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The mission of the Macalester-Groveland Community Council is to foster citizen participation in government and community decisions in order to protect and enhance those characteristics which make our neighborhood a desirable place to live, work, and play.

Golden Shoe #2 Clue

The clue for this week's hidden Golden Shoe is:

"Let the acme be your guide"

If you find one of the golden shoes, bring it to the MGCC office at 320 South Griggs Street, and win one of several great prizes and gift certificates donated by local businesses.  Happy hunting!

New Organics Recycling Drop-off Site Opens June 1st

Interested in reducing the amount of waste you toss into your trash can, minimizing your environmental impact, or saving money on your trash bill? Starting June 1st, residents of Macalester-Groveland will have the opportunity to do so by participating in a community organics drop-off site - a site where residents can take their compostable organic waste, meat, dairy, bones, and non-recyclable paper for delivery to a commercial composting facility. The Organics Recycling Drop-off Site offers even avid backyard composters the opportunity to compost more materials like freezer boxes, egg cartons, paper towels, napkins, meat and bones, dairy products, compostable tableware, pizza boxes too greasy for recycling pick-up, and much more.  For a full list of the items you can drop off, see the attached flyer.

Conveniently located on Grand Avenue in the Patagonia store parking lot, the Organics Recycling Drop-off Site will provide Macalester-Groveland residents with a cost-effective, local option for dropping off organic (or compostable) materials.  Macalester-Groveland households who sign up to participate in this new program will pay a $40 fee, which provides unlimited access for one year and covers the cost of hauling the organics from the Drop-off Site to a commercial composting facility.   

Learn more about this new program at one of the following events (please RSVP to lauren@macgrove.org):
  • Informational session on Tuesday, May 8th at 6:00pm at Patagonia (1648 Grand Avenue).  
  • Informational session on Saturday, May 12th at 11:00am at Patagonia (1648 Grand Avenue). 
Ready to participate? Download and fill out the attached registration form and either mail it or drop it off at the Community Council office with $40 cash or check. 

Get Ready for the Golden Shoe Hunt

Slip on your shoes, dust off your bike, and join the hunt!  To promote walking and biking in the neighborhood, a golden shoe will be hidden in an area where people walk, jog or bike in Macalester-Groveland each Saturday during the month of May.  Check the Macalester-Groveland Community Council's homepage at www.macgrove.org each Saturday morning in May for a clue on the shoe's location and start hunting!

If you find one of the golden shoes, bring it to the MGCC office at 320 South Griggs Street, and win one of several great prizes and gift certificates donated by local businesses!

MacGrove Moves kicks off this month!

Spring is here and we challenge you to join the growing number of neighbors making Macalester-Groveland an even better place to live!  Get fit, save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion by challenging yourself to roll or stroll where you need to go. To participate, leave your car at home and walk, jog, or bike to your destination at least 15 times before Groveland Night Out on August 15th.  Enter your trips on up to three MacGrove Moves log sheets (that's 45 car-less trips!) by sending them to the Community Council office or emailing lauren@macgrove.org, and you will be entered in drawings to win prizes and gift certificates donated by local businesses all over the neighborhood! 

New this year - recruit your neighbors to participate in MacGrove Moves!  The Macalester-Groveland block that has the highest percentage of participation this year will win a grand prize in August!  Entering the block competition is easy - come up with a team name for your block and enter it next to your name on your brochure to compete for this year’s grand prize.  

Download the attached log sheet, or pick one up at Edgcumbe, Groveland, and Linwood Recreation Centers, neighborhood businesses, or the MGCC Annual Meeting on April 12th.  For more information on MacGrove Moves, contact the Community Council office at 651-695-4000 or lauren@macgrove.org. 

Volunteer to judge the 2012 Alley Garden Awards

We need judges for this year's Alley Garden Awards! Judging starts Thursday, June 21st and runs through Sunday, June 24th, 2012.  To participate, judges need to attend a short, 30 minute training and be available to spend 3 to 4 hours walking through alleys during the judging period. Trainings will be held on Monday, June 18th at 6:30pm and Tuesday, June 19th at 11:30am at the Macalester-Groveland Community Council office. For more information on the program or sign up to volunteer as a judge, please contact Callie at callie@macgrove.org or 651-695-4000.

Metro Transit Central Corridor Transit Service Study

Metro Transit is reviewing and potentially altering up to 23 bus routes that travel through the "Central Corridor" area in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The outcome will maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of bus and rail service in the area and provide strong connections to new light-rail transit service on University Avenue. Public input and involvement will help determine the future network of transit service in the Central Corridor Area. Please take a few moments to provide information about the trips you make most frequently, whether by transit or not. Using the travel data collected, initial service recommendations will be developed and presented for comment this spring (2012). Final changes will be implemented with the expected opening of new Green Line light-rail service in 2014.

Take the short survey here: http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=132871241744
Learn more about the study here: http://metrotransit.org/central-transit-study.aspx

Spring Clean-up is May 19th

Cleaning out your basement or garage?  Not sure what to do with the stuff you’ve got?  Mark your calendar for the Spring Neighborhood Clean-up on Saturday, May 19th, 2012 from 9:00am to 2:00pm at the Ford Parking Lot!  For accepted items and pricing, please check out the attached poster.  We are able to offer a limited pick-up service for seniors and residents with disabilities.  Pick-up services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay to sign up by calling 651-695-4000.

Volunteers are needed - all volunteers receive a $15 voucher for the clean-up and free lunch.  This is a great way for families, friends, or neighbors to volunteer together!  With a variety of jobs (for heavy lifters and people who can’t do heavier work), we’ll find a spot that’s a good fit for you!  To volunteer, please email callie@macgrove.org.

Jefferson Bikeway Update

Building on three years of previous public process, this past fall, the City held several meetings on the Jefferson Avenue Bikeway in order to "re-start" the design process on the portion of the project between Mississippi River Boulevard and Snelling Avenue. After hearing input at these public meetings, city staff drafted a set of recommendations for Jefferson Avenue which were finalized by staff and considered by Saint Paul’s Transportation Committee, Planning Commission, and City Council. On April 4, 2012 the Saint Paul City Council voted to approve an amended version of the Jefferson Avenue Bikeway project. Construction of this amended project is anticipated to take place in 2012.

Visit the Cìty's project website at www.stpaul.gov/jefferson for detailed project information and the latest updates. Contact your City Council Member with questions and comments: Ward 3, Chris Tolbert, (651) 266-8630; Ward 4, Russ Stark, (651) 266-8640. You can also contact Emily Erickson, City Sustainable Transportation Planner, with questions at Emily.Erickson@ci.stpaul.mn.us or (651) 266-6059.

Interested in knowing more about the Jefferson Bikeway and your Community Council's involvement with the project?  Check out the brief history attached below! 

National Night Out 2012

National Night Out is on Tuesday, August 7th this year. It’s never too early to start planning for your block party. The National Night Out Kick-Off Picnic, hosted by the Saint Paul Police Department, will be held at Phalen Park Pavilion on Wednesday, June 6, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Attend this event to receive information on registering and planning your NNO block party. Click here for National Night Out registration forms (block party permit application, registration form, police and fire request forms, etc.).

Update on Proposed Traffic Circle at Sargent and Howell

At the February 27 committee meeting, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council Transportation Committee endorsed a recommendation for the petition requesting the installation of a traffic circle at the intersection of Sargent Avenue and Howell Street. It went before the MGCC Board of Directors on Thursday, March 8, where it was approved. A recommendation supporting the traffic circle has been sent to city staff for incorporation into the 2012 Prior-Goodrich RSVP project. Please contact callie@macgrove.org or call 651-695-4000 for more information.
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