Welcome to the Citizens for a Loring Park Community!

Mission; To cultivate continuing leadership and help a diverse neighborhood realize a more harmonious, thriving, and beautiful community.

CLPC Events & Updates

Loring Greenway Playground Update

Loring Greenway Playground Discussion Scheduled

You are invited to attend a community meeting to discuss the removal and replacement of Loring Greenway playground scheduled for:

Thursday, January 30, 6:30pm

110 Grant Party Room

110 West Grant Street

CM Katie Cashman and Department of Public Works officials will be present to participate in this important community discussion.

From Loring Greenway Association: The Loring Greenway Association shares many readers' distress about the sudden and unannounced removal of our neighborhood playground by the Department of Public Works on November 12. Three LGA representatives will be presenting our concerns and demand for replacement to Councilperson Katie Cashman later this week. Look for an email report of this meeting next weekend.

Following the meeting with CM Cashman and Public Works staff, a community meeting will be held in January. Once a date is secured, LGA will post it in its newsletter and so will CLPC. Please then spread the word to others who are concerned about the loss of the Playground.

Advocating for a New Loring Greenway Playground

Community members were surprised and disappointed last month when the City removed the playground at Loring Greenway without adequate communication or consultation with the neighborhood in advance. The removal has left a noticeable gap in the area, particularly for families who relied on the space as a safe, central area for children to play.

If you’re passionate about replacing the playground, there are ways to help! A petition has been started to advocate for rebuilding the playground. You can add your voice by signing it here: Rebuild the Playground at Loring Greenway.

In addition, a community meeting is being planned for January with Councilmember Cashman and Public Works staff to discuss the future of the playground and other neighborhood priorities. Watch for updates about the exact date and time—we encourage everyone to attend and share their input.

Let’s come together as a community to ensure Loring Greenway remains a welcoming and vibrant space for residents of all ages!

Save the date for the Loring Park Art Festival!

Make sure to sign up for our Art Festival Marketplace newsletter that will keep you up to date on all the Loring Park Art Festival happenings July 26-27 2025 as well as our other festivals, including the Stone Arch Bridge Festival (June 14-15, 2025) and Art in Bayfront Park Duluth (August 16-17, 2025)

Apply now at www.loringparkartfestival.com/2025-applications.

Save the date - July 26-27 2025 p> Enjoy art!

Learn about our Berger Fountain Restoration Project!

In 2021, Friends of Loring Park and Citizens for a Loring Park Community, as part of the Berger Fountain Committee, contracted with premier landscape architectural firm Damon-Farber to do a pre-design study to rehabilitate Berger (Dandelion) Fountain. This Minneapolis icon needs help.

Learn more about the project and how to help here.

Look for updates about Berger Fountain here..

Together we can restore Berger Fountain, preserving beauty and history for generations to come! Donate here.

Text BERGER. to 53-555 to donate.

Hennepin Lyndale Corridor Plantings

You will notice that maintenance on the Corridor Landscaping has begun! Green Minneapolis who has taken on Project Management of this corridor change their organizational focus to one of advocacy at the end of 2023. Coalition members are discussing the need for a permanent Project Management replacement but in the interim CLPC has signed the contract with the Landscape Company and resident John Van Heel/co-chair of the project is volunteering oversight of the contract.

Contributors to the contract are: The Basilica of Saint Mary, Lowry Hill Neighborhood, Individuals supporting the Douglas Urn, Loring Corners, Inc, St Mark’s Cathedral, Hennepin Ave United Methodist Church, Walker Art Center, and 510 Groveland.

We will also be partnering with the Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling Department to establish some Trash Containers on the corridor through the Fall.

Upcoming Community Events & Engagement

Nicollet Safety Coalition

Join us Join us the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., online.

Virtual Meeting

Join the Zoom meeting here..

Meeting ID:932 0945 0451 | Passcode: 021019

2025 Community Connections Conference

The Community Connections Conference is an annual free event that connects residents of Minneapolis, community groups, neighborhoods and local government.

Community Connections Conference

Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Exhibitor check-in 8 a.m.

Minneapolis Convention Center, first floor, Hall E

Register here. .

Watch Past CLPC Events

Community Meetings & Updates:

CLPC Board of Directors Meeting

Please join us on January 13 at 6:30 PM on Zoom.. Stay tuned and find meeting information here at loringpark.org.

CLPC is looking to appoint two new Boardmembers. Boardmembers need to live, be a property owner, or represent a business where you work and be 18 years of age. If interested please contact CLPC at LoveLoring2@gmail.com.

Berger Fountain Task Force Meeting

Join us on the fourth Monday of the month at 5:00 p.m. Note the meeting date change for January and February due to City holidays. Task Force meetings are held in person at the Loring Park Community Center.

1st Ave S Reconstruction Project Update

The Minneapolis Public Works Department plans to reconstruct 1st Ave. S. from Lake St. to Franklin Ave. including replacing the Midtown Greenway Bridge. In addition to new pavement, the project will include new sidewalks, an off street bicycle facility, updated safety features, sanitary and storm main replacement, and green stormwater infrastructure.

Construction Update

1st Ave. S closure Segments of 1st Ave. S will continue to be closed through the fall and into the winter. Drivers will need to follow the posted detour ­­­­­­­­­­­route.

  • Segments of 1st Ave. S will continue to be closed through the fall and into the winter.
  • Drivers will need to follow the posted detour route.
  • 1st Ave. S is closed between 27th St. and Lake St. through the fall.
  • Vehicle detour route: Lake St., Lyndale Ave. and Franklin Ave.
  • Bicycle detour route: Lake St., Blaisdell Ave. and Nicollet Ave., and Franklin Ave.

Traffic control update

  • 1st Ave. S., between Lake St. and 27th is now open to traffic.
  • 1st Ave. S., between 22nd and 24th is a temporary two-way street to keep access to driveways.
  • The 24th St. intersection was paved this week and will be reopened to traffic on Monday.
  • 1st Ave. S., between 22nd and just north of Franklin Ave. remains closed.
  • Franklin Ave. is open in both directions.
  • The bike lanes along 1st Ave. remain closed between 27th St. and 19th St. E.

What to expect

  • Sanitary main installation will continue between 27th and 26th St. E. through December.
  • Sanitary main preparation work will be ongoing between 26th and 24th St. E. through December.
  • Sanitary main replacement will be ongoing between 22nd and Franklin Ave. through December.
  • Storm sewer installation started this week between 27th and 26th St E.

Upcoming Events

First Ave. S Reconstruction field hours

The project team has been available to answer questions every week. Now that construction is moving into the slower winter months, field hours will move to a monthly basis. Weekly meetings will resume in the spring. Come visit us to learn more:

January 16, and February 20

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Wesley Andrews Coffee & Tea,111 E 26th St., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Visit the project website, sign up for project updates.

Safety walks for the Loring Park Neighborhood

Are you interested in promoting neighborliness and curbing crime in Loring Park and the surrounding neighborhood?

Beginning soon, we will embark on safety walks from The Woman’s Club through Loring Park and the surrounding neighborhood each Thursday from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. If you’re interested, please email Aileen Johnson at fritzdoris@comcast.net.

Please join us. Together we stand for a safer community.

Mission

To cultivate continuing leadership and help a diverse neighborhood realize a more harmonious, thriving, and beautiful community.