HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 11 Weber Park Ribbon-Cutting CelebrationContact: Brittany Bader, Digital Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-826-0396 • BBader@EdinaMN.gov • EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ribbon-Cutting Celebration for Weber Park Improvements Planned for July 11
Edina, Minn., June 12, 2024 – A ribbon-cutting celebration for the improvements to Weber Park, 4115 Grimes Ave. S., will be held 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11.
The community is invited to the park and shelter building to hear remarks by Mayor Jim Hovland, explore park improvements and highlights from the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project,
talk with City staff and enjoy an ice cream treat.
The $12.5 million Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project was constructed between 2022 and 2023 and reduced the flood risk for more than 150 properties in the Morningside Neighborhood,
which has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding.
Through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant Assistance Program, the City received a $250,000 grant to help fund the innovative project. It was
the first infrastructure project implemented under the City’s Flood Risk Reduction Strategy, adopted by the Edina City Council in 2020, and involved:
Regrading streets and expanding and improving the storm sewer system in Morningside
Providing additional flood water routing through a new swale through Weber Park, which can be utilized as a path and multi-use sports field during blue skies
Expanding and lowering Weber Pond and the Lynn Avenue and Kipling Avenue pond to increase floodwater storage
Adding a predictive pumping system to Weber Pond that receives real-time weather information every 15 minutes through a cellular connection and then lowers the water level in advance
of a storm to create additional storage capacity as needed
As part of the design process to mitigate flood exposure in the neighborhood, the City took advantage of the opportunity to add recreation benefits for park users.
“We’re very proud of what we accomplished in Morningside and Weber Park. The primary goal of the project was to increase community resiliency to flood hazards by safely moving and storing
water during a storm. We were able to accomplish that goal and spread the benefit across the neighborhood without increasing flood exposure for anyone, including our downstream neighbors,”
said Water Resources Manager Jessica Wilson. “At the same time, we layered in other community values such as uplifting the ecological integrity of the natural areas, providing an improved
park space for play and preserving and enhancing the nature trails with boardwalks.”
Recreation and environmental enhancements made to the park include:
Natural resources restoration:
Planting more than 2,500 trees and shrubs
Planting more than 6,600 native perennials
Adding turtle logs
Rebuilt nature trails and new bridge crossings
Improved pedestrian access to the park with hard surface ADA-compliant paths in the formal park area
Rebuilt sports fields with new turf and irrigation system
“The neighborhood was very engaged throughout the process and had a lot of influence on the final design. We were able to deliver on the promise of reducing exposure to flooding and
improving park assets and natural resources, in large part because of the support from the community and the vision of the City Council,” said Wilson.
Although construction is complete, maintenance of the natural areas will continue through 2025 to ensure invasive species and weed control, tree warranty and the establishment and health
of native plantings. After that, the natural areas will graduate into the long-term natural areas maintenance program.
For more information on the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project or the improvements to Weber Park, visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/morningside or contact Wilson, jwilson@EdinaMN.gov
or 952-826-0445.
Additional details of the ribbon-cutting event can be found at EdinaMN.gov/Calendar.
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Ribbon-Cutting Celebration for Weber Park Improvements Planned for July 11
Edina, Minn., June 12, 2024 – A ribbon-cutting celebration for the improvements to Weber Park, 4115 Grimes Ave. S., will be held 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11.
The community is invited to the park and shelter building to hear remarks by Mayor Jim Hovland, explore park improvements and highlights from the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project,
talk with City staff and enjoy an ice cream treat.
The $12.5 million Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project was constructed between 2022 and 2023 and reduced the flood risk for more than 150 properties in the Morningside Neighborhood,
which has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding.
Through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant Assistance Program, the City received a $250,000 grant to help fund the innovative project. It was
the first infrastructure project implemented under the City’s Flood Risk Reduction Strategy, adopted by the Edina City Council in 2020, and involved:
Regrading streets and expanding and improving the storm sewer system in Morningside
Providing additional flood water routing through a new swale through Weber Park, which can be utilized as a path and multi-use sports field during blue skies
Expanding and lowering Weber Pond and the Lynn Avenue and Kipling Avenue pond to increase floodwater storage
Adding a predictive pumping system to Weber Pond that receives real-time weather information every 15 minutes through a cellular connection and then lowers the water level in advance
of a storm to create additional storage capacity as needed
As part of the design process to mitigate flood exposure in the neighborhood, the City took advantage of the opportunity to add recreation benefits for park users.
“We’re very proud of what we accomplished in Morningside and Weber Park. The primary goal of the project was to increase community resiliency to flood hazards by safely moving and storing
water during a storm. We were able to accomplish that goal and spread the benefit across the neighborhood without increasing flood exposure for anyone, including our downstream neighbors,”
said Water Resources Manager Jessica Wilson. “At the same time, we layered in other community values such as uplifting the ecological integrity of the natural areas, providing an improved
park space for play and preserving and enhancing the nature trails with boardwalks.”
Recreation and environmental enhancements made to the park include:
Natural resources restoration:
Planting more than 2,500 trees and shrubs
Planting more than 6,600 native perennials
Adding turtle logs
Rebuilt nature trails and new bridge crossings
Improved pedestrian access to the park with hard surface ADA-compliant paths in the formal park area
Rebuilt sports fields with new turf and irrigation system
“The neighborhood was very engaged throughout the process and had a lot of influence on the final design. We were able to deliver on the promise of reducing exposure to flooding and
improving park assets and natural resources, in large part because of the support from the community and the vision of the City Council,” said Wilson.
Although construction is complete, maintenance of the natural areas will continue through 2025 to ensure invasive species and weed control, tree warranty and the establishment and health
of native plantings. After that, the natural areas will graduate into the long-term natural areas maintenance program.
For more information on the Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project or the improvements to Weber Park, visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/morningside or contact Wilson, jwilson@EdinaMN.gov
or 952-826-0445.
Additional details of the ribbon-cutting event can be found at EdinaMN.gov/Calendar.
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