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Century Building Project Is your Union Park property 100 years old or will be in the next 5 years? Many are or will be in the next few years – let’s celebrate them! Now is your chance to purchase a special bronze engraved acrylic plaque for your property! Anyone who owns a residential or commercial property that is already over 100 years old or will be by 2027, is eligible. Each plaque costs $95.00. This covers not only the cost of the plaque but also a $30.00 tax-deductible donation to UPDC. The finished plaque is made of bronze engraved acrylic, and is approximately 8.5 x 5 inches. There will be holes drilled in the plaque for screws but you will be responsible to install it at your property. If you want your family name and/or past owner names on the plaque there is 1 optional line (at no additional cost) for those names. The address and year the property was built are required to be on each plaque. You can fill out this form here .

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January 2022 Previous Next

Home > News > News Updates > Neighborhoods Now! Fall 2021 Session Neighborhoods Now! Fall 2021 Session Mon Aug 02 2021 05:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Potential participants should fill out this application form by the August 9th deadline. Neighborhoods Now! i s an innovative community educational series to strengthen the work of individuals and organizations working in neighborhoods to: Organize to win issues for people and places. Build power to change systems for racial equity and economic justice. Build organizations whose leadership is reflective of the community. Build diverse and effective cross cultural collaborations . The course is September 27 - October 1 from 10am - 2:30pm each day. The course will also have select guest speakers from the field, two follow-up Think Tanks and graduation all conducted virtually.

Home > Our People > Board Our Board Union Park District Council (UPDC) is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 21 community volunteers: 11 are elected to positions based on geography or business representation, and six are appointed from institutions and organizations. The community votes for elected members at our annual fall meeting to serve staggered two-year terms, so that approximately half of the seats become available each year. Mid-term appointments can also be made to open seats. Anyone who is 18 or older and lives, owns property, or is the owner or designated representative of a business within the UPDC boundaries can serve on our board. It's a great way to give back to the community and to ensure that Union Park continues to be a vibrant, engaging, diverse place to live. Contact us if you’re interested in applying. Email UPDC BOARD MEETINGS First Wednesday of the month at 7PM Agendas & Minutes > Meetings of the Union Park board are open to the public. Community members are encouraged to attend! We usually start with a voice from our community, hear reports from our committees, discuss issues of interest to residents, and take actions important to the successful operation of our organization. BOARD MEMBERS Grid 1 open . Grid 2 Sarah Swisher . Sarah Swisher has lived in Saint Paul (Merriam Park) since 2021 with her husband and two children. They previously lived in south Minneapolis for several years before making the move across the river. She enjoys spending time at neighborhood playgrounds with her kids, biking to the library, cross-country skiing in the winter, and enjoying the Mississippi River trails. Her family loves spending time outdoors in all seasons, whether they are canoeing the Boundary Waters or ice skating on a frozen lake. Sarah is an associate professor of electrical & computer engineering at the University of Minnesota. She is a passionate educator and leads a team of researchers studying novel semiconductor materials for next-generation computing devices. Grid 3 Rachel Callanan . Grid 4 Claire Warren Board Treasurer Claire Warren has lived in Union Park [Merriam Park East] since 2016. She recently purchased a home in the neighborhood and looks forward to many years in Saint Paul. Claire graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and works for Metro Transit as an engineer focused on sustainable engineering and operations, and electric bus implementation. Claire is also a master gardener volunteer with Ramsey county. In addition to gardening, Claire loves kayaking and spending time on the water, walking with her dog at Minnehaha dog park, and hiking the Superior Hiking trail along the North Shore. Grid 5 April King . April King has lived in the Snelling–Hamline area with her partner and two children since 2017. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, she works in information security for Dropbox, having previously worked for Mozilla and Twitter. As a lifelong geek, she also helps run CONvergence, one of the largest volunteer-run conventions in the country. In her limited remaining spare time, she cosplays, is a soccer goalkeeper, restores vintage cast iron cookware, and works to turn her lawn into a pollinator paradise. Grid 6 open . Contact leah@unionparkdc.org if you would like to learn about representing this grid. Grid 7 Sarah Dvorak Board President Sarah Dvorak has lived in Union Park [Merriam Park] with her husband and two sons since 2002. She received her J.D. from the University of St. Thomas and works for Wolters Kluwer as a Senior Legal Quality Analyst. Sarah has volunteered on two non-profits that foster community engagement and serve youth in the community. In addition to volunteering, Sarah is passionate about spending time with family, walking and skiing with her dogs, biking [recreational and commuter]. as well as practicing yoga. Grid 8 Yvonne Hundshamer . Yvonne Hundshamer is a native of St. Paul. She and her family have owned their home in Merriam Park since 2002. Yvonne loves the landscape of Merriam Park and our surrounding neighborhoods, with two DIFFERENT colleges - each six blocks in either direction of her home, along with dozens of restaurants, shops and entertainment – all within walking distance. Her family has benefitted from the nearby community center, the small library just blocks away, and the close proximity of her Church and other faith-based organizations. She values the neighborhood feeling of St. Paul and is delighted to volunteer on the efforts of the Union Park District Council. Grid 9 Dean Cummings . Dean Cummings moved to Union Park in 2017 with his wife and 8 children. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in Political Science. He runs an investment firm from his home that he has been with for 30 years and recently acquired. Dean has served as co-chair of the Land Use and Economic Development committee since 2019. Dean coaches youth wrestling, plays trombone, and runs a 20 piece swing band. Grid 10 Scott Berger . Scott Berger moved to Union Park in 2017. Scott is a practicing patent attorney, and studied physics at St. Olaf College before teaching for a year in France and eventually attending law school. Scott has been a year-round cyclist for numerous winters, but is also an automotive enthusiast, particularly electric cars. Scott's favorite way to get around is on foot, and he walks his children to daycare each day no matter the conditions. Scott is originally from the west suburbs of Minneapolis, and has rented in the Cathedral Hill, Downtown St. Paul, Wedge, and Loring Park neighborhoods. Grid 11 Dan Elenbaas . A transplant from Michigan, Dan Elenbaas has been living in Grid 16 of the Lexington-Hamline neighborhood since 2006. He’s a civil engineer who enjoys restoring his historic home that was designed and built by famed architect Franklin Ellerbe. Dan and his wife, Ann, are raising Sawyer and Audrey as they grow through elementary and middle school and are actively involved with their children in soccer and basketball. They love their walkable neighborhood. Dan has served on the Union Park board since 2012, including as past president and a vice president on the Executive Committee. He currently sits on the Transportation Committee. He enjoys bicycling to work and, in nice weather, cycling just for the exercise. At Large Lisa Nelson . Lisa Nelson spends a lot of time thinking about community, streets, and art in various permutations. She grew up in the Twin Cities suburbs, spent some time on the East coast in Philadelphia and New York City, and moved to Union Park in 2013. She graduated from Swarthmore College and New York University with degrees in Art, Art History, and Art Conservation. Lisa spends her free time organizing block parties, painting, reading, and doing backyard projects and science experiments with her family. You may have seen her riding around the neighborhood on her electric cargo bike (the one with a canopy and a blinking LED safety vest, feel free to say hi!). She has co-chaired UPDC’s Transportation Committee since 2022. At Large Kirsten Fryer Board Vice President Kirsten Fryer has worked in Union Park since September 2019 and loved it so much she moved into the neighborhood in July 2020. As pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in the Midway, she loves listening to stories of the neighborhood throughout its history, serves on the board of Open Hands Midway, and works on the intersections of faith, justice, and community life. She and her husband, Justin, frequently can be seen playing “Charlotte’s Web” at Aldine Park with their daughter, Joanna, usually with dog, Como, in tow. She also enjoys biking, walking, and supporting local restaurants. An avid reader, she can often be seen checking out books at the Merriam Park library. Originally from southeastern Minnesota, she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For six years prior to moving to St. Paul, she worked with St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS) in Cairo, Egypt. At Large Reece Johnson . As a dedicated resident of Saint Paul’s Union Park neighborhood, Reece is deeply committed to building a more inclusive and equitable community. Politically, his focus centers on strengthening tenant protections, ensuring housing stability, and advocating for policies that uplift poor and working-class residents. He believes every neighborhood voice deserves representation, especially those of tenants whose concerns too often go unheard. At-Large Non-Profit . Contact leah@unionparkdc.org if you would like to learn about representing this grid. At-Large Business Joseph Hughes . Joe grew up in St Paul just south of Union Park and has lived in St Paul most of his life. He has lived in several UP locations and has been a business owner in different parts of Union Park since 2004. In 2014 Joe started Union Park Management Inc to oversee his residential and retail investment properties. Joe plays an active role in managing these properties. He is passionate about improving and maintaining historical buildings and about providing clean, safe, and reasonably priced housing to residents of Union Park. He is also passionate about helping small businesses to start and grow. As a board member Joe looks forward to continuing and growing dialog between residents of Union Park, Business Owners, and St. Paul city officials. In addition he looks forward to focusing on improving community safety, helping to promote a business friendly community and working to help residents and business owners in need. Skyline Tower Demetrius Shaw . Demetrius Shaw has been a Teen Program Coordinator at Skyline Tower since October 2018. He has a strong passion for working with youth during out of school time and has been involved in the movement for the past 10 years with experiences working as a social Rec Director and Program Director with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (3 years) & in the Twin-Cities branches (8 years). Demetrius enjoys working with youth and teens by providing support and mentorship to become their best selves, conquer challenges, and develop skills that promote character and leadership. DESNOYER PARK IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION Allen Saunders . Allen Saunders was a special education teacher and school administrator in St. Paul and Hastings Public Schools for 44 years. Since his retirement he enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren who live in the Twin Cities area. He plays tenor sax and serves as the president of the River Valley Band, a 60-member community band based in Hastings. He is a soccer enthusiast and served as a coach, referee, and leader of soccer programs for many years. Allen moved to the Desnoyer Park area of St. Paul to live in an Edwin Lundie designed home which he enjoys rehabilitating. You might find him on one of the many fine bike trails in the area, the pickleball court, or clearing the ice rink at Desnoyer Park in the winter months. LEXINGTON-HAMLINE COMMUNITY COUNCIL Kent Treichel . Kent Treichel has loved maps and faraway places since he was old enough to turn the pages of National Geographic magazine. Once or twice a year, the magazine included fold-out maps, which he taped to his bedroom walls. A steady stream of foreign exchange students and a trip to Japan in seventh grade cemented his focus outside of Minnesota. The desire gained direction when a couple of his friends began teaching geography at the University of Minnesota and Macalester College. He wasn't sure what he would do with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, but the coursework was interesting and seemingly connected to nearly every other academic discipline. Kent was fortunate to find a job making maps, and three years later he was part of the U of M's first Master of Geographic Information Science (MGIS) class. A short 19 years later, Kent finished his MGIS and has maintained his childhood fascination with maps and geography. UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS Jerome Benner . Jerome brings almost a decade of experience working for government agencies and community engagement initiatives. He worked at the City of Saint Paul as Zoning Inspector and staffed the City’s Board of Zoning Appeals. He also worked closely with neighborhood residents across the city to educate them on City processes. In addition, Jerome has worked as a Senior Planner for the Metropolitan Council and most recently as a Senior Project Manager for NEOO Partners, a real estate and community engagement planning firm located in Saint Paul. Jerome managed a number community engagement projects for municipalities in the Twin Cities with a focus on reaching underrepresented community members. Jerome holds a B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. He is a resident of Highland Park in Saint Paul and avid pickleball player. MACALESTER COLLEGE Deanna Seppanen . Ms. Seppanen has been the Director of the High Winds Fund at Macalester since the fall of 2016. The High Winds Fund manages all of Macalester's off-campus real estate and community relations work. Macalester owns several commercial properties on Grand Avenue with the goal of ensuring a vibrant community surrounding the College. Ms. Seppanen previously worked in real estate development and management roles. She started her professional career as a licensed architect and then received an MBA with a concentration in Real Estate Development. Ms. Seppanen loves the community building aspects of her position with Macalester and lives in St. Anthony Park with her husband and three kids. She also serves on the Board of the Grand Avenue Business Association. She is excited to serve as the Macalester representative to UPDC.

October 2023

Home > Our Work > Projects > Saint Paul Greenway Saint Paul Greenway This project is currently stalled, but we are working closely with the Midwtown Greenway Coaltion and engaging with State, Ramsey County and Saint Paul elected officials to figure out how to make this project move forward. HISTORY OF THE PROPOSAL: On Wednesday, June 7, 2017 we held a panel discussion on the potential for a Midtown Greenway Exension, open to the community and hosted by the Union Park District Council board. There were nearly 100 people in attendance, and the meeting received front-page coverage in the Star Tribune . We heard from people who have been involved in the initiative to extend the Midtown Greenway bikeway from Minneapolis, over the Short Line Mississippi River bridge, and through Union Park down Ayd Mill Road. We've provided a summary of the meeting below, along with the answers to questions we received at the meeting. Scroll to the bottom of the page to review the biographies of the panelists. To begin the meeting, former Union Park District Council Board President Dan Taylor introduced the panel, and asked the panelists for an opening statement in response to the question: “Why is a Greenway extension so desirable for St. Paul?” The first panelist was Soren Jensen , the Executive Director of the Midtown Greenway Coalition . Soren stated that the St. Paul extension would be a “natural and welcome” continuation of the Midtown Greenway. He discussed the historical efforts to extend the Greenway over the Mississippi. The last real attempt at an extension was in 2008; the project was not pursued because an engineering firm hired by Hennepin County advised that the Short Line Bridge, situated at the eastern end of the Greenway, was a potential liability due to its age and construction. Soren noted, however, that the firm was not allowed to physically inspect the bridge, so it made this negative determination on a visual study alone. Soren believes that another study is needed to determine whether the bridge is sufficiently sound or could be repaired or restored. It is unclear how much a study would cost, and the railroad has not always been willing to allow assessment, so that is a challenge moving forward. In closing, Soren stated that for this project to progress there needs to be a coalition of elected officials, nonprofits, and businesses working together to create the political will to get it done. The second panelist was Cora Peterson , a founder of the Min Hi Line Coalition . The Min Hi Line envisions a linear park with connections to adjoining businesses and new residences in what is currently the Minnehaha-Hiawatha freight corridor in the Greater Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis, which has over 21,000 residents and 400 businesses. The Min Hi Line would complement the Short Line Bridge extension, and the Coalition’s work is informative for a St. Paul extension project. Based on a 2007 report for Hennepin County, the Coalition understands that the three-mile set of tracks in the corridor, and the tracks on the corridor's only outlet--the Short Line Bridge over the Mississippi River--serve just two remaining rail clients businesses: Archer Daniels Midland and Leder Brothers Metal Co. Those businesses represented approximately 125 jobs at the time of the 2007 report, including staff of the Minnesota Commercial Railway that service the corridor. The City of Minneapolis owns a small part of the Min Hi Line corridor, from 46th Street to Minnehaha Parkway (adjacent to Minnehaha Falls Park). The Min Hi Line Coalition is working with a developer and an adjacent property owner to plan a pilot of the Min Hi Line there. The Coalition publicizes issues related to the corridor on its Facebook page and is currently working with the Minnesota Design Center to create renderings that represent the potential future of the Min Hi Line. The third panelist, John Maczko, serves St. Paul as Division Manager for Traffic Engineering. John said that the extension project is important because it would provide a significant off-street biking facility, closing a gap that would allow a person to bike from Eden Prairie to Stillwater without being on the street. (And, the extension is part of the approved Saint Paul bike plan .) John emphasized that community organization support for this project is really important, but he believes that most crucially, Canadian Pacific Railroad (CP Rail) will need to be engaged from early on. CP Rail owns the property targeted for the extension, including along Ayd Mill Road. During previous discussions, CP Rail's concern was that it was important to preserve the Ayd Mill segment for potential rail expansion (for example, for a high-speed rail connection) and to maintain safety. Years ago, CP Rail was nonetheless working with the city on a potential greenway along Ayd Mill, which helped lead to allocation of federal funding. But eventually, CP Rail decided it could not support the project, and filed suit against city in federal court to preempt any potential for city condemnation of railroad property for the greenway, and subsequently the federal funding expired. Under current federal law, the city would need approval from the railroad to use the property, or would need a favorable determination from the responsible federal agency, the Surface Transportation Board. So, in John’s view, if CP Rail is not on board with the project, it will be very difficult to accomplish. John mentioned that another opportunity to explore is the large “Rethinking I-94” project being conducted by MnDOT. If MnDOT significantly modifies or reconfigures I-94 in five years or so, a parallel bikeway could be constructed in conjunction with that project. In this scenario, the Midtown Greenway Extension could run along the south side of the freeway, instead of crossing to the north and back over rail bridges, connecting the Short Line Bridge with the Ayd Mill corridor. This route could provide another opportunity to connect to the Capitol City Bikeway downtown. The fourth panelist was Mike Madden , who noted that the Greenway in Minneapolis is used by 5000 riders per day and expanding it to St. Paul would be significant. He views the extension as having two distinct sections. The first is the rail line west of Cleveland Avenue, which is decreasing in utility and increasing in liability to Canadian Pacific, and would therefore be a natural first phase for the extension project. From a biking standpoint, there would be high utility in this segment, since Cleveland is a north-south bikeway. According to Mike, the second section, east of Cleveland and through the Ayd Mill corridor, is a whole different story. As John indicated, in this section Canadian Pacific seems to hold all cards, because of the federal law stripping power from cities to take property from railroads. Interestingly, most of the Ayd Mill corridor – even the roadway – is actually owned by the railroad. The city has an easement on the railroad property for “highway purposes” for Ayd Mill Road. So, if the city could obtain a legal determination that a bicycle facility fits within that purpose (as opposed to a “recreational”) purpose, the city could dedicate part of its easement (currently for the road) for a bikeway. (This might seem like a higher hurdle to the introduction of bicycles into the corridor, but it's really not. Bikes are allowed on highways in many places. It's only with an expressway or interstate designation that bikes would be prohibited.) Then, a two-lane vehicle alternative can be created along the corridor, and a lane or two (currently used for roadway) could be dedicated to bicycles. With the necessary safety precautions, the city could implement bicycle infrastructure through the Ayd Mill corridor now, without railroad cooperation. The final opening remarks came from Bill Lindeke , an urban geographer who sits on the St. Paul Planning Commission. Bill completed his Ph.D. studying biking and how it is approached by new riders. For his dissertation, he interviewed riders around the Twin Cities and found that many bikers mentioned the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis. Bill noted that the Greenway offers a versatile space for all types of riders, and is especially appealing to less experienced bikers as it provides a more relaxing, comfortable space to bike. Many riders he spoke with expressed their desire to see the Greenway extended over to St. Paul. Bill concluded his remarks by talking about some of the real benefits of a greenway compared to other bike lanes and trails. For example, unlike bike lanes on the road, a greenway is very easy to keep clear of ice and snow in the winter, which would transform winter biking in St. Paul. When experts around the country talk about biking, and rank the Twin Cities high in studies and publications, the Greenway is always featured prominently. It is safe, draws diverse users, and encourages people to incorporate biking into their daily lives. In short, “a Greenway extension would revolutionize biking and people’s access to biking” in Saint Paul. Following the opening remarks, the forum was opened to questions from the public. Brief summaries of the questions and answers are presented below. Q: What’s the most effective way for the community to advocate for this idea? A: Soren: We need to build a coalition with all stakeholders: residents, community organizations, city council, Ramey and Hennepin County, businesses, state and federal government representatives. John: The city needs to restart a conversation with Canadian Pacific to figure out what really is holding this up. It doesn’t appear to actually be a function of engineering the space to accommodate the use, but something else. Mike: The trail is a no-brainer; it is Canadian Pacific’s intransigence that has prevented it. The city needs a sound legal opinion that bike infrastructure is included in the definition of highway “transportation,” so a bikeway could be installed on the city’s Ayd Mill roadway easement. The city also needs engineering studies to demonstrate that Canadian Pacific demands can be met first, for a possible expansion to a second set of rail tracks, and second, for adequate space for rail servicing – with a bikeway also in the corridor. Q: How much would an engineering study of the Short Line Bridge cost? A: Soren: At this point, we do not have an estimate, but we are working on it. The Midtown Greenway Coalition is reaching out to engineering firms to get cost estimates for the study. Q: In organizing the effort, is it smarter to ally with Minneapolis forces, or be St. Paul specific? A: Soren: A combined effort would be better to build a stronger coalition. We have letters of support from the National Park Service and Friends of the Mississippi River. Friends of the Mississippi River is not supportive of building a new bridge upstream or downstream, but it is interested in multimodal use of the historic bridge, or using the existing bridge piers to build a new historic replica of the current bridge. Resident: Joining forces with the St. Anthony Park and Prospect Park neighborhood groups would also be very beneficial as part of the coalition. Q: Small businesses often fear dedicating resources and street spaces to bikes because of lost parking. So, how do you get small businesses on board? A: Cora: The Min Hi Line Coalition has studied the example of the Beltline project in Atlanta. That project has brought substantial redevelopment to previously derelict urban ex-industrial sections of the city and has benefited small and large businesses. Looking to the Midtown Greenway example is instructive as well; there has been significant greenway-oriented development on previously underutilized parcels. Resident: Since the extension runs along the railroad line, it wouldn’t require the same loss of parking as other bike lanes do. Q: Has the Short Line Bridge really not been inspected recently? A: Cora: It appears the railroad owner is responsible for regular bridge inspections (Federal Registrar July 15, 2010: Bridge Safety Standards Final Rule ). The Min Hi Line Coalition requested information on inspection records for this bridge from the Federal Railroad Administration, but was informed no information was available. Q: Would the portion west of Cleveland be viable on its own as a trail? Would it put pressure on decision makers to move forward with the rest of it? A: Mike: The idea of implementing is segments is a good one, and west of Cleveland is clearly the best option now. John: Taking it piece by piece would be a good idea. Starting at Cleveland Avenue and building west to the Short Line Bridge may be more palatable to the railroad and would provide a good connection to the Grand Round at Pelham. Q: In Minneapolis, the capital budget committee is looking at a different trail and considering buying rail property, but has found the railroad is trying to gouge them on the price. Is that the case in St. Paul? A: Cora: We have heard in general railroad company owners may request up to $12 per square foot. Q: I’m feeling dissuaded by lack of firm numbers for this project and the number of guesstimates. What about ongoing costs and maintenance? Where is all the money coming from to build, maintain, and upkeep this project? A: Cora: Successful financing models have been implemented elsewhere and could serve as models here. A tax allocation district along the trail could be created, for example, to capture new property taxes from currently underutilized adjoining land. With just a portion of the Atlanta Beltline actually built so far, to date the project's Tax Allocation District has already generated over $120 million to repay public agency funding partners for their investment in the Beltline's construction.Cities and counties need to be savvy about anticipating how they can recoup their investment in similar projects. Mike: The numbers we were looking at in 2008 for the project were around $12 million for all three phases of the project. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS CONCEPT: The Short Line Bridge and a Saint Paul Greenway Extension Saint Paul Greenway Greenway Committee Midtown Greenway Bridge: There's a Better, Greener Way BIOGRAPHIES OF PANELISTS: Soren Jensen has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has been the Executive Director of the Midtown Greenway Coalition since 2011. The Midtown Greenway is a former railroad corridor in Minneapolis with a 5.5-mile-long biking and walking trail that has been called the best urban bike trail in the nation. While the Greenway was officially completed in 2006, many projects remain unfinished, including extending the trail over the Mississippi River via the Short Line Bridge currently in use by the railroad. Cora Peterson is a south Minneapolis resident and a founder of the Min Hi Line Coalition. In 2016, she began working with Nathan Van Wylen, a Longfellow Community Council board member, to develop community support for a long-held aspiration in Minneapolis and Hennepin County planning documents: a greenway along the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Avenue freight corridor. Over the past year, the Min Hi Line Coalition has enlisted support from neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, elected officials, developers, and corridor property owners. John Maczko started with the city in 1985 and has served in many capacities in Traffic and Street Operations as well as Transportation Engineering and Planning. He also served 13 years as the City Engineer and is currently serving as the Division Manager for Traffic Engineering. He was involved in earlier efforts to institute a Midtown Greenway Extension From Minneapolis along the rail line through Union Park and down the Ayd Mill corridor. Mike Madden is a co-founder of Neighborhoods First! – a grass roots organization that envisions a sustainable, livable community that includes an Ayd Mill Linear Park. He served in various capacities for the Merriam Park Community Council and the Union Park District Council between 1999 and 2012, including on the Saint Paul Greenway Extension Committee. Bill Lindeke, Ph.D. , is an urban geographer and writer who focuses on how our environments shape our lives. He has taught at the University of Minnesota and Metro State University, blogs at Twin City Sidewalks and streets.mn , and is a member of the Saint Paul Planning Commission. Much of his research focuses on bicycle planning, and how to attract new riders to urban bicycling. He has worked on initiatives to promote the St. Paul Greenway in the past. < Previous Project Next Project >

Carolyn Nuelle UPDC Scholar My name is Carolyn Nuelle, and this year I'll be a graduate student at the University of Minnesota;Twin Cities. Originally from Austin, Texas, I moved to Minnesota to study at St. Olaf College, where I received my Bachelor's degree in 2018. Since then, I have enjoyed working with high school students in France as an English teaching assistant, and here in St. Paul as a college access coach. I will be pursuing a Master of Education in Second Language Teaching for French and ESL, and I look forward to becoming a teacher here in the Twin Cities. Thank you to the Union Park District Council for helping make this a possibility! Anne Westawker UPDC Scholar Hello, I’m Annie! I’ve lived in Saint Paul all my life and am a product of the Saint Paul Public Schools. I love my neighborhood and the community. In the fall, I will be starting my prerequisites for a Nursing program, with an end goal of becoming a Nurse Midwife. I am thankful for Union Park for this scholarship opportunity and assistance in my educational journey. Meryem Omar First Generation UPDC Scholar My name is Meryem Omar. I am from Ethiopia and I lived in Minnesota for 15 years. I’m a single mom and have two wonderful girls. I have studied at Hubbs Center over the past 6 years. My long term goals are to continue my education, to improve my English language skills, and become a teacher assistant. Yu Yiang First Generation UPDC Scholar I am Yu Jiang and am a current student pursuing an M.A. in Educational Leadership at Concordia Saint Paul. As a licensed parent and family educator, I am dedicated to my mission statement: "I am a servant educator committed to advancing life's success for all children and their families through purpose, passion, and love." Home > News> UPDC S UPDC Scholars UPDC Scholars were chosen from applicants who attend a two year, four year, graduate degree, technical school, or professional certificate program in Union Park. Each scholar received a $500 scholarship towards pursuing their educational goals.

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