‘Environment’ Archives
Victory for the East Phillips Urban Farm
Outstanding Leaders Advance Community Vision for Roof Depot & Hiawatha Expansion By H LYNN ADELSMAN In a flurry of last minute negotiations before the end of the state legislative session, community and city leaders, state legislators, and the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) brokered an agreement that will allow the Urban Farm at the Roof Depot site in East Phillips to move forward. The City has agreed to sell the site for an urban farm, in exchange for $4.5 million from the State to build the needed water distribution facility at another location, plus $2 million from the State as a deposit on the sale of the Roof Depot property. EPNI will need to raise an additional $3.7 million for the property purchase by September 8, 2023. Learn more about plans for the East Phillips Urban Farm in future issues of the alley. A broad coalition of labor, environmental, and Indigenous activists and organizations rallied at the Roof Depot site in East Phillips for the [...]
“Our Growing Season is Here!”
By MICHELLE SHAW Here, one of the South High students is learning the proper way to plant a fruit tree at the May 18 Garden Party. Jim Embry will be the special guest at our Youth Juneteenth Celebration at the South High Food Forest. Photo: Minneapolis Edible Boulevards Are you interested in being part of a community that listens to what you and your neighbors have to say? Minneapolis Edible Boulevards is a small initiative, we create partnerships in both Green Zones and adjacent neighborhoods so that we can listen to the concerns of the community. As a part of our volunteer team, we are looking for folks who are willing to share their input, problem-solve, help us share our events more effectively, and identify the best ways to get community input. Perhaps that’s attending a bi-monthly or quarterly meeting. Perhaps it’s something else. We can’t do it without you. If you’re interested, please reach out to minneapolisedibleboulevards@gmail.com.This was our best year for [...]
Roof Depot Site Lack of Transparency and Call to Attend May 9 Online Hearing
By H. LYNN ADELSMAN It is easy to get lost in the details of the city’s long history of working against a healthy future for East Phillips. This is a history of the city disregarding racism as a public health threat, and ignoring its own prioritization of East Phillips as a green zone. And this comes at a cost that is often unseen but is funded by taxpayers through revenues from the University of Minnesota, the airport, and some Minneapolis suburbs who buy their water from Minneapolis. Which leads to many questions unanswered, including: What is the detailed plan for the Hiawatha Expansion site? How many cars and trucks will be allowed to travel daily in and out of East Phillips? When will the city present its plan to the community? Until now it has only been presented to the park board.What is the total cost for the project and how will it be funded? $75–100,000,000, or more?How many lobbyists and lawyers are working on the city’s plan, and who or what fund is paying [...]
