GreeningFrogtownJulyAug17

Paint and Dirt Flies as Charles Avenue
Rejuvenation Project Gets Underway
If you drove past the 500 block of Charles
Avenue on June 1 0, you saw a bustle of
activity as a group of neighbors and local
organizations started on an experiment to
transform the block.
Most times, the work on neighborhood
revitalization goes something like this: A
nonprofit group builds or rehabs a house
on a block. There’s one spruced up
property, but the rest of the block remains
the same. This time around, the idea was
different. A collaboration of
organizations, including Habitat for
Humanity, NeighborWorks Home
Partners, Preserve Frogtown and the
Frogtown Neighborhood Association got
together to ask neighbors how they
wanted their block to change, and then put
together a plan to make it happen.
Shovels hit the dirt on a Saturday
morning, as about 50 volunteers from
Habitat, the African American men’s
group Ujamaa Place, NeighborWorks,
Youth Farm and Thrivent Financial joined
a collection of neighbors to start in on
rejuvenating the block. Among the
projects: 1 0 new flower and vegetable
gardens with fresh, rich compost; a
patched-up garage with new siding and
paint; a bright accent of paint on a front
porch; a new door and stoop; a new
window; and a start on a new roof.
FROGTOWN NEWS
The block is recognized as a remarkably
intact collection of turn-of-the-century
workers’ cottages — small, modest homes
not so much notable for their high style as
for being a preserved stretch of housing
that speaks to the accomplishments of the
common man.
“This wasn’t the end. It was the kick off, a
beginning,” said Amanda Welliver at
NeighborWorks after the 9 am to 3 pm
project wrapped up. “This was a really
good learning process for both the
organizations and the neighbors."
She noted that participation from
neighbors grew as the Saturday event
drew closer. At first only three neighbors
wanted help planting a garden. “We
developed a lot of new relationships. We
had neighbors talking who hadn’t talked
together over decades of living on the
block. They were working together,
talking about holding pot lucks.”
"We did a good job, and everybody was
helping out," said Steve Fagerland. "With
all the new planting the block will look a
lot better in a couple years."
From left, Shoreé Ingram, Beth Hyser and Eva Moe from NeighborWorks Home
Partners were among the 60+ workers on the June 1 0 Charles Ave. kick-off.
Trash System Talks
Near Finish Line
St Paul could be closer to a revamped
trash collection system, once negotiations
are finalized between the city and the 1 5
collection companies that currently serve
Saint Paul neighborhoods. After several
marathon meetings in June, participants
are closing in on agreement over a new
system that will be acceptable to both
haulers and city officials, reports Kris
Hageman, the city's Recycling and Solid
Waste Program Manager.
Organized trash collection advocates have
espoused a system that divides the city
into zones assigned to different haulers,
instead of the current system that results
in multiple haulers covering the same
area. A new system could make
provisions for hauling bulky items like
mattresses and appliances, which now
often end up littering Frogtown alleys.
Details of the proposal are still being
worked out, but a public hearing is set for
Wed., July 1 9 at 5:30 pm in the City
Council Chambers, Rm 31 0, City Hall.
The Council will receive a staff update
and recommendation for next steps
toward implementing an organized trash
collection system. Find out more at the
city's "Coordinated Collection" webpage
at: www.stpaul.gov/departments/publicworks/garbage/coordinated-collection.
Patty Lammers and Johnny Howard are newly hired to serve in crime prevention
and community engagement roles with the St. Paul Police Department.
Frogtowners Are Link to St. Paul Cops
The St. Paul Police Department added
two new Frogtown-friendly staff
members, bringing onboard long-time
neighborhood resident and organizer
Johnny Howard as community
engagement specialist and outreach
coordinator to the African American
community, and native Frogtowner Patty
Lammers as crime prevention coordinator.
Howard led the Thomas Dale Block Clubs
from 1 991 to 2006, building it into a
network of affiliated Frogtown block
clubs during a troubled period in
neighborhood history. In addition to
block-by-block organizing, the group ran
a lawn service that employed local
people, youth programs and food
distribution services. Howard was also the
director of West Minne’s youth football
program for 1 8 years, coaching about 1 00
kids each season, and has served on the
boards of organizations such as the
NAACP, the Urban League and the
African American Leadership Council.
Lammers, who has since migrated to the
North End, grew up in Frogtown and, like
Howard, is a familiar figure. She served
on the board of the organization now
known as the Frogtown Neighborhood
Association for eight years, worked for
the Thomas Dale Block Clubs throughout
the 1 990s and later for the Greater
Frogtown CDC and NeighborWorks
Home Partners. She also chaired the
Frogtown area Weed and Seed program, a
neighborhood anti-crime and
revitalization program, for eight years.
Howard was one of 1 20 candidates
considered for the new position, which is
intended to help bridge the gap between
police and the African American
community. The idea is to create channels
of communication before a crisis erupts.
“The biggest thing is, you have to get out
of the seat and on your feet,” said
Howard. “I can’t be sitting in the office.
I’ve got to walk down to the
SuperAmerica, go to the Wilder complex.
I’ve got to be at the coffeehouse. You
can’t do it from a desk," he said.
As crime prevention coordinator,
Lammers is charged with working across
the city to coordinate events such as
National Night Out, plus assisting with
block club organizing efforts. She will
also connect neighbors to police
information efforts, such as the monthly
Western District community meetings.
You can see Lammers in action at the
Thursday, July 1 8 meeting, 9:30-11 am
and 6:30-8 pm at 389 Hamline, and at the
Thursday, August 1 5 meeting at the same
times and location.
Fenced Dale St. Lot Bought by NDC
The dust-up over the vacant lot at 507 N.
Dale St. ended recently when the taxforfeit
property was bought by the
Frogtown-based non-profit,
Neighborhood Development Center.
The lot, formerly home to the sincedemolished
Rock ofAges church, was
the source of a dispute between Ramsey
County, the Community Stabilization
Project, and the Frogtown Neighborhood
Association. The neighborhood groups
planted a raised-bed community garden
on the abandoned site. The county
insisted that the garden be removed.
When they failed to make a deal, the
county surrounded the lot with a
chainlink fence.
NDC director Mike Temali says the fence
will come down, and the property will be
used as green space and parking for
businesses in the office building at 501
N. Dale. NDC paid $79,900 for the
property.
Meanwhile, a court case between Rock of
Ages church and the city, alleging that
the church was unfairly compensated for
its property, continues. The church was
demolished in 2009 after the
congregation was unable to afford
extensive repairs ordered by St. Paul
inspectors.
JULY/AUGUST 2017
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