Como Community Council Corner

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By MICHAEL KUCHTA, Executive Director

Annual Ice Cream Social scheduled for July 14

It doesn’t get any better than this: A night to enjoy free ice cream, lawn games, live music, and the best neighbors in the city. It’s District 10’s annual Ice Cream Social on Fri., July 14, 5:30-8pm, at the Como Park Streetcar Station, 1224 Lexington Pkwy. N.

The evening features ice cream and colorful toppings; music from Paul Seeba; visits from Saint Paul police officers and firefighters; meet-and-greets from neighborhood organizations; and giant bubbles, face painting, outdoor games, and plenty of lawn for the young ones to run, jump, roll, and dive across.

Vote with your feet (or something like that)

Saint Paul’s Public Works Department is developing the city’s first pedestrian plan. The plan will guide decisions on how and where to invest in Saint Paul’s streets and sidewalks. To help the city out, District 10 is inviting your feedback on what it’s like to walk in the Como neighborhood.

Take our local survey: Go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/walkD10 (the survey takes less than 3 minutes).

Making crosswalks safer

District 10 is launching a “safety flag” project at hazardous crosswalks in the neighborhood. We’re mounting the flag kits at five crosswalks to remind motorists that state law requires them to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk. It doesn’t matter if the crosswalk is painted or unpainted—drivers have to stop every corner, every turn, every time.

Sponsor a crosswalk: If you want to sponsor a flag kit for a different crosswalk that’s important to you, round up $31.50, and we’ll make and mount another kit. Find a list of more than a dozen available intersections on our website: www.district10comopark.org.

What we want in our neighborhood

Como residents want more coffee shops and sit-down restaurants in the neighborhood, and wouldn’t mind a corner grocer and a taproom, either. Those are among the conclusions from a survey District 10 conducted about residents’ views on neighborhood businesses.

The survey is one part of a research study that focuses primarily on the Como-Snelling business district. The study is the first piece in a larger project District 10 is leading to build a foundation for more amenities and economic investment in the neighborhood.

You can read study highlights, and view the full survey results, on District 10 ‘s website: www.district10comopark.org.

Como Community Council OKs Delicata liquor license

At the request of the Como Community Council Board, the St. Paul City Council voted June 28 to waive the 45-day waiting period for a beer-and-wine license for Delicata. That could help the restaurant open in the old Java Train / Como Park Grill space in July.

The casual, counter-service restaurant at 1342 Pascal will feature Neapolitan-style pizzas and gelato. Restaurant owner Matty O’Reilly told District 10’s Land Use Committee that he and chef J.D. Fratzke think “the neighborhood could use diversity in its food options” and that “the spot is dying to be something cool.” Hours would be 11am-9pm weekdays, and 11am-10pm. Fridays and Saturdays. “I’m sensitive to the fact that this neighborhood is residential,” O’Reilly says.

Vacancy on our board

The Como Community Council is seeking candidates to fill one At-Large board vacancy.

The At-Large seat is open to anyone who lives in District 10, which is the portion of St. Paul bounded roughly by Snelling on the west, Larpenteur on the north, Dale on the east, and the railroad tracks between Pierce Butler and Energy Park Dr./Front Ave. on the south.

The elected candidate will serve until April 2019. Any District 10 resident at least 18 years of age is eligible to run; so are representatives from businesses or institutions in the neighborhood.

To submit your name or to find out more, contact the District 10 office at 651-644-3889 or district10@district10comopark.org. To be included on the ballot, nominations must be received by Tues., Aug. 8.

A special election for the seat is Tues., Aug. 15 at 7pm, before the monthly board meeting at the Como Park Streetcar Station. Write-in nominations will be accepted from the floor the night of the election.

It’s really in October

St. Paul’s annual Reduce & Recycle Citywide Drop Off Event at the State Fairgrounds was not in June. The flier the city mailed to your home was wrong.

The good news: There will be a Drop Off Event at the Fairgrounds. The correct date is Sat., Oct. 7, from 8am-1pm.

Upcoming District 10 Meetings

• Como Community Council Meeting: Tues. July 18

• Environment Committee: Wed., July 26

• Neighborhood Relations and Safety Committee: Tues., Aug. 1

• Land Use Committee: Mon., Aug. 7

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