Bryn Mawr NRP Phase II Planning
Area 1 Focus Group
Thursday, February 17, 7-8:30 PM
In addition to Julia Classen, facilitator; Judy Remington, note-taker; and Greg Lecker, observer; attendees include: Chad Smude, Ron Sterbenz, Carl Flink, Bruce Jones, Jennie Bartholomew, and Nancy Patterson. Area 1 is the area bounded between Cedar Lake Parkway and Ewing Avenue and between the new Brownie Lake/Cedar Lake Parway bridge and the new playground at 24th Street.
Neighborhood strengths:
- Access to trails and lakes
- The area is in the City but it has a rural, woodsy feel with lots of animals
- Homes are all different, diverse
- Close to Cedar Lake, can walk to Uptown
- Nice stable neighborly neighborhood close to downtown
- Eclectic housing, great mix of people, generally forward-looking and progressive
- Active neighborhood association and neighborhood events
- Lack of commercial activity, very little business activity
- Downtown Bryn Mawr is nice because shops are small and not corporate
- Unique neighborhood with its own character
- Incredibly safe area
Neighborhood weaknesses:
- Traffic can be dangerous, especially at Ewing, Cedar Lake Parkway and Franklin: speeding, not stopping at stop signs or walkways, traffic signs are not always visible
- Bus service not adequate
- Area 1 is geographically quite distant from the rest of the neighborhood. As a result, Area 1 residents don't think primarily of Bryn Mawr as their neighborhood, nor do all Bryn Mawr residents realize the amount of neighborhood amenities and neighbors in Area 1.
- Disconnection from rest of Bryn Mawr – some people don’t know or don’t want to know that they’re part of Bryn Mawr
- We would like more Bryn Mawr gateway signs
- Less feeling of community in Area 1 than in other parts of neighborhood
- Area 1 feels separate from the rest of Bryn Mawr
- Housing development is moving away from diversity because of housing values
- School district is unstable in Minneapolis
- Area 1 is not connected to neighborhood schools (many folks send their children to St. Louis Park schools)
- Beach is not well cared for.
- Canoe rack is in disrepair
- Access to Bryn Mawr Meadows is not good
What issues are important or will be important in the future?
Two of the largest issues were traffic and parks in Area 1.
- Traffic issues centered around the excessive speeds and general lawlessness along Cedar Lake Parkway, but especially Ewing Avenue.
- Parks issues centered around safety concerns of access to the parks, safety from criminal activity, the current state of park facilities, and a present and future possible disregard for park cleanliness.
- First on the issue of traffic, folks are concerned about pedestrian and bicyclist safety when residents and visitors attempt to cross Cedar Lake Parkway and Ewing Avenue.
- Area 1 folks feel that they are an island surrounded by roadways that are unsafe to cross, by design.
- The curving roadway means that there are blind curves where motorists and those crossing the roadways cannot see each other until it is too late to avoid each other.
- According to anecdotal evidence, stop signs and pedestrian crossings are ignored.
- Area 1 residents report that since they are aware of the dangers of roadway crossings, they alter their crossings and even their vehicle movements to the few intersections that allow for greater sightlines.
- Area 1 folks are particularly concerned that, with the presently renovated bridge/trails and the proposed future tails, the new (and greater number of) park users will be crossing roadways unaware of the inherent dangers resulting from the roadway design.
- Can something be done to address these concerns? Possibly better enforcement of traffic laws on the parkway and Ewing Avenue? Possibly speed bumps along Ewing? Something else?
- Besides traffic safety concerns, the general conditions of Area 1 parks are a concern.
- Although residents are very pleased with the newly renovated Brownie Lake Bridge and 24th Street Playground, they have expressed concerns about other parks and areas.
- The Cedar Lake Point Beach and nearby canoe rack are one area of concern. The beach is often dirty and is in need of some maintenance.
- The nearby canoe rack is a safety hazard; decking boards are deteriorating. Residents have questions about access to the canoe rack.
- Some residents have been denied canoe rack access; yet they see many canoe spaces unfilled.
- There has been dumping of leaves, brush, holiday trees, and garbage in the Ewing Avneue Wetland area. Some residents feel that there is a lack of pride in this wetland and that there ought to be more attention paid to this wetland area. Perhaps if there were raised deck walkways or other renovation to this wetland, there would be more pride in this area and less dumping.
- Residents have cleaned the beach and the wetland themselves on many occasions, but more trash and dumping occur soon after.
- Other areas of the benign neglect are the hillside and plantings installed between Cedar Lake Parway and the homes above the parkway. About five years, neighbors and MPRB worked together to renovate this area. Partly due to the timing of the wildflower plantings and partly due to lack of watering and maintenance, the success of the plantings and buckthorn removal in this area is less than what residents had expected.
- Lastly, residents voiced concerns about safety around the area under the new Brownie Lake/Cedar Lake Parkway bridge. Fears center on possible use of this area by homeless; grafitti artists; and criminals who may wait in this area, and after judging that the trails are empty, commit criminal acts.
- Personal safety for folks walking around the lake
- Development on the north side (in Area 2?)
- Tear-downs and in-fill housing can make the neighborhood look like a suburb – with very large houses on small lots. How can we convince buyers who might be considering a tear-down that by doing so they will gradually be changing the neighborhood character from the present charm that is the reason they are buying in the neighborhood in the first place?
- Communication – maintain an e-mail list
- Resident turnover – how to keep abreast of and keep up with the new people that have moved in
- Addressing problems with folks who don’t keep their sidewalks clear of snow and ice
One service, project, program or thing that BMNA could provide:
- Traffic calming and slowdown – on Ewing Avenue between 22nd Street and the new Cedar Lake Parkway/Brownie Lake Bridge; and on Cedar Lake Parkway between 24th Street and the new Cedar Lake Parkway/Brownie Lake Bridge
- Cedar Lake Point Beach Rehabilitation
- Canoe rack rehabilitation
Most important issue that BMNA can address?
- Building communication network – pulling neighbors together more
- Advocating for neighborhood when necessary, especially with respect to housing development pressures – maintain neighborhood character
- If Ewing Avenue was a safer route, we might get to know our neighbors
- Anything that builds community – advocating, socializing, pulling buckthorn, NNO,etc.
- Consider holding the BMNA July Ice Cream Social or another event at the new Area 1 playground at 24th Street between Cedar Lake Parkway and Ewing Avenue. Consider the reasons:
- This move (for 2005 for starters, as a test) would showcase the new Area 1 playground.
- The park is shady and quieter than downtown Bryn Mawr - surrounding streets are safer, and Cedar Lake is right there. Think of the social as not just an event that happens in one location, with the music, but as an event that could involve neighbors (and even others!) that might pick up ice cream and then walk around Cedar Lake with their neighbors. You might attract folks that have never attended the Ice Cream Social.
- As for the many details and logistics: Lack of power for amplification -- years ago we contracted with a brass quartet that did not require amplification. Yes, it's different, but couldn't we consider producing events with different entertainment from time to time? In the past, we have rented chairs and we could rent tables as well this year -- to be delivered and picked up from the playground at 24th Street. This would certainly be less hassle than carrying the tables up and down the steps and into the basement.’
- There is a good amount of parking available on the surrounding Area 1 streets for the visitors who might drive. Of course, nobody says that one would have to drive to get there. There are walking paths. This would highlight the connections that need to be better made across the highway, right? (Think, south frontage road sidewalk.)
- Yes, we would need to coordinate with the MPRB and notify the surrounding St. Louis Park neighbors. This could be an opportunity to outreach to those folks as well. Occasionally, near suburban allies are useful, especially their elected officials, right?
- Another site that folks last night suggested is the Cedar Lake Point Beach -- not as certain about this as a venue for an event, but it's possible. Parking is more of a hassle; and there are concerns about crowds of folks crossing the busy Cedar Lake Parkway.
- Plant bigger trees, and allow for watering of these trees so that they thrive
- Remind people how to be good neighbors
- Pay attention to the hillside plantings between Cedar Lake Parkway and the homes above the parkway
What types of housing programs should BMNA provide?
- Programs helping seniors to maintain their homes so they can continue to live there
- Programs assisting low-income neighbors to maintain and encourage diversity
- Develop new housing for seniors
Do you feel connected to downtown Bryn Mawr?
- Not at all
- Not sure where it’s at
- Tend to head more toward Lake Calhoun (Uptown or points west)
- Yes, because I used to live closer to downtown Bryn Mawr, but I don’t feel as connected as I would like
- Area 1 folks might like feeling and being separate from the rest of the neighborhood
- In conclusion, about half the participants from last night struggled to identify "downtown Bryn Mawr" and even struggled when asked about issues, of not just Area 1, but of the neighborhood as a whole.