HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_June-2024-WebNew trails tucked among the trees will let mountain bikers and walkers explore the east side
of Braemar Park between the south end of Braemar Golf Course and Gleason Road on the east.
(Photo by Scott Denfeld)
BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND
New, separate mountain biking and
walking trails in the east section of
Braemar Park will open in June, the
first big step in transforming underused
sections of the 500-acre park.
The more than 3 miles of biking trails and
1.3 miles of walking trails on the east side
are the first of what will eventually be 8
miles of mountain biking and 3 miles of
walking trail through previously inaccessible
sections of the park due to buckthorn and
other invasive species clogging the spaces.
“This year’s work is focusing on having the
invasives removed so we can move to the
next step, which is to promote and plant
new habitat,” said Park Planner Rachel
Finberg. The nature restoration across
the park is a multiyear project, but in four
to five years, riders and walkers will be
surrounded by a healthy, lush landscape.
Biking and walking trails on the west side
will follow, opening later this year. The
boardwalk and trails on the south end,
which will connect the two sides, will be
the last piece. The design and permitting
for this area is more complicated due to
it weaving through the delicate Nine Mile
Creek watershed, Finberg said.
The good news is Parks & Recreation will
open each section as it’s completed. The
restoration and trails are two key parts of
the Braemar Park Master Plan to update
and add to the city’s largest park that is
home to Braemar Golf Course and Dome,
Braemar Arena and Field and Courtney
Fields baseball complex. The $8.1 million in
improvements are paid by the 2022 voter-
approved half-percent sales and use tax.
“It’s exciting that this is finally coming to
fruition,” said Parks & Recreation Director
Perry Vetter. “The ability to move quickly on
the natural resource restoration is going to
allow more people to enjoy this amenity.”
Braemar Park’s First New Trails to Open This Month
Mountain Biking and Walking Trails Will Travel Through Nature Restoration Areas
Vetter noted the City was fortunate to have
the much-heralded Pathfinder Trail Building
out of Afton be the lowest bidder and sign
on to create the trails. Pathfinder recently
built the popular Taft Bike Park in Richfield.
As tempting as it might be to try out
the biking and walking trails under
construction, Vetter asks people not
to. The trails are not complete and
could be hazardous. In addition, riders
might inadvertently damage the trails in
progress, costing more time and money
to complete them.
“We know a lot of people want to do this,”
Vetter said, “but please don’t ride them
until the ribbon cutting.”
Each opening will be announced in
advance. Follow Edina Parks & Recreation’s
Facebook page, sign up for the Parks email
newsletter at EdinaMN.gov/Parks
or check the calendar on that website.
Learn more about the entire project and
follow updates at EdinaMN.gov/BraemarPark
or contact Finberg at rfinberg@EdinaMN.gov
or 952-826-0397.
City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1
Edition: Edina
JUNE 2024
Volume 11, Issue 6Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City
BY BRITTANY BADER
A small bronze plaque with big meaning
will soon hang proudly on the exteriors of
four longstanding homes in Edina.
The four houses – built between 1900
and 1924 – are the first to be officially
recognized through the City’s Century
Homes program, an initiative launched at
the beginning of the year by the Heritage
Preservation Commission in collaboration
with the Edina Historical Society to
celebrate houses 100 years or older.
The Century Homes program seeks
to raise awareness of the historical
significance of century-old properties,
inspire neighborhood conversations
around them, and spotlight how
extending the lifespan of homes
through repair and renovation
reduces carbon emissions associated
with home demolition and construction.
“This program provides the opportunity
to recognize more homeowners for
their preservation efforts in Edina,”
said Emily Dalrymple, Assistant
City Planner and staff liaison to the
Heritage Preservation Commission.
“As homeowners share their home’s
history and the community has a chance
to learn about it, it gets more people
participating in the conversation.”
‘Century Homes’ Program Celebrates Edina’s Homes With History
Four Properties Recently Recognized in New City Initiative
According to City Assessing Division
records, as of the start of the year, 268
homes are eligible as they were built
in 1924 or earlier. There are even eight
from before 1888, when Edina was
incorporated as a village. These homes
have withstood a century or more of
growth, from a small farming and mill
town to a first-ring suburb with more than
53,000 people. They are still here for us
to appreciate their history today because
of the care of owners, past and present.
The first residents to apply for the
program were Bob and Carol Thompson,
owners of a 1924 home in the Country
Club District.
“I’ve always been curious about the
history of the Country Club and Sam
Thorpe, the developer,” Bob said. The
more I learned, the more I appreciated
this special place.
“Homes built in 1924 were the pioneers
of the Country Club. The Moore family,
the first owners, were actively involved
in the neighborhood into the 1940s.”
Heritage Preservation Commission Chair
Jane Lonnquist hopes more eligible
homeowners throughout Edina will
be inspired to submit their property
for acknowledgement after learning
more about the program.
“The Century Homes Program is a fun tool
that other cities have used to celebrate
their history, and we wanted to bring it to
Edina. There are Century Homes and great
history throughout Edina, not just in the
areas with a formal Historic Landmark title
… The Century Homes webpage has a list of
free research resources and even an option
to share your home’s history on a national
website if you are interested,” she said.
While this program seeks to highlight these
special homes with history, it’s important
to know that it does not qualify homes for
local or national historic designation nor
place any restrictions on renovations. The
only cost involved is for the bronze plaque
to be mounted on the front façade or in a
street-facing window.
“Knowing that my neighbors’ houses were
once home to the first open-heart surgeon
or the inventor of the Burma-Shave signs or
a Grammy-award-winning banjo player isn’t
critical, but it is fun. And even if someone
just has a few nuggets of information to
share, that is fine. This program is designed
to keep historic preservation easy and fun,”
said Lonnquist.
To coincide with Preservation Month, the
first four sets of homeowners received their
bronze plaques at a celebration in May.
For more information about the program,
visit EdinaMN.gov/CenturyHome.
5524 W. 70th St.
Year Built: 1900
Neighborhood: The Heights
Highlights from Application: The
current owners are the fourth owners
in its 124 years of existence. The
owners strive to maintain a vintage
feel in their decor and display two
water hand pumps from the early
years. Since 1986, larger renovations
that have been done include adding
an owner’s suite, two gas fireplaces
and a new kitchen; remodeling three
bathrooms; and refinishing much of
the original hardwood floors.
4116 W. 44th St.
Year Built: 1911
Neighborhood: Morningside
Highlights from Application: This
home was first owned by Alfred
and Jessie Simmons, who were said
to have modeled the home after
a Bungalow they saw on a trip to
California. Historically, the land was
part of the “Grimes Homestead”
section of Morningside, named for
Jonathan Taylor and Elizabeth (Eliza)
Gordon Grimes, the first settlers in the
Edina Mills district and their farmland.
4120 W. 44th St.
Year Built: 1914
Neighborhood: Morningside
Highlights from Application:
This home was also originally part
of the “Grimes Homestead” area,
like 4116 W. 44th St.
4523 Bruce Ave.
Year Built: 1924
Neighborhood: Country Club
Highlights from Application: This home
was first owned by Clarence and Esther
Moore. It’s estimated around 1936 or 1937,
the home underwent larger renovations,
including an addition to the back of the
house, a first-floor den and back entry
porch, extension of the living area on
the south side, and an enclosed entry at
the front door. A previous owner of the
home was Roger Awsumb, star of the
kid’s television show “Lunch With Casey,”
which aired from 1954 until the early 1970s.
2
Sunday Night Concerts
7 p.m.
June 2 Kindasorta
June 9 First John Philip Sousa
Memorial Band
June 16 Hunker’d Down Blues Band
June 23 Josh Cleveland Band
June 30 Capri Big Band
July 7 Luke LeBlanc Trio
July 14 First John Philip Sousa
Memorial Band
July 21 The Two Sundays Big Band
July 28 First John Philip Sousa
Memorial Band
Aug. 4 Minneapolis Police Band
Aug. 11 Torchlight Concert with First John
Philip Sousa Memorial Band
(Activities begin at 6:30 p.m.;
Concert begins at 8:30 p.m.)
Aug. 18 The Dirty Shorts Brass Band
Aug. 25 Sawyer’s Dream
Monday Night Concerts
7 p.m.
June 3 Just Dave & the Rockin’ All
Stars Band
June 10 Nova Contemporary Jazz Orchestra
June 17 Brooklyn Big Band
June 24 The EXECS Big Band
July 1 Homeward Bound
July 8 Moonlight Serenaders Big Band
July 15 Jazz on the Prairie Big Band
July 22 The Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band
July 29 Rockin’ Woody
Aug. 5 Ali & Joe
Aug. 12 Swing Beat Big Band
Aug. 19 The PrizeFighters
Aug. 26 Lee Engele
Wednesday Night
Concerts
7 p.m. unless otherwise noted
June 5 Minnesota Symphonic Winds
June 12 Percolators Band
June 19 Juneteenth Celebration (6 p.m.)
June 26 “Centennial Lakes: An Oral History”
(6:30 p.m. concert by Dave &
The Rockin’ All Stars,
7 p.m. Panel Discussion)
July 10 Matt Jennings Electric Trio
July 17 Kids’ special: Teddy Bear Band
(6 p.m.)
July 24 Medalist Concert Band
July 31 Harmonic Relief Adult Show Choir
Aug. 7 Kids’ special: Morningside Theatre
Company (6 p.m.)
Aug. 14 Brio Brass
Aug. 21 Famous Volcanoes
Aug. 28 Kids’ special: Princess Sing-Along
(6 p.m. meet-and-greet;
6:45 p.m. concert)
Movies in the Park
Sunset Fridays
June 14 Bee Movie
July 26 Migration
Aug. 16 Shrek
Children’s Concerts
10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday
unless otherwise noted
June 4 Teddy Bear Band
June 6 Bob the Beachcomber
June 11 Jolly Pops
June 13 Todd’n’Tina
June 18 Wonderful World of Woody
June 20 Wendy’s Wiggle, Jiggle, and Jam!
June 25 ARK: Acoustic Rock for Kids with
John Kerns
June 27 Kayla Malmgren - Juggles
the Juggler
July 2 Reptiles and Amphibians with
Richardson Nature Center
July 9 The Bazillions
July 11 Kidpower Music and Live
Animal Show
July 16 Kids’ Yoga with Learning Tree Yoga
July 17 Teddy Bear Band
(Wednesday 6 p.m. Special)
July 18 Raptor Encounters - U of M
Raptor Center
July 23 Magical Entertainer Brian Richards
July 25 Sticks and Tones
July 30 Princess Sing-Along (10 a.m. meet-
and-greet; 10:45 a.m. concert)
Aug. 1 Wendy’s Wiggle, Jiggle, and Jam!
Aug. 6 Kidpower Music and Live
Animal Show
Aug. 7 Morningside Theatre Company
(Wednesday 6 p.m. Special)
Aug. 8 Will Hale and the Tadpole Parade
Aug. 13 Todd’n’Tina
Aug. 15 Hooperina
Aug. 20 The Bazillions
Aug. 22 Teddy Bear Band
Aug. 27 Wonderful World of Woody
Aug. 28 Princess Sign-A-Long (Wednesday
special. 6 p.m. meet and greet;
6:45 p.m. concert)
Aug. 29 ARK: Acoustic Rock for Kids with
John Kerns
Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave. S., offers summer concerts and movies in the park. Concerts and
movies are held in the Maetzold Amphitheater. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs.
Visit CentennialLakesPark.com or its Facebook page for updates.
ENTERTAINMENT2024SUMMER
3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov
952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4
HouseNovel Receives 2024 Heritage Award
The 2024 Heritage Award was not given
to a building in Edina, but a resource
for all homes in Edina and across the
United States.
HouseNovel, a home history website,
was designed by Amanda Zielike and
her husband, David Decker. Launched
in 2022, HouseNovel is a free and user-
friendly platform for people to discover
and document the history of homes and
their occupants. Heritage Preservation
Commission Chair Jane Lonnquist
nominated HouseNovel for the Heritage
Award due to the website and its
developer duo being a huge asset to Edina
homeowners searching for information on
their homes and those conducting research
on their Century Home. The website has
over 24,000 homes included in its database
— about 600 of which are in Edina.
“Homes are one of the largest purchases
that we make throughout our lifetimes.
And yet, there’s so little known about
them beyond the face value facts,” said
Zielike. “It’s really just about shedding light
on the personal moments and stories and
things that make a house a home that
often get lost and forgotten over time.”
Zielike’s father owned Edina Clock Repair
and continues to run his business out of
their home on Lois Lane. Zielike always
took an interest in home history and was
particularly fond of the homes in the
Country Club District. Zielike and Decker
have a passion for real estate, architecture
and storytelling. All of those great passions
now intersect with HouseNovel.
“Our dream would be to save a piece of
history about every home in the nation,”
said Zielike. “But beyond that, even as
there’s inevitable home turnover and
teardowns, our primary goal is having
an easy way to preserve and honor their
stories so they’re always remembered.”
For the homes in Edina, HouseNovel
sourced public data from the Minnesota
Historical Society, Hennepin County History
Museum and Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The website allows anyone to upload
information on houses for free and with
ease. Upon signing up, HouseNovel offers
a free history research guide but also has
optional paid features, if a homeowner
wants extra help researching their home.
To explore the website and get started,
visit HouseNovel.com. For more
information on the Heritage Award
and past recipients, visit
EdinaMN.gov/HeritageAward.
– COMPLIED BY LAUREN SIEBENALER
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesdays and Thursdays starting
June 6, 9:30-11 a.m.
Art Cart with the Edina Art Center,
Centennial Lakes Park
Thursdays starting June 6, 3-7 p.m.
Farmers Market, Centennial Lakes Park
Saturday, June 1
Pride Month begins
Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Edina Art Fair, 50th & France
Sunday, June 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Edina Art Fair, 50th & France
Monday, June 3, 7 p.m.
Town Talk: Fire Operations, Online
Tuesday, June 4, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Tuesday, June 11, 5:30 p.m.
Lincoln and Londonderry Small Area Plan
Community Workshop, Walnut Ridge Park
Tuesday, June 11
Dancing in the Park lessons,
Centennial Lakes Park
Wednesday, June 12, 5 p.m.
Art Together, Fred Richards Park
Thursday, June 13, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
meeting, Edina City Hall
Friday, June 14, 8 p.m.
Movie Night “Bee Movie,”
Centennial Lakes Park
Tuesday, June 18, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Wednesday, June 19
Juneteenth, City offices closed
Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m.
Juneteenth Celebration,
Centennial Lakes Park
Wednesday, June 26, 6:30 p.m.
History of Centennial Lakes Park panel
discussion following Dave & The Rockin’ All
Stars performance, Centennial Lakes Park
For a complete listing of meetings and events,
visit EdinaMN.gov.
Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning
Commission meetings live:
• Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16)
• Facebook.com/EdinaMN
• “Watch a Meeting” web page at
EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings
The house at 4508 Wooddale Ave., pictured
in 1930 by John H. Kammerdiener, is one in
the Country Club District with a profile on
HouseNovel. (Photo courtesy of Hennepin County
Library and the Hennepin History Museum)
Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali
EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE
EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE
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