Metro Blooms raingarden program returns to Waite Park neighborhood

Spring is finally getting underway — it’s time to think about your yard! 

The Waite Park Community Council (WPCC) is partnering with Metro Blooms Neighborhood of Raingardens program to help 25 homeowners install raingardens this year. Raingardens help keep pollutants out of the Mississippi River and provide habitat for pollinators and local wildlife, including Minnesota’s state bee, the endangered rusty patched bumble bee! 🐝 

Metro Blooms Design + Build will offer on-site consultations this summer to identify the best location and discuss budget, plant preference, and other resilient landscaping practices. The designer then will develop a planting plan for each garden (150 sq. ft.  maximum). Designs will be sent to residents for approval two weeks prior to their scheduled installation.

Metro Blooms Design + Build will excavate the garden area, mix in compost, apply mulch, and haul away sod/soil, if necessary. Residents will coordinate with Metro Blooms for a plant pick-up, where staff will be available to offer guidance and support before planting. 

Participants will pay for plants, mulch, and sod/soil disposal (if necessary), as well as half of the consultation fee. The average cost per resident is $300-$400 depending on the size of the raingarden and number of plants.

Registration will open at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 12, and remain open until all 25 slots are filled. To sign up, please contact Neely Atha at neely@metroblooms.org with your name, address, phone number, email address and neighborhood (Waite Park). 

Metro Blooms Design + Build is a wholly-owned for-profit entity that supports the work of Metro Blooms Non-Profit by provides high quality, resilient, and sustainable landcare services for residential and commercial landscapes. It specializes in creating beautiful raingardens, stormwater management, and native plantings. More information is at https://metrobloomsdb.com.

Come say hello at the citywide Community Connections Conference

The Waite Park Community Council is honored to participate as an exhibitor at this year's Community Connection Conference on May 21st from 8:30 am-3:00 pm. 

The conference theme is “forward together” and is free for all Minneapolis residents, community groups, neighborhoods, and local government. It is an opportunity to learn about and speak with over 100 organizations, including City departments, neighborhood organizations, community organizations, nonprofits, and other government agencies. There will also be impactful conversation topics and Green Zone sessions that address Housing, Community Safety, Environmental Justice, The Minneapolis Climate Action Plan, and much more. In addition to making meaningful connections, there will be dancing, kid's activities, food, and music! 

Additionally, Metro Transit will be offering free rides to the conference via bus or light rail. You can download your pass here.

Visit the conference webpage to learn more, register, and receive email updates.

We hope to see you there!

Hoyer Heights tree trenches add habitat, protect Mississippi River

The Waite Park neighborhood is home to a unique example of green infrastructure designed to reduce flooding, add habitat, and help protect the Mississippi River.

The Hoyer Heights Tree Trenches were installed by the City of Minneapolis as part of a street reconstruction project in 2020. Supported by grants from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the Minnesota Clean Water Fund, the pilot project is among the first in the city to capture and treat street runoff using this type of green stormwater infrastructure. It’s part of the Northeast Stormwater Management Initiative, which aims to reduce flooding and improve water quality and habitat in portions of Northeast Minneapolis and Columbia Heights.

Dirty runoff from the streets flows into the tree trenches via curb cuts. Native plants and trees in the trenches absorb the water, while sediment traps and the soil filter out pollutants. A perforated pipe underdrain allows the cleaned stormwater runoff to drain through the storm sewer system to the Mississippi River.

An MWMO video provides an overview of how the tree trenches work as well as the basic maintenance techniques involved in keeping the functioning. As you can see from the video, the native plants have proven to be remarkably resilient, bursting with flowers and buzzing with pollinators in spite of last year’s drought.

The MWMO is planning to host a tour of the project later this summer. This will be an opportunity to learn how the tree trenches work as well as how they’re maintained. Contact MWMO Training and Community Learning Specialist Abby Moore at amoore@mwmo.org if you’d like to learn more.

—Submitted by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization