The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is seeking input from area residents, field game participants and park visitors regarding renovations planned for the athletic fields at Pershing Park.  The meeting, to be held at Pershing Park at 48th and Chowen Ave. S., will provide an opportunity to learn about, as well as offer ideas and suggestions for, the upcoming field renovation project.  The project calls for the installation of an irrigation system and grading throughout the park.  The fields will be closed this summer while the work is done.  The baseball/softball fields are expected to be ready for use in spring 2012 and the soccer fields by fall 2012.  The project is made possible by grants from Hennepin County, Fulton Neighborhood Association (FNA), Linden Hills Neighborhood Council (LHiNC) and the Southwest Athletic Council (SWAC).  

Citizens interested in addressing the traffic back-up problems at the 50th and Xerxes and 50th and Penn traffic signals, please contact Steve Young at steveyoung612@gmail.com.

Fulton Farmers Market is coming!  Get ready to support your local food growers and producers this spring at our Fulton Farmers Market, where you can buy seasonal fruits and veggies, local cheeses, coffee, breads and pastries, prepared foods, and more starting on Saturday, May 21.

When:   Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. from May 21 through end of October

Where:  Lake Harriet Methodist Church Parking lot, 4901 Chowen Ave. S.

Become a ‘Friend of the Market’

Fulton Farmers Market welcomes your support of the market as an individual, family or local business.  Our hopes are for this to be your neighborhood market.  Your support will help us defray the cost of operating the market – monetary contributions and voluntary hours are appreciated.  Stay tuned by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and checking our webpage for details on how to get involved and contribute.  For those who have already expressed your intentions to volunteer, we greatly appreciate it and look forward to your support and commitment this market season.  Contact us at fultonfarmersmarket@gmail.com to get involved.  Visit our website at http://www.fultonfarmersmarket.org/. 

Like us on Facebook:  search for Fulton Farmers Market page

Follow us on Twitter:  @fultonmarketmn

Once again the Fulton Environment Committee will be coordinating a plant sale to raise funds for additional boulevard trees.  As Fulton gardens awake after the long winter and residents begin to clean up their yards, we ask that you keep the plant sale in mind by donating your extra plants or any garden-related items.

Most perennials (plants that come back year after year) can be divided (to separate out a portion) and will actually benefit from previous overcrowding.  Early spring is an excellent time to divide plants.  The main plant will not notice the disturbance and the small division will have time to acclimate to its pot, thus insuring an attractive plant ready to be sold at our plant sale.  Contact Mary Nolte for more information at mknolte@gmail.com or call 612-922-1591.

Money raised helps keep Fulton Green.

Looking for an easy and fun way to make a contribution to your neighborhood?  Join the Fulton Block Club and help welcome new neighbors to your block with a Fulton Welcome Packet.  If you live on one of the blocks listed below and would like to volunteer, please contact Block Facilitator Lisa McCleary at lpmccleary@gmail.com or 612-920-7954.  Block contacts are also occasionally asked to help disseminate neighborhood information to their block.

5000 Beard
5300 Beard
5200 Chowen
4900 Drew
5100 Drew
4800 Ewing
4700 France
4800 France
4900 France
5100 France
5200 France
4800 Penn
4900 Penn
5000 Penn
4800 Queen
5100 Queen
Red Cedar
4800 Russell
4900 Russell
4700 Upton
4900 Vincent
5200 Vincent
5300 Vincent
5100 Washburn
5000 Xerxes
5100 Xerxes
4800 York
4900 York
5300 York
4700 Zenith
4900 Zenith

Many thanks to all of our existing Block Contacts who help us keep connected.  And a big thanks to Lisa McCleary, Block Facilitator, who keeps the program running.

Earth Day Watershed Clean-Up (in collaboration with Fulton Environment Committee) – 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Sat., April 16.  Register at Pershing Park on April 16.  Gloves, bags, snacks and refreshments are provided.  For more information, visit http://www.minneapolisparks.org/.

Spring Program Registration – Begins at 6:00 p.m. on Mon., March 7.  Check online for program information beginning Feb. 28 at  http://www.minneapolisparks.org/ or pick up information at the park.

Pilates Mat Class (Level 1) – 10:00-10:50 a.m., Fridays, April 8-May 27 (no class April 22).  $48 (Mpls. residents)/$72 (non-residents).  Pilates is one of the safest and most effective exercise methods.  Pilates focuses on the deep muscles of the abdomen and spine, aiding in injury prevention and spinal health.  It leaves your body feeling invigorated and refreshed.  People of all fitness levels are welcome to sign up and experience the benefits of Pilates. 

Spring Sports Information – Sign up for SWAC T-ball, Pitching Machine, Baseball, Softball and Track.  Register online at www.swac.info or pick up a mail-in registration form at Pershing Park. 

Summer Rec+ Plus Program Registration – Begins at 5:30 p.m., Tues., March 15 in person at Pershing Park.  The program runs from June 13-August 19.

Summer Program Registration – Begins at 9:00 a.m. on Sat., April 16.  Check online for program information beginning Thurs., March 31 at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/ or pick up information at the park.

Join the Southwest Community Education Advisory Council and students from Southwest High School in a one-morning effort to help clean up around the community.  Meet at Southwest at 8:30 a.m. for juice, coffee, and rolls.  The clean-up will run from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon.  They’ll be cleaning up around the school, and also the shoreline along Minnehaha Creek, Lake Harriet, and Lake Calhoun (bus transportation will be provided to and from the school.)  They’ll provide a gourmet picnic lunch for everyone at the school.  If you’d like to help, please call 612-668-3100 or e-mail Tom.Neiman@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Plant a tree this spring.  Trees clean our air, mitigate storm water runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and even increase property values.  Once again this year, Tree Trust is offering their Minneapolis Tree Sale.  For $25, you can plant a tree on your property (limit one per residential address.)  Ordering begins Mon., March 14 on the Tree Trust website at treetrust.org. 

Choose from these varieties:

Maple ‘Sienna Glen’
Redbud (MN strain)
Oak ‘Regal Prince’
Apple ‘Honeycrisp’
Kentucky Coffeetree
Blue Beech
Serviceberry ‘Autumn Brilliance’
Juniper ‘Welchii’

Trees must be picked up between May 21-23 at the City of Minneapolis Impound lot.  You will forfeit your tree, and the money you paid for it, if you don’t pick up your tree on the dates specified.  Trees are available on a first come first served basis and quantities are limited.

For questions, please contact Karen Zumach, Community Forestry Manager at 612-590-2536.

Keeping our sidewalks free of ice and snow is the neighborly thing to do.  Together, we are all responsible for keeping Minneapolis safe and comfortable for winter walking.  Please do your part.  It’s the law.  It’s much better to speak to your neighbor tactfully about any problem than to let the situation escalate into an angry altercation.  They may be unaware of the law. 

Minneapolis ordinance requires that property owners clear sidewalks after the end of a snowfall within:

• 24 hours for houses and duplexes
• Four daytime hours for apartment and commercial buildings (daytime hours begin at 8 a.m.)       

When you shovel snow and clear ice: 

• Shovel the sidewalks on all sides of your property – the full width of the sidewalk down to the bare pavement.
• Remove all ice from sidewalks. After the sidewalk is clear, sprinkling a little sand can help prevent slipping.
• Pile snow onto your yard and boulevard.  It’s against the law to  shovel snow into streets and alleys.
• If you have corner property, clear curb cuts at corners and crosswalks to the street gutter. 

Avoid a ticket: 

• If the City of Minneapolis gets a complaint or discovers that a sidewalk is not properly cleared, Public Works will inspect the sidewalk and give the property owners a chance to clear it.
• If the sidewalk has not been cleared upon re-inspection, the property owner may be issued a citation with a fine.
  Crews will remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk.  Property owners will be billed for this service, and unpaid bills will be added to the owner’s property tax.

Call 311 or visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/sidewalks for more information.