuals: • The Edina Community Foundation makes grants to other public charities and programs such as Connecting With Kids, CommonBond Communities for needy seniors, and Rosland Grants-in-Aid for low-income Edina Park & Recreation Department users. • Southdale YMCA provides scholarship and financial aid programs for low-income families and individuals to allow their participation in its health and wellness programs, including summer day camps for young people. • VEAP provides direct human service programs to our neighbors in need in Edina, Richfield and Bloomington. All contributions received from the Community Partners program will be allocated in equal shares to Designated Funds of the Foundation for the ultimate support of appropriate programs of these three charities. Grants from the YMCA and VEAP Designated Funds to those charities shall be made by the Foundation’s Executive Committee upon request of each charity’s Executive Director. An amount equal to at least 70 percent The Community Partners Program For Our Neighbors In Need 31•SUMMER 200530•SUMMER 2005 612.920.4050 • 7615 Metro Boulevard (Hwy.100 &77th Street)Edina • www.spabellacasa.com Bloom Energize Renewal Rest VEAP Continues Back-to-School Program Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) needs your help in giving our neighborhood children the opportunity to start the school year with the basic supplies necessary for a good education. VEAP’s Back-to-School Program provides every child in need with a bag of basic school supplies based on their grade level. In addition, VEAP tries to give a backpack or calculator to each child. VEAP also tries to provide parents with a $15 gift card or certificate to purchase a school item for each of their children that the Back-to-School distribution was unable to furnish. In 2004, 350 children did not receive a backpack or calculator. VEAP expects an 18 percent increase in program participation in 2005, so the need for backpacks and calculators is even greater this year. This translates to about 2,000 children, and a need for 2,000 gift cards and certificates. Last year, VEAP distributed items valued at an average of $47 per child (including the gift card or certificate) which helped ensure that every pre-registered child had the basic tools necessary for a successful school experience. You can make a real difference in a child’s education by donating gift certificates from Herberger’s, K-Mart, Kohl’s, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Southdale Center, Target or Wal-Mart; or by sponsoring a child with a monetary donation. VEAP is also seeking the following donations: backpacks, scientific calculators, wide- and college-lined spiral notebooks and loose-leaf paper, colored pencils in boxes of 12 or 24, 12-inch rulers with metric measurements, full-size erasers, metal Fiskars scissors with sharp points, white glue, No. 2 pencils in packages of 8 or 10, two-pocket folders in solid colors, glue sticks, water-based and non- permanent markers, highlighters, pencil boxes or zippered pencil pouches, blue or black ink pens, watercolors and crayons in packages of eight, 16 or 24. All donations must be new. VEAP, which serves the communities of Edina, Bloomington, Eden Prairie and Richfield, cannot accept used items. Donations should be sent to the VEAP office, 9731 James Ave. S., Bloomington, between June 6 and Aug. 25. Collection sites will be set up in the community starting Aug. 2. Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., and Edina Fire Station No. 1, 6250 Tracy Ave., will be two of the local sites. Volunteer opportunities begin Aug. 2. Donated items will be distributed during the last week of August. Registration for the program begins July 18 and only those who register will receive the school supplies. For more information, contact VEAP at 952-888-9616, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. E-mails can be sent to dianee@veapvolunteers.org. 33•SUMMER 200532•SUMMER 2005 (continued on next page) By Lelan Bosch It is hard to put a price tag on the Edina Police Department, but we do know the “boys in blue” saved Edina residents $1.6 million this past year. The savings come from a reduction of costs related to personal injuries and property damages resulting from traffic accidents. According to a report from the Office of Traffic Safety’s Minnesota Safe & Sober Campaign, Edina Police officers reduced the number of injuries and property damage incidents by 93 and 36 respectively between 1993 and 2002. After the cost of damages, loss of wages due to injury and other expenses are added up for each crash, the results show that the Edina Police Department saved people a lot of money, and a lot of bodily harm, compared to 10 years ago. “In the past 10 years, crashes are down,” said Bob O’Brien, Safe & Sober Liaison and former Minneapolis Police Officer, “in spite of the fact that in those 10 years we’ve had over 1 million registered vehicles and half a million drivers, in addition to what there were 10 years ago.” In Minnesota in 2002, there were an average of 256 crashes resulting in 111 injuries and 1.8 fatalities every day. The Minnesota Safe & Sober Campaign awards law enforcement agencies federal grant money to pay officers overtime for traffic enforcement in order to prevent those distressing statistics. The Edina Police Department has applied for and consistently received the grants since 1997. The grant is very competitive and only half the agencies that apply for it receive funds. Separate agencies that agree to cooperate under a single grant often have a better chance of securing money. In recent years, Edina has collaborated with the Richfield and Metropolitan Airport Commission police departments. Last year, Edina police Sgts. Jeff Elasky and Steve Stroh took responsibility for writing the grant for all three agencies and received $35,000, which was divvied up among the three departments. This year, it was the Richfield Police Department’s turn to apply and the departments received $30,000 combined. The officers who work the Safe & Sober overtime shifts are required by the grant provider to complete a new level of training each year for three years as long as their department receives the grant. Edina officers who participate in the Safe & Sober Campaign are trained in standard field sobriety test skills, which help officers determine whether drivers are under the influence of alcohol; advance field sobriety, which tests for other drug use; and vehicle safety and occupant protection training, which helps officers enforce things like seat belt use. Elasky said that between Edina, Richfield and the airport, 80 officers are fully trained to work Safe & Sober shifts, and 22 of those officers are from Edina. Although Edina officers represent less than one-third of the Safe & Sober force, Edina’s officers are thoroughly trained because they have participated in the grant program for so long. As more Edina officers become interested in the Safe & Sober Campaign, more can be trained to assist. Elasky and Stroh are adamant about giving the officers recognition for the role they play reducing crash costs and keeping people safe. “It’s the cops that went out and stopped 1,900 cars that made it happen,” Stroh said. “[Sgt. Elasky and I] just applied for some money.” The 1,900 traffic stops were the combined total from all three departments during last year’s grant cycle. The officers from all three agencies worked more than 630 overtime hours and Edina police officers were responsible for a little less than one-third of the extra law enforcement time. With the division of this year’s grant, the Edina Police Department has 170 overtime hours to spend. Often, the officers from Edina, Richfield and the airport work their overtime shifts in joint efforts. During these cooperative endeavors, officers from all three departments will select a location in a single jurisdiction or area to watch for traffic violations and discourage unlawful behavior through increased visibility of law enforcement officers. During the 2004 grant cycle, as an example, the three departments set up a joint effort to curb excessive speed at the intersection of 66th Street and Highway 100. Some of the joint efforts coincide with the Safe & Sober Campaign’s “waves.” Certain dates are selected throughout the year when Safe & Sober grant recipients are asked to be especially observant of specific violations. Last year, the Safe & Sober calendar was divided into nine waves, but this year there will only be three. Last year’s waves targeted impaired driving during the Super Bowl and St. Patrick’s Day, seat belt use and underage drinking during the May graduation season, seat belt use over Thanksgiving, and more. With multiple police departments working together during these waves, attentiveness to the particular violations is even higher, and police departments learn to be more watchful of pressing safety issues like seat belt use. An essential part of the waves that is also central to the overall Safe & Sober Campaign is public awareness and education. Grant recipients are mandated to issue statements to the press prior to waves that announce the periods of enhanced enforcement. The point of the public awareness initiative, Siitari said, is to make sure drivers are not surprised by the waves and do not think they were victims of a “sting operation.” Education also encourages safe driving regardless of how many cops are on the streets. Consistently safe roadways often result in safer neighborhoods and a reduced number of crimes besides traffic violations, O’Brien said in a February address to the City Council. “Time and time again, criminal activity is reduced when there is a good traffic enforcement program,” he said. “Criminals don’t go into communities that have a very visible police presence.” Besides avoiding areas with active police forces, known criminals are often caught as a result of a traffic stop before they can commit more crime. Out of the 1,900 stops made by the three departments last year, 21 of those drivers had outstanding warrants. O’Brien said 39 percent of felons nationally are apprehended by traffic stops. Residents Reap Benefits When Cops Get Tough 35•SUMMER 200534•SUMMER 2005 The City Council has always offered assistance where it could to improve traffic enforcement. Edina City Council was the first in the metropolitan area to authorize a traffic enforcement unit of the Police Department. Since that first insightful decision in the early 1990s, the Council has voted in favor of other measures such as approving a resolution supporting the Safe & Sober Campaign and adding another traffic officer last year. The reason the City Council has been supportive is probably because they understand how important traffic safety is to the quality of life in Edina. Siitari said traffic is a major source of complaints from residents. “If you go to Council meetings, you’ll see traffic is a major concern [of residents],” he said. “We have congestion because we’re a first-ring suburb. People get more frustrated, and then they make more driving mistakes.” Writing grants, scheduling officers for overtime shifts, coordinating multiple departments in joint enforcement efforts, and patrolling the city streets is complicated and a lot of work, but Stroh said there is a very important reason for all of it: the welfare of residents. “The main goal is to get people to drive safely,” he said. For more information about the Safe & Sober Campaign, call O’Brien, 763-427-0261. For more information on the Edina Police Department, call 952-826-1610. Ben Bratter, Senior Vice President–Investments Nick Cronin, Senior Vice President–Investments Keith Fahnhorst, Senior Vice President–Investments Pete Gabler, Financial Advisor Janel Goff, Senior Vice President–Investments Blane Hammer, Senior Vice President–Investments Bob Hannah, Financial Advisor Jim Hay, Financial Advisor Dave Horan, Senior Vice President–Investments Bob Kaufman, Vice President–Investments Mike Koob, Vice President–Investments Chris Mickelson, Financial Advisor David Otto, Financial Advisor Scott Schachtman, Assistant Vice President–Investments Kevin Smith, Senior Vice President–Investments Jim Wilkinson, Financial Advisor At Piper Jaffray, our guides can help you navigate the financial terrain. We’ll create a JourneyPlan™ based on your unique needs and the changing financial landscape, so you’ll have the disciplined investment strategy to keep you on the right path to meet your goals. Paul Bordonaro, Branch Manager, Senior Vice President–Investments Peter Levy, Associate Branch Manager, Senior Vice President–Investments Edina Branch Office 4999 France Ave. S. Ste. 200 Edina, MN 55410 952 848-8040 877 850-6022 We know the territory. Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. © 2005 Piper Jaffray & Co. 4/05 PC-05-0075 piperjaffray.com At 50th and France 36•SUMMER 2005 37•SUMMER 2005 Trip, the aforementioned Windy Ridge Expedition and the Split Silver Expedition last spring. “It started at Edina High School, and it’s really carried over,” Carper said. He bolstered the value of SALT by explaining how the program makes kids feel like they belong. “When students go through a traditional educational system, if they don’t find a connection to a teacher or a subject they love, they disassociate themselves and increase their potential for at-risk behavior.” Carper and Eischens are quick to point out that the woodland trips are more than recreation, and students learn values of acceptance, environmental ethics, personal health leadership and responsibility. In fact, the students are responsible for planning the trips from start to finish. “They do everything, and it’s not because I’m a slacker like they think I am,” Eischens said with a smirk. He explained that he tells students how much money they have and the projected dates of the trips, and leaves the organization of transportation, food rations, camping supplies, shopping and general fundraising in the students’ hands. When Eischens talked about the leadership skills students learn through SALT, he gestured toward a Time Life magazine cover picturing Martin Luther King Jr. that hangs on the north wall of his office. “Good leaders are those who lay their lives down so others can lead a better life,” he explained. On an adjacent wall, a poster of the Minnesota woodlands symbolizes Eischens’ belief that leadership and wilderness go hand in hand. Service projects have recently become an important part of SALT. So important in fact, that the team recently changed its name from Student Adventure Leadership Team to emphasize the service aspect. SALT’s most recent project was helping repair and add on to the Superior Hiking Trail in May. The service projects make the students more conscious of their community and environment, said Carper. REI lets SALTeam members conquer its Climbing Pinnacle, and lends the team equipment for their hiking trips. (continued on next page) By Lelan Bosch As a young man growing up in the inner city, any goal of getting an education Justin Quirk may have had, got lost in a flurry of poor influences and illicit behavior. He abandoned school, and authorities soon enrolled him in an alternative high school in Minneapolis’ Cedar- Riverside neighborhood. Last fall, Quirk left the paved city streets to tread on the compost-covered paths of Superior Hiking Trail along Minnesota’s North Shore, where he braved winds powerful enough to uproot trees. Zach Friedman is a student at Edina High School (EHS) where he participates in an extracurricular activity. Once a week, Friedman helps his after-school group organize activities that are educational and physical workouts. Last fall, Freidman left the suburbs to tread on the compost-covered paths of Superior Hiking Trail along Minnesota’s North Shore, where he braved winds powerful enough to uproot trees. Friedman sounds like the model son of a suburban family and Quirk may seem like a run-of-the-mill hopeless street kid. In the wilderness, however, their stories become quite similar, and it is clear that the two young men are anything but stereotypical. Pointing out the absurdity of stereotypes is actually one of the ideas Friedman’s after-school group is centered on, and it is a reason that Quirk, a student at Volunteers of America High School (VOAHS), is involved in the same extracurricular program. Friedman and Quirk are members of the Service Adventure Leadership Team (SALT). SALT is a cooperative effort between students and faculty from EHS and VOAHS in Minneapolis. Membership for the two schools’ “SALTeams” totals about 15 male members who participate together in backpacking, rock climbing and other high-adventure activities that build relationships between school staff, community leaders and students of different backgrounds. “When we get on the trail, everyone gets dirty, everyone looks [bad], and everyone has to carry everything they want on their backs,” said Aaron Carper, science and technology teacher at VOAHS and SALT faculty leader. “It breaks down barriers and stereotypes.” Carper said the wilderness is a great equalizer that removes the “rich Edina kid” and “hard-nosed, inner-city youth” monikers, and turns everyone into “regular people.” Students from the two schools have gone on a few hiking trips since Carper and EHS social worker Doug Eischens first had the idea to take a group of EHS students on a backpacking trip in May 2002. At that time, Carper was a biology and environmental science teacher at EHS. Before the 2002-03 school year, Carper moved from the high school on Valley View Road to VOAHS on 19th Avenue South, and EHS and the alternative school formed SALT. The SALTeams have camped along Superior Hiking Trail three times, starting with the summer 2003 Superior Men Mother Nature Teaches Students About Human Nature Don Begalle, Outreach Specialist for Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) in Roseville and Bloomington, is well aware of the important lessons SALT members are learning, and he helps them when he can. REI’s outreach program has lent tents, sleeping bags, Therm-a-Rest mattresses and other gear for all of SALT’s hiking trips, has donated time on its Climbing Pinnacle, and presents seminars to the students on topics ranging from backpacking equipment to the business history of REI. “Through our community outreach program, we try to get kids involved in outdoor sports such as hiking, biking and backpacking,” Begalle said. “REI values strong environmental ethics and the protection of environmental spaces. Kids who experience the outdoors are more likely to do that. SALT members are learning those principles very well, and I think they’re doing a very good job.” Although SALT has qualitative physical, social and educational benefits for its members, Carper and Eischens know more hard data would add credibility to the program, which would help secure more grant money or other public funds. Eischens said VOAHS, which is dedicated to getting disadvantaged students back on a path to success through alternative education, increased its allocation to SALT from $500 two years ago to $3,000 last year. VOAHS sees SALT’s potential benefits and is more willing to take a chance investing in the program, but other public financiers have to see proof of success before they dole out money, Eischens said. Eischens and Carper are trying to gather statistics that could bolster SALT’s case when applying for funding. Carper said one key fact is that no student who has been on the VOAHS SALTeam has ever dropped out of school. VOAHS students seem to be motivated by the things they learn from SALT that they cannot learn in school. One of the things Quirk learned is that looks can be deceiving. “A lot of people see SALT and think it looks dumb,” Quirk said. “They say, ‘I don’t want to hang out with those rich kids,’ but you get to know them and they’re not bad. You get to know kids you wouldn’t ordinarily come in contact with.” Quirk said the combination of SALT and good teachers like Carper at VOAHS has put him on track to graduate, and he would not have done so otherwise. Yonas Berhane came to America from Ethiopia, Africa, and graduated from VOAHS in June. Even though he is half a world away from his homeland, he has carved a niche among his SALT teammates. “We call him the fireman,” said Levi Cassidy, a VOAHS student and SALT member, about Berhane. “He’s good at building fires.” Just as VOAHS students learn about life in Edina, SALT members from EHS learn what inner-cities are like. Eischens said he would like to take the interactive learning model between EHS and VOAHS and create a network of SALTeams by establishing chapters in other schools. Partnerships between the current SALTeams, Valley View Middle School and Interdistrict Downtown School (IDDS) are currently in the works. Currently, SALT is exclusive to young men, but Eischens mentioned the possibility of finding people to lead female SALTeams in the next few years. Whether or not SALT eventually branches out to include girls and the rest of the metropolitan area, the current team members seem to know growth will take many small steps and they keep their eyes on the task at hand. “We want to get more 10th-graders for next year,” Freidman said as a final thought before walking back into the EHS halls to attend his morning classes. For more information on SALT, or to help or donate, call Eischens, 952-848-3800, or Carper, 612-375-0700. 39•SUMMER 200538•SUMMER 2005 SALT helped repair part of the Superior Hiking Trail near Lutsen, Minn. Whether from the suburbs or the inner city, SALTeam members are exposed to the same elements on the trail. Led by advisers Doug Eischens and Aaron Carper, the SALTeam learns lessons about nature and life. 41•SUMMER 200540•SUMMER 2005 • Do not use air-filled or foam toys such as “water wings,” “noodles” or inner tubes in place of life jackets. These are toys and are not designed to keep swimmers safe. • Empty your wading pool when not in use. Access to the water can be very tempting to a toddler. • Remove pool toys from the water immediately after use. Floats, balls and other toys might encourage children to enter the pool on their own or lean over the pool and potentially fall in. • Keep lifesaving equipment such as a life ring or shepherd’s crook nearby. • If the weather appears threatening, make sure everyone leaves the pool area immediately and seeks shelter indoors. • Keep electrical appliances, such as televisions and stereos, and extension cords away from the pool. • Drain standing water from the surface of a pool cover. • Keep pool chemicals in closed containers and store in a cool, dry place, out of reach from children. Wash your hands after using chemicals. • Keep your pool clean, sanitized and well-maintained. For more information about swimming pool safety, contact the City of Edina’s Health Department, 952-826-0370. Family Owned & Operated Since 1938 GOLDEN VALLEY HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING *FREE Duct Cleaning With Heating & Air Conditioning Installation *$25 OFF repairs *not redeemable with any other offers G VG V rrs TM www.goldenvalleyhtg.com 763-535-2043 Sun,Fun,Water … And Safety Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes. It is also becoming the land of many swimming pools. Minnesotans enjoys water for countless recreational purposes.Whether you enjoy water skiing, swimming laps, playing in the water or sitting by the edge, knowledge about water safety is important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional deaths. Water doesn’t have to be very deep for a drowning to occur. Even the backyard wading pool should be considered when it comes to water safety. Remember, drowning is a silent event; a person cannot make a sound when they are under water. According to a 2003 article in Public Health Reports, residential swimming pool drownings occur most commonly among children ages 0 to 4 and the majority of these children gain access to the pool due to ineffective or nonexistent gating or fencing. In Edina, local ordinance requires a four-foot high, non-climbable fence around a swimming pool. Keep objects away from the side of the fence so that an inventive toddler can’t use it to climb on and then over your barrier. Also be sure to check gates around residential pools to make sure they are self-closing and self-latching. Don’t rely on your pool cover to keep a child out; drowning can occur even with a cover. Here are some tips to help you stay safe in and around the water this summer: • Make sure an adult is constantly watching children swimming or playing in or around the water. Do not read, play cards, talk on the telephone, mow the lawn or engage in any other distracting activity while supervising children. • Never swim alone or in unsupervised places and always swim with a buddy. • Whenever possible, select swimming sites that have lifeguards. • Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, water skiing or supervising children around water. • Learn to swim, but don’t rely on swimming lessons to “drown-proof”children. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend swimming classes as a means of drowning prevention for children less than 4 years old. • Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). 43•SUMMER 200542•SUMMER 2005 Morningside Neighborhood Celebrates 100th Anniversary And Edina Heritage Award By Sarah Berg The Morningside Neighborhood is only a half-mile square, but since its establishment in 1905, it has been a neighborhood, a village and a neighborhood again. The Edina Heritage Award was created in 2003 to recognize outstanding contributions to the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and use of Edina’s heritage resources. Previous winners include the Baird House at 4400 W. 50th St., for the homeowners’ careful attention when building an addition to the house, and the Edina Theatre, 3911 W. 50th St., for their efforts to make the theater marquee shine again. The Morningside Neighborhood, located in northeastern Edina, was presented the 2005 Edina Heritage Award in May to commemorate its 100th anniversary. Morningside was the first residential neighborhood in Edina, platted with the extension of the Twin City Rapid Transit line – the early streetcar line between Minneapolis and Lake Minnetonka. Lots were 3.5 acres and many residents planted large gardens, raised chickens or ducks, kept bees or even tethered a cow. By 1920, the Odd Fellows Hall was the hub of Morningside Neighborhood. The neighborhood also held almost one-third of Edina’s total population of 1,800 residents. In 1921, Morningside officially seceded from the Village of Edina, becoming the smallest village in Minnesota. Residents of Morningside enjoyed life centering on the Morningside School and Odd Fellows Hall until 1966 when they decided to rejoin the Village of Edina and were welcomed back into the fold. “Morningside has a rich 100-year history, which they are proudly celebrating this year,” said Gary Nyberg, Chairman of the Heritage Preservation Board, as he presented the award to Morningside residents Joni Kelly Bennett, Mary Carte, Jennifer Janovy and Mark and Ruth Valgemae. “The Heritage Preservation Board feels it most fitting that Morningside be the recipient of the 2005 Heritage Award.” For more information on the Edina Heritage Award or activities of the Heritage Preservation Board, contact Associate Planner Joyce Repya, 952-826-0462. The Odd Fellows Hall was a sort of hub for the Morningside Neighborhood in the early part of the century. Today, the building is home to Alfred’s Grand Petit Magasin. Ph o t o b y P o l l y N o r m a n 45•SUMMER 2005 the Council Chambers is more part of the public space than a room closed off for deliberation. BKV Group selected the building materials that help City Hall fit easily into the neighborhood. Lannonstone is a common design element of local buildings, and the color of the copper on City Hall’s exterior will evolve to patina just as the City of Edina has and will evolve. The copper continues its transitory process as it meets the interior, where it is replaced by the smooth wood panels. Bill Baxley, Design Partner at BKV Group and the City Hall and Police Facility Project Designer, said it is not only important to have an expansive public space, but also to have office spaces that are distinctly set apart. Maple panels and stone fronts give the appearance that City Hall and the Police Department are separate buildings on opposite sides of the street-like lobby. Baxley said the distinctions do not stop at the office doors, and although City Hall has walls made of common drywall material, BKV Group compensated for more rugged use of the Police Department with walls made of burnished concrete block. The block walls are better at withstanding abrasions from gun belts rubbing against them. Despite the differences, Baxley said both sides of the building have open office spaces that can be easily reconfigured to accommodate growth and change in the many departments. In order to be considered for the IIDA Northland FAB Awards, BKV Group submitted photos and text descriptions of the project to jurors from around the country. This is the second year IIDA Northland has given out FAB Awards, but the first year BKV Group submitted entries. Kroos said he appreciated the FAB Award because it represents recognition from peers for a job well done. However, he added that awards are only BKV Group’s second priority. “Our biggest reward is having a design for a client that pleases and works well for them.” BKV Group works very closely with a client to develop a suitable building design, and the City Council and staff helped define the project’s outcome, Baxley said. Baxley said part of the vision from the City Council was to create a building that could last for generations to come. To honor that wish, BKV Group chose building materials like wood and stone that would make the interior and exterior of City Hall timeless. “It doesn’t look like it was built 50 years ago or 50 years in the future,” Baxley said. The Edina City Council and staff are also pleased with BKV Group’s award. “The Council is particularly pleased for our community and its residents that the interior design for the new City Hall has received a prestigious architectural award,” said Mayor Jim Hovland. “If you haven’t been to see City Hall, take the time to visit. It is stunning in its beauty and rock solid in its usability -- an outstanding example of a building melding function with form. “Winston Churchill once said ‘[W]e shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.’ And so it will be with the new Edina City Hall. As the seat of local government and the hub of community activity, this award-winning structure will serve well its role in the shaping of both the lives of our citizens and the future of our town for many generations.” 44•SUMMER 2005 Designers Open Up City Hall From The Inside By Lelan Bosch The tapping of shoes jumps off the pressed concrete walkway and travels through beams of sunlight before reflecting off the stone and wood panels covering building fronts. This seems like the setting for an outdoor stroll, but it is actually the award- winning interior of Edina City Hall. Earlier this year, BKV Group, a Minneapolis-based architecture, interior design and engineering firm, received an International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Northland FAB Award in the category of “Government” for the firm’s design of City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St.. For a design to receive a FAB Award, it must be “Fresh,” “Artistic” and “Brilliant,” which is the meaning behind the award acronym. BKV Group made Edina City Hall “FAB” by using a minimalist material palette to create less of an enclosure for government operations and more of an open gathering space. BKV Group designed City Hall’s exterior to be clad in stone and copper, with slate-like stamped concrete sidewalks. Those same materials transition into the lobby and throughout the public space. The use of exterior materials indoors, combined with large glass curtain walls to let in sunlight, make the public space feel like an extension of the outdoors, so visitors can walk in without feeling like they breach the threshold of City Hall. “The lobby space is thought of as a pedestrian walkway and arcade,” said David Kroos, BKV Group’s Principal in Charge for the City Hall project. “It incorporates the same open policy that [the City of Edina] has always had.” The City of Edina believes municipal government should include open conversation with the public, and BKV Group was happy to incorporate that philosophy into the City Hall design. The spacious lobby invites guests and government officials to assemble and exchange ideas. BKV Group also wanted to make the most important government space – the Council Chambers – a symbol of openness by bringing it out into public view. The maple wood panels that enclose the City Hall offices are tucked behind the Council Chambers, bringing the Chambers to the forefront and making it visible from the lobby. Additionally, the ceiling that spans the length and width of the lobby rolls gradually down to become part of the acoustical design of the Council Chambers. With no abrupt shift in the ceiling structure and a glass curtain wall opening the entrance, The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) recently presented architectural firm BKV Group with a FAB Award for its design of Edina City Hall. Ph o t o b y S t e v e n B e r g e r s o n P h o t o g r a p h y 47•SUMMER 2005 State & Federal Elected Officials State of Minnesota Minnesota state website: www.state.mn.us State Legislature website: www.leg.state.mn.us Governor Tim Pawlenty Office of the Governor 130 State Capitol 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 Phone: 651-296-3391 E-mail: tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us Website: www.governor.state.mn.us Senator Geoff Michel District 41 State Office Building, Room 133 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 Phone: 651-296-6238 E-mail: sen.geoff.michel@senate.mn Representative Ron Erhardt District 41A State Office Building, Room 591 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 Phone: 651-296-4363 E-mail: rep.ron.erhardt@house.mn Representative Neil W. Peterson District 41B State Office Building, Room 527 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 Phone: 651-296-7803 E-mail: rep.neil.peterson@house.mn United States U.S. Government website: www.firstgov.gov President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500 Phone: 202-456-1111 E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov Website: www.whitehouse.gov Senator Mark Dayton United States Senate SR-123, Russell Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-3244 or Federal Building, Suite 298 Fort Snelling, MN 55111 Phone: 612-727-5220 Website: www.dayton.senate.gov Senator Norm Coleman United States Senate 320 Senate Hart Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-5641 or 2550 University Ave. W., Suite 100N St. Paul, MN 55114 651-645-0323 Website: www.coleman.senate.gov Representative Jim Ramstad United States Representative – District 3 103 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2871 or 1809 Plymouth Rd. S. #300 Minnetonka, MN 55305 Phone: 952-738-8200 Website: www.house.gov/ramstad 46•SUMMER 2005 Step Into The Pool At The Aquatic Center This Summer By Sarah Berg Instead of plunging into the pool at the Edina Aquatic Center this summer, swimmers can take a more gradual approach by simply walking down the steps into the water. Now, instead of being L-shaped, the 50-meter swimming pool is more of a U- shape because a 30-foot by 30-foot section has been added. The addition to the pool changes the depth at which the pool starts. Before, the shallowest point in the pool was 3.5 feet. The new section starts at a depth of 2 feet and meets the original pool at 3.5 feet. The project also included the addition of steps into the pool across one 30-foot side. The addition makes the pool more family friendly, said Assistant Park and Recreation Director Ed MacHolda. The steps provide easier access for swimmers of all ages. It’s easy for kids to hop in and out of the pool, MacHolda said, but it gets difficult for some adults to enter and exit using the ladders. The shallower part of the pool also provides intermediate water for toddlers learning to swim. The zero-depth children’s pool is 18 inches at its deepest point. That made for a big change from the children’s pool to the main pool, which started at 3.5 feet deep. Now, the pool provides a smoother transition for youngsters learning to swim. Another change at the Aquatic Center this year is the expansion of deck space on the south side of the pool. The addition to the pool resulted in a loss of deck space. To compensate, the fence line on the south side of the pool was pushed back. This summer, swimmers can take a break and lounge in this new space. The fence line is now closer to some of the trees outside the Aquatic Center that may provide some natural shade for those looking to get out of the sun. Driving up to the Aquatic Center, visitors will notice the new rock wall on the outside of the facility. The addition of the wall makes it look like the pirate ship has run ashore and will hopefully catch the attention of those driving by and attract more visitors. Visit the Aquatic Center this summer to cool off by swimming in the improved pool. For those who are more daring, try favorites such as the diving boards, Shipwreck Express cable ride and Pirate’s Plunge waterslides. Or enjoy the dry playground. “Whether you enjoy sunning on the deck or plunging into the pool, the Aquatic Center can provide fun for the whole family this summer,” MacHolda said. For more information on the Aquatic Center, call 612-928-4582 or visit www.EdinaAquaticCenter.com. 49•SUMMER 2005 The Edina Historical Society will open Grange Hall and Cahill School, two historic buildings located in Tupa Park across from City Hall, for tours July 4 immediately following the parade, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Edina Art Center, 4701 W. 64th St., will hold an open house from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. July 4 where viewers can see the Student Art Exhibition. The displays will feature many kinds of art including watercolors, pottery, jewelry, photography and computer art. To end the day, the First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band will perform its traditional July 4 concert in Rosland Park beginning at 8:45 p.m. A colorful and exciting display of fireworks sponsored by Fairview Southdale Hospital will begin at approximately 10 p.m. For more information on the Mission Briefing or parade, contact Recreation Supervisor and Parade Planning Committee staff liaison Susie Miller, 952-826-0433. For more information on the Art Center open house, call 612-915-6600. 48•SUMMER 2005 By Sarah Berg “Hands Across Edina,” Edina’s 4th of July parade, is scheduled to step off at 10 a.m. Independence Day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the parade and an estimated 5,000 people will attend the event to celebrate the day. Approximately 80 units will march in this year’s parade, starting behind Edina City Hall at 4801 W. 50th St. and winding its way to the intersection of 50th Street and Halifax Avenue in downtown Edina. The parade’s theme, “Hands Across Edina,” is a celebration of Edina’s multigenerational community, said Mary Brindle, chairwoman of the Parade Planning Committee. Some families have lived in Edina for four or five generations. The parade will include crowd favorites such as marching bands, horses and clowns. This year, for the first time, the platinum sponsor, Excel Bank; the parades’ grand marshals, former mayors Jim Van Valkenburg, Fred Richards and Dennis Maetzold; and the winner of the “Why I Should Be the Kid To Start the Parade” contest will all ride together on one float – sure to be a crowd favorite. “We’re always looking for ways to make the parade more colorful, fun and memorable,” Brindle said. The “Why I Should Be the Kid To Start the Parade” contest is an annual essay and coloring contest for Edina students in Grades 1-6 to determine the best person to blow the whistle at the start of the parade. As in years past, community leaders will judge the units before the parade and ribbons will be awarded to the three most creative units. “The parade is made possible by our sponsors,” Brindle said. The cost of the parade is between $12,000 and $15,000. At press time, Gold Sponsors donating $1,000 or more included Edina Car Wash, Fairview Southdale Hospital, France Avenue Family Physicians and Key Cadillac. The parade could not go on without the help of volunteers. Approximately 50 volunteers in bright green shirts work July 4 to make sure the parade runs smoothly. Volunteers work at water tables and serve as parade marshals – in charge of a section of the parade – and banner carriers in the parade. The parade is not the only way the community celebrates Independence Day. On the evening of July 3, a private reception, dubbed a “Mission Briefing,” will be held for veterans who participate in the parade. “It gives us the opportunity to say thanks,” Brindle said. The reception also gives veterans the opportunity to share their stories. Dogs and Cats prefer Pets AreInn Established 1982 MeetSam.Such a happy dog! He never has to be kenneled or caged. You see, Sam goes happily to another loving home when his family is away. His owners have found a service that is a perfect solution when they have to leave him behind: Pets Are Inn. Call today to learn more about us 952-837-1877 or visit our website at: www.petsareinn.com Former Edina mayorsJim Van Valkenburg, Fred Richards and Dennis Maetzold will be grand marshals of the 2005 4th of July parade. July 4 Parade Spectators Will Wave ‘Hands Across Edina’ 51•SPRING 200550•SPRING 2005 It’s Not Only Neighborly, It’s The Law Garage Sales Garage or yard sales are a great way to clean out your house, meet your neighbors and make some extra money. If you plan to have a sale at your home this year, please be aware of the following rules. • You may conduct only one sale per year at your home, lasting no more than 72 consecutive hours. • Items offered for sale must be owned by the owner of the premises or by friends of the owner. • Items offered for sale must not have been bought for resale or received on consignment for the purpose of resale. • Signs may be erected on the premises where the sale is taking place. No off-site signs are allowed. • No signs may be posted on the road right-of-way (the City-owned property 15 feet in from residential curbs) or on telephone poles. For more information, contact Associate Planner Joyce Repya, 952-826-0462. Signs Signs can negatively impact the aesthetics in an area and, in some cases, pose a safety hazard. As a result, most portable signs are prohibited in the City of Edina. Contractors are allowed to erect a portable sign on property where work is being done. However, the sign must be removed when work is complete. So, a construction company could put a sign in the yard of a home where an addition is being built, but the sign must be taken down when the project is finished. A lawn care company could erect a sign in a yard being mowed, but it must be taken down before the contractor leaves for the day. Real estate signs are not considered “portable” under the Edina City Code. Those signs are addressed by another local ordinance. Campaign signs are the only signs allowed in the public right-of-way. Signs can be erected Aug. 1 until Nov. 12 with permission of the abutting property owner. For more information, contact Associate Planner Joyce Repya, 952-826-0462. Dumping In Parks The City of Edina has 1,532 acres of parkland, of which approximately 800 are wooded or un-mowed natural areas. Within the wooded areas are growing some of Edina’s greatest and oldest trees. They are thriving under natural conditions greatly favoring their health and longevity. According to the City Code, “no person, in any park, street, sidewalk or publicly owned property shall … deposit, place or leave any paper, rubbish, waste, cans, bottles or refuse of any kind except in receptacles provided for the collection of waste.” The Code provides for the protection and preservation of these areas by making it unlawful to cut, remove or plant any material without a City permit, and unlawful to dispose of any trash -- including organic material such as leaves, grass clippings, branches and logs. Depositing such organic material within these areas, besides being unsightly, can cause ill health and even mortality to the existing trees and other vegetation. Too much of this material on the ground can smother the roots, causing oxygen deprivation which adversely affects the health of plants. Roots of all plants require soil oxygen to function properly. This soil oxygen is depleted dramatically whenever the ground becomes unnaturally overloaded. In Edina, buckthorn management is viewed as a desirable component of woodland preservation and protection. However, removal of this shrub growing on City parkland is illegal without permission. However well intentioned one may be, it is necessary to conduct this process in a planned, safe and efficient manner. If not done properly, this difficult task can be made even more difficult. Operations must also be directed in such a manner not only to improve the health of the woodlot, but also to improve the aesthetics. Residents must contract with a refuse hauler for the disposal of yard waste. Yard waste should be set out by the curb no more than 12 hours prior to the day of collection. Unless a statement has been issued after a significant weather event, the City will not pick up tree waste from private property. There are four licensed refuse haulers in the City, with which residents must privately contract. They are Aspen Waste Systems, 612-884-8000; BFI, Inc., 952-941-5174; Vierkant Disposal, 612-922-2505; and Waste Management, 952-882-2300. Garbage containers should be set out by the house or garage by 7 a.m. on pickup day. Containers should not be placed at the curb. After collection, containers must be stored out of view from the front street. For more information, contact Park Maintenance Superintendent Vince Cockriel, 952-826-0305, or Recycling & Solid Waste Coordinator Solvei Wilmot, 952-826-0463. Dumping in City parks is illegal. All waste must be placed in proper receptacles.