District 12
Community Council
Crosswalk on Territorial Road
Thanks to grants from the AARP Community Challenge and the University of Minnesota Good Neighbor Fund, District 12 has brightened up the block of Territorial Road adjacent to the new, recently installed sidewalk.
On Sept. 26, St. Paul artist Tomasina Topbear and friends painted a creative crosswalk at Carleton Street next to The Ray apartment building. Her design is a pattern based on the Morning Star, which also features prominently in her Unci Maka mural a half block east, created for the 2021 Chroma Zone Mural Festival.
The crosswalk art is part of District 12’s effort to encourage motorists passing through that section of Territorial Road to slow down and stop for pedestrians.
Besides the crosswalk, the District 12 Council also commissioned and coordinated painting of a street mural on Seal Street on Oct. 3. (See Transition Town article for more information.)
The final part of this project will bring two artist-designed benches to the corners of Seal and Carleton streets later this year, creating resting spots for people making their way to University Avenue and Raymond Station on the Green Line.
Connecting you to local volunteer opportunities
Delivering meals to those in need? Cleaning up a local park? Helping new residents get registered to vote? Coordinating volunteers at a local street painting event?
If any of these activities interest you, consider signing up for the St. Anthony Park volunteer database. District 12 is looking to assemble a list of community members to contact when volunteer opportunities arise. The volunteer database will be an easy way to connect residents with opportunities that they would enjoy and ways to make a difference in St. Anthony Park.
Sign up at sapcc.org/volunteerdatabase to start receiving volunteer opportunities that interest you!
Brightside produce distribution
Do you currently receive a weekly produce distribution from a nation-wide distributor? Consider switching over to Brightside, a local organization whose proceeds fight food insecurity in local urban neighborhoods. Brightside’s self-sustaining model uses weekly produce delivery subscriptions to offset the cost and provide local stores with fresh fruits and vegetables for only 10 percent over wholesale cost.
While Brightside has primarily worked with stores in Minneapolis, the food provider recently received a grant through the Good Neighbor Fund to start providing these services in St. Anthony Park. To help them do this, the District 12 Community Council is challenging area residents to switch from national produce distributions to Brightside’s weekly home deliveries. District 12’s goal is to get 30 new neighbors signed up with Brightside by Dec. 1. You can sign up for the fresh produce delivery at brightsidempls.org.
Brightside offers a variety of produce subscriptions along with optional add-ons such as coffee beans, eggs or “sustainable seconds” (helping to eliminate food waste by using food that’s not quite good enough for a bundle).
District 12 Board elections
The St. Anthony Park Community Council is where residents and businesses come together on vital neighborhood interests that enhance the quality of life, strengthen the character and vitality of the community and ensure the effectiveness of government.
Now is your chance to elect board members to enhance the local community in many different ways.
Board elections will take place through Dec. 6. To view the ballot and vote, visit sapcc.org/board-members. Anyone who lives or works in St. Anthony Park can vote for the Community Council board. If you have any questions or would like to be considered for seats that remain open, please contact jessica@sapcc.org.
SAPCC November meetings
St. Anthony Park Community Council committees discuss a variety of issues at their monthly meetings. Visit the council’s website at sapcc.org to learn more.
• Land Use Committee: 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4
• Board Meeting: 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11
• Environment Committee: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 24
• Equity Committee: 5:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 29
• Transportation Committee: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 30
• Land Use Committee: 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 2
All meetings are hosted via Zoom. Meeting times are subject to change. If you want to attend a meeting or have questions about joining a committee, please email Kathryn at kathryn@sapcc.org for the link
Submitted by Jessica Willman, District 12 community organizer.
