Friends of the Riverfront

Four Minneapolis neighborhood organizations, representing the Mississippi riverfront from the Plymouth Avenue Bridge downriver past the Franklin Avenue Bridge, have approved resolutions opposing all or part of the DeLaSalle High School stadium plan for Nicollet Island:

The St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization (STAWNO) passed this resolution at its March 10, 2005 meeting: "Be it resolved that the St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization does not object to the expansion of athletic facilities on Nicollet Island, except where such facilities would encroach on Minneapolis streets and/or parklands. Further be it resolved that STAWNO encourages discussion between DeLaSalle and the residents of Nicollet Island to reach an amicable resolution of the issues."

The Nicollet Island-East Bank Improvement Association (NIEBNA) at its Jan. 24, 2005 meeting unanimously adopted a resolution opposing DeLaSalle's stadium plan and encouraging DeLaSalle to look for alternative locations. On Nov. 23, 2005, NIEBNA submitted official comments, as adopted at its Nov. 21, 2005 board meeting, for the City of Minneapolis's DeLaSalle Athletic Facility Environmental Awareness Worksheet. Those comments (four pages including cover letter) are available online at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/planning/delasalle.asp (download DeLaSalle EAW Comment letters, a large pdf document).

In summary, NIEBNA's EAW comments are: EAW traffic study ignores simultaneous events; traffic forecasts illogically conclude that stadium would result in fewer trips to Nicollet Island; fire vehicle access routes should be defined; athletic facility will be built over proposed path of future light rail transit lineMain Street NE bridge: Hennepin County is replacing this railroad overpass with an extra span for "future LRT corridor"; EAW discussion of 1983 Agreement neglects that DeLaSalle already has a regulation size field using land from a partial vacation of Grove Street and use of three tennis courts across Grove Street, and demolition of the tennis courts for a stadium would violate 1983 Agreement; the lighting level proposed to spill outside the stadium area is almost twice the standard for commercial areas; the park board has already agreed to reduce existing illumination levels to meet residential standards; the Metropolitan Council's restrictive covenant prohibits the parkland in question from being used for athletic facilities and would require repayment of the $1 million used to buy the park property.

The Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association (MHNA) unanimously passed this motion at its January 18, 2005 meeting: "Be it resolved that the MHNA is strongly opposed to conveyance of any park land to be developed into the Athletic Complex, vacation of any portion of Grove Street for such use, and any use of Nicollet Island park land inconsistent with the Island’s status as a regional and City park, a National Historic District and inconsistent with the master plan and master lease governing uses of Island land."

The Prospect Park-East River Road Improvement Association (PPERRIA) passed this resolution at its Jan. 24, 2005 meeting: “That PPERRIA opposes the sale or lease of Minneapolis Park Land on Nicollet Island to De LaSalle High School.” (MSWord version available in February 2005 newsletter athttp://www.pperr.org/pperria/newsletters.html).