Frost Fest

Each year, Frost Fest takes place on a Saturday or Sunday in January at Groveland Park. 2011's event featured free hot chocolate, ice skating, treats, 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!

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 6:30 p.m. at the Edgcumbe Recreation Center.

Recycling in Macalester-Groveland is picked up at the curb each Friday. Please have your recyclables set out by 7am Friday morning. For more information on sorting, please consult this guide from Eureka Recycling.  If you have any questions about your recycling schedule or missed pickups, please call Eureka Recycling's Zero Waste Hotline at 651-222-7678.  

If you're interested in picking up a free blue recycling bin or two, feel free to do so by stopping by the Edgcumbe Recreation Center (320 South Griggs Street) during its open hours. If we are not around, you can grab one or two from the stack outside our door.

Have bulky or hard-to-recycle items?  Call the Ramsey County Solid Waste & Recycling Hotline 24/7 at 651-633-EASY (3279), visit their A-Z Guide, or call the council office 651-695-4000.  

We haven't scheduled the 2012 clean-ups yet, but we'll post the date and locations as soon as we have them!

2011 Neighborhood Clean-ups were held at the Ford Plant (966 Mississippi River Blvd S) on the following dates:

• Saturday, May 21st, 2011 from 9:00am - 2:00pm
• Saturday, September 24th, 2011 from 9:00am - 2:00pm

The Fall & Spring Clean-Ups 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. New for the Fall 2011 Clean-up- household hazardous waste (including antifreeze, car batteries, propane tanks, oil, paint, and more). 
2. Fluorescent bulbs
3. Tires of all sizes (additional fee).
4. Paper for shredding (additional fee).
5. Children's items, such as books, toys and clothes.
6. Reusable household goods. Almost anything that is in good shape may be left at the reuse area.
7. Electronics (additional fee) including computers and computer-related equipment, televisions, phones, fax and copier machines.
8. Appliances (additional fee) including microwaves, dehumidifiers, water heaters, air conditioners.
9. 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!]
10. Bicycles functional or non-functional.
11. Lawn mowers and snow blowers.
12. Construction debris and architectural salvage (anything that comes off your house).
13. Mattresses, box springs (additional fee).
14. Carpets and other materials not accepted at other stations.
15. Concrete and rock including patio blocks - other items that are not pure concrete must go to construction debris.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED

• Recyclables: paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, etc. can be set out for regular Friday recycling pickup.
• Household refuse: will be picked up by your trash hauler.
• Yard waste, brush, compost: Call 651-633-EASY (3279) for a free drop-off site nearest you.
• For Reuse, anything  broken, stained, ripped or in unusable condition (please use garbage area at the cleanup instead).

ENTRANCE FEES

• $15 per car.
• $20 per truck, SUV, trailer, minivan, or station wagon.
• $30 per larger vehicle.
• Household hazardous waste collection will be free. 

ADDITIONAL FEES

• Tires: $2 for car tires, $3 for truck tires, $7 for semi tires, $30 for tractor tires.
• Mattresses or box springs: $10 per mattress, $10 per box spring.
• Electronics: $10 per console TV, $5 per other electronic item, computer keyboard and mouse are free.
• Appliances: $15 per air conditioner or water softener, $10 per other appliance (call JR’s at 651-454-9215 for a separate appliance pickup).
• Shredding: $5 for a grocery bag, $8 for a banker box.

Neighbors in Mac-Groveland have been finding ways to reduce their alley traffic as well as their montly garbage hauling rates. 

Not sure if your alley has consolidated its garbage hauling? Check out our interactive map below.  If your alley has consolidated garbage collection but you don't see it below, please email lauren@macgrove.org. 

View Macalester-Groveland Garbage Hauler Consolidation in a larger map.

See attachments below for information and tools you can use to consolidate garbage hauling in the neighborhood.

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.

What’s happening now?
The Macalester-Groveland Community Council recently formed an Organics Task Force to review potential options for organics/ composting collection programs in the neighborhood.  For a brief description of the Task Force’s initial findings, check out the document attached below.  

The Task Force is in the midst of creating a plan for a neighborhood organics drop-off site for Macalester-Groveland residents to drop off food waste (including meats and dairy!), non-recyclable papers (including egg cartons and freezer boxes!), and BPI-certified compostable products for composting at a commercial facility.   

How you can get involved:

• Attend an Environment Committee meeting for the most up-to-date information on neighborhood organics collection.  The Environment Committee meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:00pm at the Edgcumbe Recreation Center (320 South Griggs Street).  
• Join the Community Council’s biweekly electronic newsletter list by emailing mgcc@macgrove.org – you’ll receive the most up-to-date information about neighborhood happenings including any new Macalester-Groveland composting programs!  
  

Want to reduce waste at home?  Get started backyard composting!
Get a bin:

• Call Eureka Recycling at (651) 222-7678 to purchase the Earth Machine backyard composting bin at a discount.
• Build your own!  Visit www.reduce.org or www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/3296-02.html#02
• Find one used – www.twincitiesfreemarket.org or minneapolis.craigslist.org are good places to look.
  

Learn how to get going with these resources:

• www.reduce.org – find everything from instructions on how to build a bin to great, illustrated backyard composting instructions and tips.
• www.makedirtnotwaste.org – how-to fact sheets, information on where to buy a bin
• www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/3296-01.html – lots of detailed, scientific information on a wide range of backyard composting topics.

Know what’s legal – and what isn’t – for backyard composting in the City of St. Paul:

• Check out the City’s ordinances on residential composting at www.makedirt.org/pdf/saintpaulcompostingordinance.pdf

Looking to compost more?  
Commercial composting facilities allow you to safely compost more materials than in a backyard bin, including meat, bones, dairy products, and compostable tableware.  Don’t forget to only buy products with the “BPI certified” seal on your plates, bowls, cups, and silverware to ensure they’re actually compostable.  

In the Twin Cities, we have one commercial composting facility that allows residents to bring bags of compostable materials for a low fee:

For accepted items and pricing, visit www.mulchstoremn.com/disposal.html

Additional resources:

• For more information on the pilot collection project that took place from June 2010 through January 2011, click here. 
• Contact the Community Council office at 651-695-4000 or email lauren@macgrove.org. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2011 Alley Garden Awards program!  Stay tuned for information on the 2012 program, which will be available in Spring 2012. 

Get your gardens ready for the 2011 Alley Garden Awards:
Volunteers will start judging each alley in the neighborhood on Thursday, June 23rd and wrap up on Monday, June 27th.  If you see an Alley Garden Award volunteer judge out looking for qualifying gardens, please take the time to thank them for their hard work!

Nominate a great alley garden in your neighborhood:
Residents of Macalester-Groveland can nominate their own or a neighbor’s garden (or both!) for a 2011 Alley Garden Award.  Please complete the nomination form (attached below) and return it to the council office between Wednesday, June 1st and Monday, June 20th, 2011.   No nominations will be accepted after Monday, June 20th.

Tour award-winning alley gardens:
The 2011 Alley Garden Award Tour runs from Monday, July 11th through Sunday, July 17th.  Download the attached tour map or pick one up at the Edgcumbe or Groveland Recreation Center!

Awards are given to any garden that meets the following 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.
5. The garden fits the following definition as an area of land (which can also be contained within pots) used for the cultivation of flowers, vegetables, herbs, or fruit.

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.

Deter crime by gardening!
Planting a few perennials here and potting some plants there can make a huge difference in improving the aesthetics and safety of your home. In 1992, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council agreed that community beautification deters crime. In response, they started the Alley Garden Awards.

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.

For more information about the Alley Garden Awards, please contact Lauren at lauren@macgrove.org or 651-695-4000.

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. 2011's Groveland Night Out featured:

• an outdoor showing of a children's 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, March 10, 2012
10:00am - 3:00pm, Cretin Derham Hall (550 South Albert Street, St. Paul, MN 55116)

The 20th Annual Highland-Macalester-Groveland Home Improvement Fair will take place Saturday, March 10th, 2012 from 10:00am-3:00pm. The fair is one of our neighborhood’s most popular events, bringing in hundreds of area homeowners to learn about local home improvement products, services, and/or educational efforts.  Door prizes for this year's fair include free design consultation, window reconditioning, personal toolboxes, gift certificates, and much more!

Interested in exhibiting or sponsoring?  The fair is a great opportunity to connect with members of the Macalester-Groveland and Highland community!  While the application deadline for the 2012 Home Improvement Fair has already passed, please contact Callie at callie@macgrove.org with your business name and email address to be added to the mailing list for the 2013 fair. 

Native Garden Award Tour:
Please see the attached Tour Map of this year's award-winning gardens. 

Nominate your or a neighbor’s garden for a Native Garden Award!
Nominations for the annual Native Garden Awards are typically accepted through mid-July.  To enter, download the attached form and return it to the council office.  Unlike the Alley Garden Awards program, the Native Garden Awards rely exclusively on your nominations to recognize well-maintained native gardens!  Awards are determined by the end of August.

The benefits of using native species in your yard are endless: 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.  Well-maintained native gardens are environmentally friendly alternatives to lawns and gardens containing non-native species. 

In order to qualify for a Native Garden Award, you must meet the follow requirements:
· 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.

Never considered a native garden?  There are some fantastic resources to help you get started: 

1. University of Minnesota Extension Service Native Plant List (PDF)
2. University of Minnesota Extension Service Common Questions About Native Flowers and Plants
3. Landscaping with Native Plants (Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources)
4. Minnesota Native Plants (Landscape Alternatives, Inc.)
5. Minnesota Native Plant Society
6. Do It Green Minnesota
7. Wild Ones: Twin Cities Chapter
8. Additionally, most local garden centers can give you great information about what will work best for your garden.  
   

The Macalester-Groveland Native Garden Interest Group has also put together a flyer of their top 20 native plants for sun and shade (see the attachment below!).  

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact the Macalester-Groveland Community Council office at (651) 695-4000 or lauren@macgrove.org.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2011 MacGrove Moves program!  See you in 2012! 

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 .   Turn in up to three log sheets (or 45 car-less trips!) by sending them to the Council office or emailing lauren@macgrove.org.  For each log sheet you complete, you will be entered in drawings to win prizes donated by local businesses all over the neighborhood! 

Download the attached MacGrove Moves fillable log sheet to start recording your trips, or pick one up a paper log sheet at Edgcumbe, Groveland, and Linwood Recreation Centers or neighborhood businesses. 

Annual 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. If you find one of the golden shoes, bring it to the MGCC office at 320 South Griggs Street, and win a great prize.

For more information on MacGrove Moves and the Golden Shoe Hunt, contact the council at lauren@macgrove.org or 651-695-4000.

What is KidsPark?

KidsPark is a professionally staffed parent cooperative drop-in child care service. 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

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