Help us map holiday light displays in our neighborhood 🎄

The holiday season is here! Let’s spread joy and cheer!

We are putting together a Google Map of holiday lights in our neighborhood. If you would like your home or business to be included on the map, please complete the form below.

We will aim to publish the map in late November and update approximately weekly or as needed throughout December.

Questions? Contact Trice at holidaylights@waiteparkcc.org.

WPCC submits letter in support of 33rd Avenue reconstruction 🚧

The Waite Park Community Council in a special meeting on May 8 voted unanimously to submit the following letter to the Minneapolis Planning Commission and Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee regarding the long-delayed reconstruction of 33rd Avenue. The letter was drafted by the council’s Projects & Positions Committee and signed by the board and several community members:

May 9, 2023

As the official neighborhood organization representing Waite Park, we are writing to ask that the Minneapolis Planning Commission and Capital Long-Range Improvement Committee please expedite the reconstruction of 33rd Avenue Northeast between Johnson Street and Central Avenue. It is worth noting that the 33rd Avenue NE project (PV157) is absent from this year’s CLIC proposed report and was missing from last year’s. 

This project is long overdue. The roadway was already 60 years into its expected 40-year lifespan in 2017 when it was removed from PV108 Concrete Rehab program due to its poor condition. City staff indicated at the time that it would need to secure funding for full reconstruction.

In 2021, community concerns over the lack of action on this project were brought to CLIC. Although CLIC seemed sympathetic there has been no mention of this project since.  It is now 2023. Residents have waited patiently for too long. We deserve answers on why the city keeps pushing back its reconstruction. 

The concrete street has been subject to repeated asphalt patches, which now cover the width of the street in some places. The patches are not holding up and causing loose rocks and debris to scatter in and near the road, creating hazards for cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Manholes and intersections are particularly degraded. Some areas look like “washouts.” 

It is no longer sensible to keep this up. 

The corridor serves approximately 1,000 vehicles per day and is one of the few that traverses the entire neighborhood from east to west. It is an important connection to Central Avenue, Waite Park Elementary School, and Saint Anthony Village, as well as the cross street for three Metro Transit bus stops.

This letter reflects the views of the Waite Park Community Council with input or support from 22 residents and business/property owners, who were engaged through door-knocking, a neighborhood meeting, and other outreach in early May 2023. 

We collectively urge the committee to prioritize this project as a way to preserve the city’s tax base and property values, as well as quality of life and the safety of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Signed

Waite Park Community Council Board
Cosmic Coffee, 3301 Central Ave
Gayle Bonneville, Projects and Positions Committee
Anna Haywood and family, 3246 Lincoln St NE
Nicholis Murphy, 3231 Johnson St NE
Krystle, Johnny, Johnae Murphy, 3243 Johnson St NE
Je’Naya Brown and Emma Veach, 3044 Tyler St NE

37th Avenue reconstruction meeting set for Wednesday, May 10

Update from City of Minneapolis Public Works:

The 37th Ave NE Reconstruction project is in the final stage of full execution. The estimated project start date is the third week of May (contingent to the contract final approval), and planned to complete in this year’s construction season.

Prior to the start of the project work, City staff will host an in-person Pre-Construction Neighborhood Meeting in collaboration with the City of Columbia Heights. The intent of the meeting is to:

• Provide an overview of the construction schedule

• Discuss construction impacts

• Answer questions and concerns

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023, at 6:00 PM at the Columbia Heights Public Library (3939 NE Central Ave, Columbia Heights, MN 55421).

We’ve also arranged a virtual meeting at the same time for those who can’t attend in person. The virtual meeting link will be posted on the project webpage on the same day of the meeting.

We mailed out and hand delivered the meeting invitation letter to the residents and business owners. I addition to these, a reminder GovDelivery notice will be sent out in this week.

More information can be found on the project webpage.