Blooming Alleys Bike Tour scheduled in neighborhood July 14

Blooming Alleys Bike Tour

The Nokomis East Neighborhood Association and Metro Blooms are hosting a Bike Tour of existing Blooming Alleys at 6pm on Thur., July 14. We’ll meet at the Sandcastle restaurant (4955 W. Lake Nokomis Pkwy.) on the west side of the lake and take a bike tour of five Blooming Alleys near Lake Nokomis. We’ll stop along the way to hear stories from project participants and view a variety of practices including raingardens, native plantings, and permeable pavement, and will wrap up at Nokomis Beach Coffee. Attendees will learn more about possible projects, view examples of the projects, and connect with Metro Blooms and community members who have done these projects in the past. We’ll also discuss how to get involved or start your own Blooming Alleys project!

Blooming Alleys is a program to engage neighborhoods to re-imagine how our alleyways look and function. Using practices like native plantings, raingardens, and permeable pavement, the alleyway can be attractive and multi-functional. Over the next year and a half, Metro Blooms will work with 200+ residents along a 5-mile stretch of Minnehaha Creek to improve the look and function of 25 alleyways! Current projects are focused in Lake Nokomis, Diamond Lake, and in the Lynnhurst neighborhoods. Through this Metro Blooms program, homeowners may receive significant financial help to create a Blooming Alleys project on their property.

We’ve moved

Visit us at our new location at 4313 54th St. E., in the Morris Park neighborhood. Neighborhood activity and growth has fueled our move to a new location with more room for community projects and NENA events. Stop in and see the new office; we’ll have an open house event in August (more details to come).

Morris and Keewaydin Summer Festival

Morris and Keewaydin Parks Summer Festival, along and Minnehaha Falls Athletic Club, are joining forces this summer to host a sensational summer festival. The free event will include inflatables for the kids, games, activity by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, great concessions, 3rd Lair Skate Park, crafts, face painting and a DJ that will keep the crowd dancing!

Once again NENA is proud to be a sponsor of this fun neighborhood event.

The fun starts Thur., July 14 at 5:30pm at Morris Park, 5531 39th Ave. S.

National Night Out is coming

National Night Out (NNO) is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It’s a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family.

As with many past National Night Outs, Minneapolis has ranked #1 among all U.S. cities over 250,000 population in 2015. Over 1,500 events were registered in 2015. Was yours one of them? We hope so! And save the date for this year: NNO is set for Aug. 2.

Registering your NNO event and applying to close your street/alley is a single online process. To register go to the City of Minneapolis website and search “NNO Registration.”

Not every street can be blocked off depending on the traffic flow. Bus routes and high traffic streets cannot be used for block events. You will need the permission of 75% of your neighbors to be approved for street closure—keep their names and addresses handy in the event your permit application needs to be reviewed.

If you register by July 19, you can block your street for free. If you register from July 20 through July 27, there is a $100 fee. You will not be able to block off your street if registering after July 27. It is free to participate in NNO. When you register your event, you will get free Mystery Point Passes for Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America.

Registration also places you on the official list of NNO events that gets distributed to police and other departments. However, there’s no guarantee police will be able to visit your event.

Grant from Metro Transit

NENA was one of a handful of organizations chosen by Metro Transit to participate in the Better Bus Stop Grant program. The process was highly competitive, and NENA was chosen based on its comprehensive plan, leadership and ability to accomplish the goals of the program. Community organizing and surveying has already begun and will last through the end of the year. NENA will present its final findings to Metro Transit early in 2017.

In late 2014, Metro Transit received a $3.26 million Ladders of Opportunity Grant from the Federal Transit Administration to invest in bus stop and customer waiting shelter improvements that enhance access to employment and educational opportunities. These grant funds, along with available state and local money, will be used to fund the Better Bus Stops Program.

With these combined funding sources, Metro Transit’s goal is to add up to 150 shelters and improve an additional 75 existing shelters with light or heat as part of the agency’s work to advance the Equity Outcome from Thrive MSP 2040, the region’s policy plan. The community will play an important role in these improvements.

NENA will update the community as this program moves forward and how the bus shelters in our neighborhood will be affected.

Upcoming NENA Events

—Wed., July 6, 6:30-8:30pm—NENA Housing, Commercial and Streetscape Committee; Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, 4313 E. 54th St.

—Thur., July 14, 5:30-8pm—Morris & Keewaydin Summer Festival; Morris Park, 5531 39th Ave. S.

—Thur., July 14, 6-8pm—Blooming Alleys Tour; meet at Sandcastle restaurant, 4955 W. Lake Nokomis Pkwy.

—Thur., July 14, 7-9pm—NENA Executive Committee Meeting; NENA Office, 4313 E. 54th St.

—Thur., July 28, 7-9pm—NENA Board of Directors Meeting; NENA Office, 4313 E. 54th St.

—Tues., Aug. 2nd, 4-10pm; National Night Out; Neighborhood wide

Changes to precinct map

For 2016, Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services has increased the number of precincts in Ward 12 by one, dividing the 12-5 precinct along 49th St. E.

This change was made in response to the polling place congestion at the 12-5 Lake Nokomis Community Center in the 2014 election. Reducing the number of voters at the 12-5 poll should help to reduce the chances of long lines and wait times.

Any registered voters affected by this changes will receive a notice via postcard from Hennepin County.

The City is also looking for election judges to help in both the primary and general elections this year. These are paid positions and are a huge help to your community.

For more information contact the Elections office by e-mailing: elections@minneapolismn.gov or by calling 311.

Thank you to the NENA garage sale day participants

This year NENA had 138 garage sales registered through our website. We want to thank the thousands of people who participated in this year’s activities, both sellers and buyers. Even the weather cooperated. It was great to see everyone out visiting and exploring the neighborhood. You make these events possible and make Nokomis East a better place to live.

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