Hawthorne Neighborhood, I was partly drawn to the North because of the
beautiful paths and park land along the Mississippi offering direct routes into
downtown. In particular, during the Aquatennial last year, I was impressed
with the water ski shows that are featured where W Broadway crosses the
Mississippi. I couldn't wait to live where I could walk out my front door and
have such an amazing show within walking distance of my home. Now after having
actually LIVED in NoMI however, I realize the Aquatennial is just another check
on the list of disappintments of how the current administration (and NoMi
leaders) are failing North Minneapolis.
I went to visit the show. The show was TERRIFIC! The crowd was about five
times what I had suspected! But I did not see one NoMi face that was familiar
to me. And they were primarily "lily white." NoMi has a number of bar /
restaurant businesses within a block or two of the show. These are not "thug"
businesses, but very reputable businesses that have been struggling to
represent a positive image despite the reputations of the area. I patronized
them and they were either empty or near empty. I told them that there was a
city wide summer celebration event - the Aquatennial- going on right around
the corner drawing hundreds, if not thousands of people! Even the owners of
these businesses were not aware of this.
I can not imagine major Aquatennial activities going on at Lake Calhoun with
Uptown or its business association in such a complete vacuum that it is unaware
to the fact that these activities are even occuring. I am not sure if the city
is failing NoMi (again) or if it is the West Broadway Coalition that is. I
visited the West Broadway Coalition Website. There is not one mention of any
Aquatennial events - supposedly the city wide summer celebration that has a
MAJOR event occurring right at the foot of West Bro. Nothing.
These same business owners, although along the route of FLOW, were also
completely unaware that FLOW even existed. Even though they fall within the
"West Broadway Alive!" plan and have to adhere by plan guidelines, they seem
systematically excluded from anything positive occurring on W Bro. If these
businesses are expected to adhere by "West Broadway Alive!" guidelines, then
the West Bro Association needs to recognize that West Broadway does not end at
I 94.
It is inconceivable to me that one of the major events of the Aquatennial occur
at the foot of West Broadway and yet the West Broadway Coalition does nothing
to capitalize on or promote this market to the extent that West Broadway
business owners within a few blocks of the event not only sit empty, but are
unaware the event is even occurring. As a very recent member of South MPLS (a
neighborhood assn board member in fact), intimately familiar with the Lake
Street Council, and an Aquatennial enthusiast, I can tell you this level of
faux pas would NEVER occur in South Minneapolis. Either the city, the
residents, or the Lake Street Council would be right on top of that. So what
is failing in NoMi? Something obviously. What is it? How can we begin to get
a handle on it?
Once again, NoMi has been a complete afterthought by both the city and its own
association intended to represent it. Not surprising given the track records.
But I thought that Rybak was supposed to be the champion of turning the
Northside around? And then to throw a summer celebration, right in the middle
of the Northside while the Northside is oblivious to the fact that a
celebration is even occurring? What is that saying? It is such an insult.
I know folks love the Aquatennial. I do too. But if you can not recognize
that this is not a HUGE disconnect, then I don't know what is. When are folks
going to have enough of this? Are Northsiders so beaten down that they will
just continue to take this? This type of afterthought regarding the Northside
seems to be a common thread no matter what the issue. When is "enough" enough?
I guess we haven't reached that yet when we are systematically excluded from
something as basic as celebrating our own city's summer celebration (even while
it is occurring in our own neighborhood). Nice. Really Nice.
This should be the shame upon the Aquatennial and it should not be "celebrated"
until ALL communities of MPLS are fully brought into the celebration. Period.
Brian Finstad
Hawthorne