Author Archive
EPIC Annual Meeting Recap
By Carol Pass, President East Phillips Improvement Coalition Over 100 people attended the EPIC ANNUAL MTG, April 27th  in the rotunda and gym of the East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center.  It was a huge success with election of 6 new Board members. EPICs commitment of representing the wonderful diversity of East Phillips was continued with the newly elected Board members: Mary Gonsior, Linda Leonard, Earl Simms, Sherdl Kordian, Ali Macali and Aisha Gomez; joining returning Board members, Carol Pass, Rosie Cruz and Jenny Bjorgo. The Breakfast was Mexican style scrambled eggs (Huevos Rancheros) sausage, tamales, sambusas, fish tortes, fruit, all the accoutrements, and 3 EPIC birthday cakes and cupcakes. Many East Phillips residents helped with everything from set-up, food preparation, serving, providing door prizes and even clean-up. Mark Welna of Welna Hdwe., the best hardware store in the world, donated the door prizes & the traditional grand [...]
40 Years of Water Ebbing and Flowing
By Harvey Winje 40 years ago a building was added to the Wendell Phillips Junior High School with a pool and a gym. The school itself was demolished 12 years later. The pool and gym building was kept, restored with its own furnace and remained used until 2008 when renovations were necessary. Desires to abandon the pool were thwarted and from that challenge grew a unique partnership between individuals, organizations, and the owner of the facility, the Mpls. Park Board. Today the entire building is remodeled except the pool. Enough money has been raised to restore the pool to new requirements and normal maintenance. There are hopes to expand the size and number of pools to enable more use and supportive income. There are many facets to consider with reopening the pool at any size. The more all of the information can be shown “the light of day” the better because then each facet may be scrutinized and receive the benefit of wider spread thinking and resources. [...]
Fire completely destroyed the interior of the Chicago Deli Building at 2500 Chicago Avenue
Fire completely destroyed the interior of the Chicago Deli Building at 2500 Chicago Avenue April 25th leaving only damaged exterior walls including this north wall mural on the 90 foot long building. In the mid 1900”'s it housed Speed”'s Deli, Ben”'s Barber Shop, Supplee”'s Pharmacy (later Chicago Ave. Eat Shop & later yet Rollie”'s Café) and National Tea grocery during which time it was owned by Dr. Olaf A. Olson who lived in the house on a double lot three doors south later purchased by PPL for their main office until sold to a “middleman” readying it for sale to Children”'s MN Hospital for a 700 car parking ramp after moving two houses and demolishing 26 homes including Dr. Olson”'s. Photos by Harvey Winje
