Crashed Ice

Have you been wondering what on earth is happening at the eastern end of Summit next to the Cathedral? It's not church construction, or light rail, or Winter Carnival prep — it's the first-of-its-kind Red Bull Crashed Ice event!

Red Bull provides this description:

The extreme sport of ice cross downhill heads into a new season in 2012. The world championship battle will take place this year, as in 2010 for the first time, in both Europe and North America.

Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 calendar:
Saint Paul (USA) –January 12-14
Valkenburg (NED) – February 2-4
Are (SWE) – February 16-18
Quebec City (CAN) – March 15-17

The combination of speedskating, boardercross and downhill skiing has only been around for 10 years but ice cross downhill has already overtaken many other established sports.

There are participants from 30 nations – 15,000 athletes packed into the pre-qualifying in Canada alone last year – and venues around the world that are bursting at the seams with spectators.

The rules are simple: four athletes line up at the start and the first across the finish line wins. Speed, agility, perserverance, toughness and courage at speeds of up to 60kph are the ingredients needed for success.

But I think we all know it will be even wilder and crazier than that!

The City of Saint Paul has a new website just for the event:
www.stpaul.gov/crashedice

Solar Panels?

The Union Park District Council has invited interested community members to their joint Parks and Rec/Land Use meeting on Tuesday, December 13 regarding a proposal by Summit Avenue homeowners to install solar panels at their home at 2279 Summit, extending on to Mississippi River Boulevard right-of-way parkland (the parkland had, until recently, been thought to be part of the Summit parcel and had been maintained by the homeowners).

There are six panels, each ten feet tall and four feet wide.

The homeowners applied for a diversion of the parkland, which the St. Paul Parks Commission denied on November 9, 2011 due to precedent and visual impact on the parkway. The homeowners are appealing, citing the history of maintaining the land and concerns that the panels, if built entirely on their property, would have to be 10-12 feet taller to maintain efficiency.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room at the Merriam Park Community Center (at 2000 St. Anthony).

SARPA just learned of the issue tonight and has not taken a board position.

Holiday Lights Contest!

Announcing - The Summit Holiday Lights Contest!

Please put your nominations for your favorite holiday lights on Summit in comments below or on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Summit-Avenue-Residential-Preservation-Association-SARPA).

The sooner the better, we'll be judging just before Christmas!

Win fabulous prizes, fame, or something!

Holiday Greens

Big Thanks to Emerald Acres Tree Farm for again donating cheery holiday boughs to fill the planters over Ayd Mill Road!

And even more thanks to SARPA board members (and board emeriti) Carolyn Will, Mary Lynch, Alison Enestvedt and Mary Michels for placing the boughs on a cold winter afternoon!

Member Event at the German House!

Join us for "Kaffeestube" — a traditional German breakfast for just $6! This Saturday, November 16, at 10am at the German Haus, 301 Summit. Look for the SARPA table!

Remembering Judy

On September 5, 2011, Ramsey Hill lost a founding mother. Judy McLaughlin, one of the great heroes of Ramsey Hill, passed on to party once again with other notable neighborhood pioneers and activists—Mike Hoffman, MaryAnn O’Brien, Pam Gru, Rick Raiter, Jim Czarniecki, Tom Segar, , and her husband, Mike and son, William.

Judy and Mike McLaughlin, with toddler, David, purchased the derelict mansion at 275 Summit Avenue for a vision and a song in the early seventies. Long active in politics on the state and federal level, the McLaughlins recognized the need for hospitality venue that could host political events, especially those with DFL ties, as well as young couples celebrating their wedding day. This was a bold move. Summit Avenue was tarnished—the old families were fleeing to suburban split-levels, the once stately homes were deteriorating into boarding houses, pleasure seeking johns were cruising the side streets in search of cheap thrills, and gun shots in the night were not uncommon as buyers argued with dealers.

Fortunately Ramsey Hill homes had good bones and young, urban pioneers (yuppies as they became known across the nation), had the chutzpah, if not the cash to recognize real value in behind the crumbling brick and flaking paint. It was a time when it was easy to meet the neighbors—everyone had to take a break from the plaster dust and toxic fumes. You didn’t have to walk far to find neighbors working at the same pace you were. Judy was a walker, for several years behind a stroller, and a talker and she knew who the real housewives of Ramsey Hill were long before there was reality TV.

Not incidentally, those strolls and informal sidewalk get-togethers also prompted the formation of the Ramsey Hill Association (RHA) -- and more formal way to promote the unparalleled qualities of owning a distinctive address. The house tour was originally conceived to encourage prospective homebuyers to consider the possibilities inherent in historic properties. The Progressive Dinner was an opportunity to meet new neighbors after a long Minnesota winter indoors and to share renovation horror stories and advice on where to find the best wood stripper, historic wallpaper, and cheap labor.

Swapping tales about the fate of neighborhood properties—which ones had enthusiastic new owners and which ones the city had slated for demolition and suburban style redevelopment probably prompted Judy’s passionate efforts to establish the Historic Hill District through the state legislative process. Was it fortuitous that Judy was an insider at the capital—Speaker Fred Norton’s Chief of Staff?

From this early start, Judy became an active force in the neighborhood, in leadership positions on the RHA Board, as well as behind the scenes. She first manned walkie-talkies as part of the two person crime watch teams patrolling the neighborhood in the early years searching out evil-doers and activity at the after-hours joints and then built on those skills by supervising the House Tour Sanitation Coordinating Committee. Judy was always ready to step up and volunteer for anything that would make her neighborhood a better place.

By the nineties, Ramsey Hill had turned around and the painted ladies on the streets were now homes—not working girls. Former yuppies would exclaim that there was no way they could afford to buy a home in Ramsey Hill today—it had been completely transformed into one of the premier residential locations in the Twin Cities. BUT, there was still just one more eyesore that needed attention—that awful patch of dirt and straw at the top of Ramsey Hill. Judy vowed that she’d see that piece of city-owned property renewed if it was the last thing she’d ever do.

Despite numerous capital improvement proposals, STAR grant requests, golf tournaments (the upscale equivalent of bake sales) and just about anything else to generate interest in park improvements, it was to no avail. There never was a plan that RHA, the U Club, neighbors and the city could agree on and “those people” thought that Ramsey Hill was wealthy and didn’t warrant public help, and besides, it was good enough for the croquet squad!

About the turn of this new century, 100 years after the city had purchased and sat on the property, the Ramsey Hill Association agreed to assume leadership for renovating the park in a manner worthy of placement of the historic St. Gaudens New York Life Eagle.
Judy was involved in all aspects of the transformation—from design detail to construction management to assuring that the inscriptions on the hundreds of pavers were spelled correctly. Ultimately, though, it was Judy’s long and wide range of political friendships and her well-honed persuasion skills that brought the cash to complete the job on the project that never seems to end. With her passing, one last brick will be added to the paver carpet.

In recent weeks, too many people to mention have shared Judy stories. The constant theme has been, “She encouraged me to get involved!” And she did. Whether participation in neighborhood activities, through traditional political action, or simply by voicing thoughtful concern, Judy’s influence has been vast and truly memorable.

At the Oakland Cemetery graveside service, Mayor Chris Coleman, state it best when he noted that Judy McLaughlin was taking her rightful place among the City’s movers and shakers—Alexander Ramsey, Henry Sibley, Amherst Wilder and Harriet Bishop. There was little in Saint Paul’s recent history that wasn’t touched by Judy’s hand. We’ll miss her!

(guest posy by Denise Beigbeder)

September 2011 Minutes

Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association
September MEETING MINUTES
Board Meeting: Sept. 17, 2011 7:11 p.m.
Meeting Location: Bethany Gladhill’s home at 1348 Summit Avenue
Recorded by: Carolyn Will, Secretary
Present: Bethany Gladhill, Kit Natz, Carolyn Will, Elizabeth Paper, Harry Walsh, Mary Lynch, Ed Boher and the other new member Brian Millberg.
Absent: KD Athow

1. Called to order at 7:14 p.m. President called the meeting to order.
2. Approval of July Minutes.
3. President’s Report:
Old Business:
A. Ayd Mill Planters:
• Mary Lynch has volunteered to clear out the Ayd Mill planters & plant mums. The members questioned whether we could organize volunteer effort to water.
• Request was made for Emerald Acres to donate a variety of evergreen boughs for the winter foliage. Secretary Will agreed to make arrangements.
B. House of Hope Garden fence:
• Elizabeth Paper raised the issue of a house near Dale Ave. which has a chain link fence. Bethany said it was grandfathered in before Summit Ave. became a historic district.
• House of Hope Fence: E. Paper said she personally does mind the fence and does not like how the letter from SARPA to the Amy Spong’s office has reflected on SARPA in the media.
• Question: Has Councilor Melvin Carter offered to pay a portion? Secretary Will offered to ask M.Carter if he is going to pay a portion. President Gladhill said she was in communication with Councilor Carter’s office and would follow-up.
• Ed Bohr has suggested SARPA offer to pay a portion of putting up an appropriate surround fence the fence.
• Member Bohr motions that we approach House of Hope and the City Council to offer to raise the funds to share in the cost of installing a portion of a historically suitable surround fence. Member Lynch seconded. Five: Yea. Two: Nay. One Abstained.
C. Olson House Architectural tour: October 9th from 2-5 pm.
David Heide Architecture firm will host and cover cost of appetizers.
SARPA is selling tickets for $10 on Brown Paper tickets. Cash or check at the door.
Paper Booties: Kit Nantz will ask Ramsey Hill for their leftover paper booties.
Beer: Summit liquor has denied
Bethany suggests we serve nonalcoholic beverages – sparking water, lemonade & coffee. Mary Lynch offered her large coffee urn & serving dishes.
Mary Lynch has offered to approach Skinner’s pizza, or Golden Fig to serve 200 guests. Purchasing supplies at Target or Cosco will be the back-up.
Volunteers: We need board members to work the event.
• Members Will, Nantz, Walsh, Gladhill & Lynch will do set up. Bill Lynch will take photos.
• Pres. Gladhill suggests if this goes well that SARPA select a house each year to hold a tour as a fundraiser.
4. New Business:
• Pres. Gladhill suggested that we encourage a SARPA membership gathering at one of the November German Haus breakfast. Board members agreed that this would be a nice event.
• Member Lynch household offered to host the Christmas gathering for SARPA. Winners will be selected by SARPA members. Bethany suggests we post photos of holiday lights along Summit Avenue on FB page and encourage public to vote. On the night of the SARPA party, take a ride along Summit Ave to look at lights and vote on best display.

• Idea of potential award introduced: Solicit entries in Summit longevity – either family ownership or individual ownership.

• Member Walsh moves that SARPA offer an honorary membership to SARPA for David & Amber McLaughlin in memory of their mother, Judy, and all her good efforts to establish Summit Avenue as a Historic Preservation District. Motion seconded and passed unanimously.
• Suggestion was made to give Bill Lynch photo assignments of events along Summit Ave. when events are scheduled – Heide house tour, UST homecoming, Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, etc. Board members agreed this would be a good way to highlight Summit’s community aspects.

5. Membership report:
a. Member Natz asked everyone on the board to renew their membership. He mentioned that several board members need to make payments which were taken care of at this point.
b. Pres. Gladhill asked if members would distribute membership flyers, SARPA registration forms and envelopes for up two blocks. Bethany will distribute current membership list so we don’t duplicate.


6. WSNAC: Congratulations to Rachel Westermeyer. Housing moratorium passed at the city council. Liquor license is next issue.
7. Next Board Meeting: Monday, October 17 at 7 pm
8. Treasurer’s report. Submitted. Ending August 30th, was $12,217.25
9. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm.