The Community Outreach Committee meets to discuss and make recommendations regarding crime prevention and public safety in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood.  It plans activities as needed, such as literature drops to share crime prevention information, National Night Out events, and opportunities for block leaders to learn about crime prevention and communication with their neighbors. The Committee also organizes Frost Fest, Teen Battle of the Bands, and Groveland Night Out. The committee usually meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Edgcumbe Recreation Center, and is staffed by Marie Nelson (marie@macgrove.org). 

BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE

If you’re interested in being active in your neighborhood - and you like gardening - the Beautification Committee is a great way to become involved.  The Beautification Committee promotes the development of community through activities such as annual plant shares and the Alley Garden Awards and Tour.  The committee meets usually meets fourth Monday from March through October, and is staffed by the community council’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Marie Nelson.

The committee sponsors the following programs:

PLANT SHARES:
This event is held in the spring and fall. Neighbors participate by sharing their perennials with each other at community locations. In the past, master gardeners have also volunteered to facilitate workshops and distribute educational gardening material.

ALLEY GARDEN AWARDS:
This event is during July-August each year.  Members of the Beautification Committee walk the alleys of the neighborhood looking for outstanding gardens. The Community Council hosts an awards ceremony each autumn that celebrates the wonderful alley gardens.

If you are interested in any of these projects, please contact Marie Nelson at 695-4000 or marie@macgrove.org. We’d be glad to welcome you to the Beautification Committee.

The Macalester-Groveland Community Council has recently adopted a mission to make the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood the "greenest neighborhood in St. Paul".

We would love for you to join us in working towards this goal. The committee also makes environmental reccomendations to the Community Council's Board of Directors on environmental issues. It also helps organize and facilitate regular events and programs, such as Spring and Fall Clean Ups, the Pumpkin Drop the Home Improvement Fair, and MacGrove Moves.

Come join us for Environmental Committee meetings the third Thursday of each month from 7-8pm at the Edgcumbe Recreation Center located at 320 Griggs St. S. Andy Hamerlinck, the staff liason to the Environment Committee, can be reached at 651-695-4000.

The Housing and Land Use Committee makes recommendations to the board on zoning matters and attempts to resolve land use issues identified by residents and/or businesses. This committee does this by conducting public hearings and providing an opportunity for community members to voice their concerns and ask questions. The Committee uses the Macalester-Groveland Long Range Plan as a guide for evaluation. The committee usually meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Edgcumbe Recreation Center, and is staffed by the Community Council’s Community Organizer, Melissa Martinez-Sones. In July of 2001, the Community Council revised its Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan, which serves as a blueprint to future development and community improvements. That document is available here.

The Transportation Committee discusses and makes recommendations to the board on traffic and parking issues. Of particular interest is traffic calming, pedestrian safety and bus rider education. The committee usually meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Edgcumbe Recreation Center, and is staffed by Andy Hamerlinck, Recycling and Home Improvement Coordinator. He can be reached at 651-695-4000.

KIDSPARK PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (KPAC)

The KPAC is responsible for running KidsPark, the community council’s drop-in childcare program operated in the warming house at Groveland Recreation Center.  The committee usually meets the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at KidsPark, and is staffed by the community council’s Community Organizer, Melissa Martinez-Sones.