Public WorksEdina will be the preeminent place for living, learning, raising families and doing business. Our vision for the former public works site at Grandview begins with acknowledging that Edina has high standards.
Edina has achieved success as a community by preparing itself for tomorrow. Our vision continues by acknowledging that Edina must prepare itself for tomorrow. The way we live, learn, raise families and do business is changing.
Our population is changing too. Edina could have as many as 70,000 residents by 2030, according to the Metropolitan Council. Edina must prepare itself for tomorrow. The place to start is by preserving public land for public use. As Citizens For A Better Grandview, we believe that public land in the heart of our community is an invaluable, irreplaceable resource that is needed to meet the growing and changing needs of our community. These needs have not been fully identified, but by looking at the changes in the way we live, learn, work, and play we can begin to see emerging needs and imagine innovative ways to respond. LiveChange: Young parents are looking for places where they and their children can meet up with friends, burn off some energy, and engage in relaxed or structured recreational and learning activities.
Response: Create a family-centered community space for recreation and learning that blends a community fitness center with an early childhood learning center. Change: Home buyers are looking for communities that provide the public infrastructure and amenities that support their active lifestyles. Response: Create a community activity center for fitness and fun in the heart of our city and accessible by foot, bicycle, transit and car. Change: Baby boomers do not want to be labeled as "seniors." Response: Create an intergenerational community center to replace the traditional senior center and provide social, learning and fitness activities for people of all ages, together and under one roof. LearnChange: Edina's school age population is increasing. Edina Public Schools may need to reclaim the current Community Center (old Edina East High School) for K-12 classrooms.
Response: Create a new community center that provides space for Edina Community Education, ECFE and early childhood learning. Change: For years, Edina schools have attracted new residents. As nearby communities also become known for their schools, Edina will need additional ways to compete for new residents. Response: Create the kind of public amenities that attract and retain new residents. WorkChange: More people work from home; small businesses need office and meeting space.
Response: Create an innovative co-working community space that provides flexible seating areas, work tables, wi-fi and office technology, and meeting rooms. PlayChange: People are looking for recreational opportunities close to home. Edina has historically located its major public recreational facilities near the southern edges of our community, making them inconvenient for many and inaccessible for most by anything other than car.
Response: Construct a new public recreational amenity in a central, convenient location that can be accessed by foot, bicycle, and transit, as well as car. Change: Edina's community fitness spaces are cramped, outdated and losing money. The current community center looks tired and unwelcoming. (See photos here.) Surrounding communities offer modern, profitable fitness and activity centers. Response: Consolidate these facilities into a new integrated community fitness and educational center. Change: Looking for modern recreational amenities, Edina residents are taking their fitness and activity dollars out of the community, taking their shopping and service dollars as well. Response: Keep these dollars in Edina by providing a community fitness and activity center in a mixed use district, with easy access to shopping and services. All of this is possible in Edina if we have the vision. Any of it is possible if we have the will. What changes do you see affecting Edina? What are your ideas for responding to these changes? Tell us below. Private DevelopmentWhen it comes to our public land at 5146 Eden Avenue, Citizens For A Better Grandview supports private development on the site if secondary to and compatible with public uses. We believe that public uses for the site should be primary, both in terms of the area devoted to these uses and in terms of the process employed to define them.
Public CostsPrivate development will come with public costs, whether to upgrade the sewer, water or transportation infrastructure needed to support the new development, add public parking, or provide development bonuses or public financing.
We support a thorough and open analysis of the public costs associated with private development prior to making assumptions about the financial feasibility of any public or private development scenario. |
Community Center ProposalPlease click here to view the Citizens For A Better Grandview community center proposal. The purpose of this proposal is to begin a conversation about public uses for the site.
If you're not able to view the proposal, please email us for a PDF copy. InspirationToday's community centers are often beautiful, functional spaces that enhance the image of the community and add vibrancy to surrounding land uses.
Below are some examples of beautiful public spaces. Take a look, then tell us what public spaces inspire you. Lynwood Recreation Center Lynwood WA
Bryant Park New York NY
The Forks Winnipeg MB
Indianapolis Cultural Trail Indianapolis IN
Need more inspiration? Click here.
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All ideas and comments submitted through this site become the property of Citizens for a Better Grandview.
Questions? Please email [email protected].
Questions? Please email [email protected].