by Robert Albee
The Phillips Community Parks Initiative members met on Tuesday, December 14th with MPRB President John Erwin, Commissioner Scott Vreeland, Jayne Miller, the new MPRB Superintendent and with Al Bangoura, the CSA #6 Director that serves the Phillips Community. This meeting gave the PCPI members an opportunity to determine what the MPRB Commissioners were considering and review any concerns that were raised during earlier individual visits with each MPRB commissioner.. Feedback from the meeting was very positive, indicating that there would be some parameters established by the Park Board that once addressed could lead to a signing of leases for space within the Phillips Community Center.
The next day, on Wednesday, December 15th, the MPRB Planning Committee sponsored a presentation by PCPI members to formally outline and present the overall plan and request for space in the Phillips Community Center facility. This presentation was designed to provide the basic information to any interested media producer/writer and an opportunity to present the plan via cable television on Channel 79. PCPI”'s presentation was met with unanimous praise and encouragement. The next and final formal step in the process will be to appear before the entire Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board on Wednesday, January 5, 2011. At this time the board will choose to ratify the recommendation of the Planning Committee to go forward with the proposed leasing and space utilization proposal
PCPI proponents are requesting that the building become available by March 1, 2011. The MPRB is currently removing all carpeting and ceiling tiles and will be repainting the common areas prior to any lease ups of the facility.
