It's a Thorny Situation

The update on the Basilica/Dunwoody Gardens at Loring Crossings is long past due. After more than a year of neighborhood activists, local business people and other members of the community attempting to work with the City to arrive at a solution to cleaning up this area, a representative from a City Councilperson's office hosted a meeting of all interested parties and progress seemed to be in the works. While individuals were not going to be allowed to participate legally with the clean-up, businesses or non-profit organizations that would sign a liability insurance waiver could make agreements with the City and organize teams to do the clean-up and install new landscapes.

Unfortunately, this happy plan is falling apart. Apparently, signing an insurance waiver is no longer sufficient. The participating businesses must purchase an encroachment permit and add a rider for $500,000 in coverage naming the City as additional insured. Further, it seems that at least one participating business was being 'encouraged' to hire the landscape architect firm of the City's choosing. The City also declines to pay for the water to maintain any installations. The water bills would be the responsibility of the participating businesses. So far there are no businesses or organizations that can afford or are willing to take on all of these requirements.

Some neighbors are concerned that, not only is a lot of trash being trapped in the brush, but that as it becomes tinder dry, it is a fire hazard. Bonfire anyone?

The immediate goal isn't to relandscape this area, but to clean out the dead roses. The challenge right now is debris removal. There will be alot, and there will be a cost to hauling it away responsibly. Coordination efforts to manage that are now in the works on a guerrilla level. We'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, Saturday May 1 is International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day. At 10:00 am on that day you can go to this location and get some sunflower seeds to plant in support of gg efforts around the world to fight the filth with forks and flowers.

See you at the garden.

Calling Guerilla Gardeners--Experienced and New!

At one time the City installed large, beautiful rugosa rose and daylily gardens across from the St. Mary's Basilica and in the green spaces along Loring Park Business strip going towards Loring Park. For those familiar with the City of Minneapolis, this area is truly one of the gateways to to Downtown. Near the Walker Art Museum, the Sculpture Garden, 3 historic and architecturally beautiful churches, and 2 schools of higher education, this is arguably one of the primary culture centers of the City if not the region.

Following a cut water line during a construction project and a diminished budget, the City stopped maintaining these gardens. Even though the plants here would typically be tough enough to withstand the climate and well-trafficked environment, without any care or attention provided for some period of time...well, look at the result. In addition to the dead plants and weeds depicted in the photos, what can't be seen is the litter captured by these dead gardens.

Two Minneapolis guerilla gardeners and green space advocates have been working with the City for the past eight months to gain cooperation and permission in cleaning up these gardens. It has been slow-going process. We have decided that this project is worthy enough that we will go ahead and start the clean-up this spring, even if the City isn't quite ready for us. It will be a big job and we need help!

We know the help is out there! Guerilla Gardeners, experienced and new, far and near--leave a comment letting us know how to contact you. We will notify you when we schedule dates to cut, pull and clean. Good times will be had!