Youth Programs and Events

Frost Fest

Each year, Frost Fest takes place on a Saturday or Sunday in January at Groveland Park. 2009's event featured free hot chocolate and treats, a snowman contest, and music provided by DJ Stevie Ray.

For more information about Frost Fest, contact Afton at 651-695-4000 or afton@macgrove.org.

How can I be involved?
We always need energetic people to plan the event logistics. Contact the community council for more information!

Teen Battle of the Bands

The Teen Battle of the Bands is generally held annually during the Grand Old Day celebration the first Sunday of June from noon to 5 pm on Grand Avenue at Macalester Street. This year's event is on Sunday, June 7th.

Since 1994, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council has celebrated the musical talents of area youth in the Teen Battle of the Bands. Held in conjunction with Grand Old Day, the Midwest's largest street festival, six teen bands compete on stage for a wandering crowd of over 250,000 people. Past participants have gone on to release cds and play in local venues.

How can I be involved?

We encourage bands of ALL genres of music to apply. If you're interested in competing, please complete the application below and return to the Council office by May 12th (please read instructions carefully). Please contact Afton at afton@macgrove.org, or at 651-695-4000 with any questions. Volunteers are needed to review demo tapes, select finalists, and plan the event. Volunteers are also needed throughout the day on June 7, 2009 for setup, cleanup, parking, crowd management and staffing the information table. To volunteer, contact the community council.

Attachment	Size
Application 2009.doc	476.5 KB

The Transportation Committee of the MGCC has initiated a variety of traffic calming strategies and techniques for the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood.  If you are interested in traffic calming, or if you have concerns about traffic in your part of the neighborhood you are encouraged to voice those concerns at the Transportation Committee.  The Committee will work to address your situation and develop solutions for you and your neighbors to implement.  The Transportation Committee meets the 4th Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Edgcumbe Recreation Center.

Snelling Median
To read the Daily Planet article about the proposed Snelling median project, click here.

Recycling in Mac-Groveland is picked up at the curb on Fridays. Please have your recyclables set out by 7am Friday morning. For more information on sorting, please consult this guide from Eureka Recycling. If you're interested in picking up a free blue recycling bin or two, feel free to do so by stopping by the Edgcumbe Rec Center (320 S Griggs St.) during its open hours. If we are not around, you can grab one or two from the stack outside of our door.

The Fall & Spring Cleanups are one-day events which allow residents to discard just about anything. The Community Council brings together haulers and vendors in one central location and make efforts to reuse or recycle your old stuff for less cost than you would pay a garbage hauler to take it away. This event is only open to Macalester-Groveland and Highland residents, so bring your driver's license or a bill with your name and address. To volunteer at the event, or to learn more about it, please call the office at 651-695-4000.

ITEMS ACCEPTED
The following items should be packed in this order, as this is the order in which the stations will appear, starting with items that should be placed on top:

1. Fluorescent bulbs
2. Tires of all sizes.
3. Children's items, such as books, toys and clothes.
4. Reusable household goods. Almost anything that is in good shape may be left at the reuse area.
5. Electronics including computers and computer-related equipment, televisions, phones, fax and copier machines .
6. Cell phones.
7. Bicycles functional or non-functional.
8. Metals-these items will be stripped down, so anything you have that includes a significant amount of metal should be left here. Even better, strip it down before you bring it!
9. Lawn mowers and snow blowers.
10. Construction debris and architectural salvage (anything that comes off your house).
11. Mattresses, carpets and other materials not accepted at other stations.
12. Concrete and rock including patio blocks and other items that are not pure concrete must go to construction debris.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED

• Appliances: call J.R. Appliance for curbside pick-up 651-454-9215.
• Recyclables: paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, etc. can be set out for Friday regular recycling pick-ups.
• Household refuse: will be picked up by your trash hauler.
• Hazardous Waste: antifreeze, car batteries, propane tanks, oil, or paint need special handling for disposal. Call 651-633-EASY to find the nearest household hazardous waste drop-off facility.
• Brush & Compost: Call 651-633-3279 for a drop-off site nearest you.

FEES: The cost will be $15 for a car, $20 for a pick-up truck, station wagon, minivan, trailer or SUV, and $30 for larger loads and vehicles. Additional charges include $2 for car tires, $3 for truck tires, $7 for semi tires, and tractor tire prices starting at $30. There will also be a charge of $10 per mattress and $10 per box spring. Electronics are now free!

Neighbors in Mac-Groveland have been finding ways to reduce their alley traffic as well as their montly garbage hauling rates.  See attachments below for information regarding garbage hauler consolidation in the neighborhood.

Attachment	Size
GHCpacket.1.pdf	91.7 KB
GHCpacket.2.pdf	74.86 KB
GHCpacket.3.pdf	372.97 KB
GHCpacket.4.pdf	177.82 KB
GHCpacket.5.pdf	149.21 KB
GHCpacket.6.pdf	203.91 KB
GHCpacket.7.pdf	145.95 KB
GHCpacket.8.pdf	124.9 KB
GHCpacket.9.pdf	82.34 KB
GHCpacket.10.pdf	67.9 KB
GHCpacket.11.pdf	110.95 KB
GHCpacket.12.pdf	77.46 KB
GHCpacket.13.pdf	148.76 KB
GHCpacket.14.pdf	125.46 KB
GHCpacket.15.pdf	79.78 KB
GHCpacket.16.pdf	44.26 KB
GHCpacket.17.pdf	65.04 KB
GHCpacket.18.pdf	94.75 KB
GHCpacket.19.pdf	110.71 KB
GHCpacket.20.pdf	118.59 KB
GHCpacket.21.pdf	172.26 KB
GHCpacket.22.pdf	157.11 KB
GHCpacket.23.pdf	87.03 KB
GHCpacket.24.pdf	117.91 KB
GHCpacket.25.pdf	77.61 KB

Block Clubs

• A Block Club is a group of neighbors living within one or more city blocks who gather regularly to socialize, address common concerns, promote communication and improve block safety.
• A block club traditionally includes houses on a block facing each other but may span several blocks and may include homes across an alley.
• Residents can decide to organize at any level. However, there are basic aspects of a club that are necessary if they are to be recognized as such by their respective district council.
• Clubs may also become involved with community issues such as working with beautification, traffic calming, crime prevention, community development, and other district council activities.

By being actively involved, residents take responsibility for themselves and their neighborhoods while working together to solve problems. If you're interested in identifying or starting a block club, contact Afton Martens at afton@macgrove.org, or call her at 651-695-4000.

Help your neighbors make dirt, not waste!

Join your neighbors to volunteer for an innovative composting and energy conservation program in your neighborhood.  As a volunteer, you will assist the Macalester Groveland Community Council (MGCC) in their partnership with Eureka Recycling and the Green Institute to grow composting and energy conservation in Macalester Groveland. This program is the only one like it in the country and your neighbors need you to help Macalester Groveland become the greenest neighborhood in Saint Paul.
•    Volunteers will assist neighbors to make dirt, not waste, through backyard composting.
•    Volunteers will be interested in composting and waste reduction.
•    Volunteers will receive training and work in teams of 2 or 3 to do home visits.
•    Volunteers will help grow a backyard composting movement in Saint Paul, one household at a time!

Requirements
•    Six to twenty hours of volunteer time.
•    Desire for making our neighborhood the greenest in Saint Paul.
•    Some backyard compost experience helpful, but not necessary. One person per team will have backyard compost experience. All volunteers will receive the same volunteer training.
•    Each home visit team needs one vehicle for transporting 2-3 compost bins (vans and hatchbacks work well).
•    Availability for one of our kick-off workshops: Thursday, March 18, 6-8pm or Saturday, March 20, 10am-12pm.
•    Availability in March and April for making home visits.  There will be many choices to fit into your busy schedule.

Composting home visits involve:
1.    Visit your neighbor’s homes or backyards with 1-2 other people
2.    Deliver a backyard compost bin supplied by Eureka Recycling and set it up.
3.    Answer questions, provide resources, and offer waste-reduction tips (we’ll help you with all of this).
4.    Get them started composting food scraps.
5.    Be a helpful and friendly face.

Interested?
To volunteer contact Karmann Peters at the Macalester Groveland Community Council,  651-695-4000 or karmann@macgrove.org  to sign up for one of the following volunteer training sessions at Edgcumbe Recreation Center:

•    Wednesday, February 24, 6-8pm
•    Thursday, February 25, 6-8pm
•    Thursday, March 4, 6-8pm

Attachment	Size
Eureka-City Statement27August2008.pdf	45.23 KB
Workshop Flyer Final.pdf	1.24 MB

Planting a few perennials here and potting some plants there can make a huge difference in improving the aesthetics and safety of your property. In 1992, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council agreed that community beautification deters crime. In response, they started the Alley Garden Awards, which are given to any resident who meets the following four criteria:

Alley Garden Award Criteria

1. The property must have an easily recognizable house number on the garage (or elsewhere in the alley if there is no garage).

2. The garden must be along the alley and on the alley side of any fence.

3. The alley garden must be weed-free and well-maintained along the entire property line.

4. The alley side of the property must positively contribute to the character and beauty of the alley by being litter free and neat.

Garden: A garden is an area of land (which can also be contained within pots) used for the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, herbs, or fruit.

If your alley doesn't already meet the criteria, consider making a change. Prepare your alleyside property in time for the Alley Garden Awards and help prevent garage burglaries and other crimes facilitated by unkempt property.

The Alley Garden Awards generally take place in June or July. You can nominate yourself or a neighbor, or just wait for volunteer judges to walk down your alley and identify qualifying alley gardens.

In the fall, all Alley Garden Award winners will be invited to a ceremony to recognize their efforts to beautify their alleys and reduce crime in their neighborhood.

Groveland Night Out is typically the second Wednesday of August.

St. Paul's Favorite Neighborhood Party
Groveland Night Out is an annual neighborhood party thrown in early August by the Macalester-Groveland Community Council. The event features informational booths provided by local businesses, free activities for kids, free treats, crime prevention information, safety demonstrations, representatives from the police and fire departments and an outdoor movie. 2009's Groveland Night Out featured:

• an outdoor showing of a Disney movie,
• games for children,
• free root beer floats for all,
• the ever-popular moon bounce for kids,
• free samples, discounts and information from locally owned, community-based businesses and organizations,
• live music from a local band.

For more information about Groveland Night Out, contact Afton at 695-4000, or at afton@macgrove.org.

Saturday, April 10, 2010
10am-3pm, Cretin Derham Hall (550 South Albert Street)

The 19th Annual Highland-Macalester-Groveland Home Improvement Fair will take place Saturday, April 10th, 2010 at Cretin Derham Hall (550 South Albert Street) in St. Paul from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Hundreds of area homeowners are once again expected to attend and learn about home improvement products, services, and/or educational efforts . It is one of our neighborhood’s most popular events and we are focusing on those businesses who are offering 'greening' opportunities for our neighbors.

For Home Improvement Fair applications, see attachments below. Application deadline is Friday, February 5th, 2010. Send your completed application with payment to Kathy Carruth at hdc@visi.com (email) or 651-695-4019 (fax) or mail it to:

Home Improvement Fair
1978 Ford Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116

Questions? Contact Kathy at 651-695-4005 or Karmann at 651-695-4000.

Attachment	Size
Exhibitor Letter.doc	32.5 KB
2010 Exhibitor Application.doc	102 KB
Sponsor Letter.doc	32 KB
Sponsor Application.doc	96 KB

 

Native gardens absorb much more rainwater than traditional gardens, provide a great habitat for butterflies and birds, and demand less maintenance (both water and fertilizers/pesticides) than non-native gardens. If you have nominated yourself or someone else has nominated you, you will receive recognition for enriching our neighborhood with your native garden.

To encourage the planting of native, low-maintenance vegetation, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council is sponsoring a program similar to the successful Alley Garden Award program. Well-maintained native gardens are environmentally friendly alternatives to lawns and gardens containing non-native species.

Unlike the Alley Garden program where grid representatives walk alleys searching for qualifying gardens, the Native Garden program is self-nominating. The following requirements must be met in order to be considered for an award:
· You must be a resident of the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood.
· The garden area must be weed-free and well-maintained.
· You must have a visible house number both on the street and the alley (unless there is no alley).
· The garden area must be accessible for verification purposes by Environment Committee volunteers.
· At least 50% of the garden area must be in native plants.
· If the garden is on a boulevard, all City Boulevard Garden Regulations must be followed.
· Native Gardens that meet all qualifications for Alley Gardens may earn both awards.

For residents who have not considered native gardens and their benefit to the environment, below are a few on-line resources to get you on the right track. Additionally, you can ask at most local garden centers about what will work best for your specific circumstances.

Garden awards were determined at the end of August. A native garden tour map is the second attachment below.  If you have questions, or need more information, please contact the Macalester-Groveland Community Council office at (651) 695-4000.

Attachment	Size
final final 2009 native gardens map.pdf	452.65 KB
native_garden_nomination_form_2010.pdf	155.57 KB

More coming soon!

Attachment	Size
letter to pharris golden shoe challenge.pdf	119.89 KB

KidsPark 1 Year Anniversary Celebration at Davanni's!

Please join us to celebrate KidsPark's 1 Year Anniversary move to Desnoyer Park!
Davanni's Restaurant (41 S. Cleveland, 55105) 4-8PM
There will be cake, door prizes and plenty of community building!
KidsPark will receive 20% of the proceeds from every order! 
Patrons mus submit a form (which are availble at the MGCC office or at KidsPark)when purchasing. 
Invite your neighbors friends and family,all are welcome!
Questions? Please contact Karmann at 651-695-4000

 

KidsPark President's Day Bowling Event!

All youth, families, and friends of KidsPark are invited to bowl. A portion of the proceeds go to KidsPark!
Monday, February 15th, 2010 from 10AM to 1PM at Midway Bowl (1556 University Ave W)
$5 per game, free shoe rental, plenty of bumper lanes, and prizes!

 

KidsPark is now accepting enrollment at the new location in Desnoyer Park!

What is KidsPark?

KidsPark is a professionally staffed parent cooperative drop-in child care service sponsored by the Macalester-Groveland Community Council in cooperation with the St. Paul Division of Parks and Recreation. It has served families for over twenty years. KidsPark gives kids a chance to play with others in a supervised, stimulating environment, and gives their parents the opportunity to...

• take a class
• keep an appointment
• have lunch with a friend
• volunteer
• shop
• exercise
• spend one-on-one time with another child

Teacher’s Wish List
We need the following items:
    * Manipulative Toys (check with Claire for specifics)
    * A stroller (check with Claire before bringing one in)
    * High chair
    * Child cupboard locks
    * Baby gate
    * 8 AAA batteries
    * Clear packing tape
    * Fruit for snack

To learn more about KidsPark, visit their website at http://www.kidsparkdropin.org.

Attachment	Size
letter to the editor 10.2009.doc	35 KB
KidsParkSavethedate.pdf	31.68 KB