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
Business Passport: Support businesses in Loring Park and Stevens Square
Support local restaurants in Stevens Square and Loring Park by picking up a restaurant passport and visiting businesses in our neighborhoods!
How It Works:
- Pick up a passport for FREE from Boiler Room Coffee, Lulu’s Ethiovegan, Franklin Pizza, Sonora Grill, or Muffin Top Cafe!
- Loring Park Residents ~ Pick up your Business Passport at Sonora Grill on the 1400 block of Nicollet &/or at Muffin Top Cafe!
- Show your passport at a participating restaurant to take advantage of the listed deal in the booklet at your next visit.
- Get your passport stamped at a participating restaurant!
- Collect 6 stamps (at least 2 from each neighborhood) and you will be entered to win a prize!
This project was funded by a city grant which allowed SSCO & CLPC to promote our businesses by developing this Passport and to restart the Franklin/Nicollet Farmers’ Market.
Update on Berger Fountain Restoration
The Berger Fountain Restoration Projecr and new Plaza passed thru Minneapolis Plan Review the week of August 17th. We are moving into Construction!
The Project Budget is $2.95M and we have secured $2.8M. On Monday, August 17th Commissioner Jason Garcia and MPRB Planning Director Michael Schroeder met with the Berger Funding Workgroup. They approved that we could move ahead while we continue to raise the remaining amount of funds needed.
Fall 2027 – MPRB staff will finalize Construction Documents and Finalize Bid Packet
Mid January 2027 – Bids packets will be released
March 2027 – A winning bid will be selected, reviewed by the Civil Rights Department, and then forwarded to Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board for approval.
Contracting will follow. We are projecting a Spring 2027 Groundbreaking, followed by Construction.
This Fall and during the restoration the Berger Fountain Task Force will start up discussions on an Artistic Winter Cover and our past project with Dunwoody students.
Check out the incredible submissions from our design competition below! These submissions were from a Project that the Berger Task Force had with Dunwoody College a few years ago.
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..
Text BERGER. to 53-555 to donate.
Don't forget to ask your employer if they offer an employee match to double your donation!
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
CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT gathers people across cultures and generations to share and practice living folk traditions—nurturing belonging and sustaining rich, connected lives in the city. The Center celebrates the cultural diversity of our city and the many traditions that thrive here—from craft, ritual, and music to dance, storytelling, and foraging.
In celebration of their first birthday, the Center is hosting a MONEY HONEY Fundraiser on Sept. 12 and a FREE public birthday party on Sept 13.
Upcoming classes include Urban Forage + Lunch, Hex Weave Basketry, Spooncarving for All, and Natural Cordage. In addition to classes, the Center hosts Open Craft Nights, Old Time Music Jams, and Artist Residencies. This Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefront is funded, in part, by the City of Minneapolis Arts & Cultural Affairs Department.
More info on thier current classes and free monthly events at peopleandcraft.org.
MODE Festival Coming to Loring Park
MODE Festival is a three-day photography festival produced by Flickr. The event includes photography workshops, keynote speakers, exhibitions, photo walks, demonstrations, screenings, networking opportunities, live music performances, concerts, and outdoor activations throughout downtown Minneapolis. The festival is designed as a multi-venue indoor/outdoor experience for photographers and creators. The Loring Park venue would involve classes during the day with musical performances in the evening.
Around 10,000 participants per day is the expected capacity of the event.
Dates and Times: September 18–20, 2026. Preliminary setup would begin September 12th with actual infrastructure arriving onsite days before the event. Teardown could be completed within a couple days of the event concluding.
Will a percentage of fees come back to the Park for repairs needed following the event?
A walk through prior to setup and post event will take place to review any potential damage that may have occurred in the park. Damage fees would be billed directly to the organizer post event.
Will streets be closed?
No streets will be closed for the event, however, parking meters may be utilized and posted “no parking”.
What permits are needed?
The event organizers are working with the MPRB and City of Minneapolis on Special Event Permits and additional approvals related to amplified sound, alcohol service, temporary structures, food vendors, and street impacts. There will be a fenced area that will remain open to pathways users until the evening when the shows begin.
Will there be alcohol?
Yes. There will be beer and wine onsite and a VIP experience that include complimentary drinks. Alcohol service will only be allowed in designated festival areas.
What will the Park process be for this?
Loring Park is proposed as an event venue, the standard Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board event permitting and review process applies. This would include review and approval of site plans, operations, safety measures, impacts to park users, and post-event restoration plans.
How are you notifying people living adjacent to the park?
Neighborhood notifications and community outreach plans are being developed. All residents within an impacted area will be notified directly.
Additional Notes:
- MODE Festival is a downtown Minneapolis event utilizing multiple venues rather than a single location.
- The event includes concerts and live music performances.
- Artists and final details are still being finalized.
Watch Past CLPC Events
Community Meetings & Updates:
CLPC Board of Directors Meeting
The CLPC Board will meet on Monday, September 14 at 6:30 PM at Loring Park. Topics include:
- Data Center Discussion
- Fall Tree Tours at Loring Park
- Berger Fountain Updates
The CLPC Board will be proposing to reprogram unused NRP Phase 2 funds at its September Board Meeting. Here is the language on the agenda:
“Reallocate $25,000 to the following strategies: (1) $20,000 to Phase II strategy, CLPC Staff, and (2) $5,000 to Phase II strategy, CLPC Outreach. The funds are reallocated from: (1) $25,000 from Phase II strategy, Residential Property 2% Loan Program.”
This program was proposed to be a 2:1 match to city funds; the amount was not used. There are no longer nonprofit vendors doing these programs for neighborhoods with the city for a program for residential housing.
Nicollet Safety Coalition
Our September meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept 17th at 10:30 a.m.. Join us on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., online. We are looking for one representative per building; email CLPC if interested.
Berger Fountain Task Force Meeting
Join us on the third Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. Task Force meetings are held in person at the Loring Park Community Center. Find our Berger Fountain Facebook page and tell us why you love this Dandelion Fountain; share a story with us.
We need your input on the 2050 Comp Plan!
Please take time to complete this community survey: https://www.
Learn more: https://www.
Updates on Street Construction
For an overall picture of construction activity throughout Downtown Minneapolis visit www.minneapolismn.gov/
For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org.
Project Updates:
Budget Season Updates
Community Conversations: Budget, September 24th
On September 24, the day after the BET sets the maximum levy, I’ll be holding a Community Conversations event about the budget at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church, 2020 W. Lake of the Isles Parkway, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Joining me will be Shawn Greene, the Budget Director for the City of Minneapolis. Shawn has a wealth of knowledge about the budget process, and I think you’ll appreciate having the opportunity to hear from him directly. We’ll discuss the mayor’s proposed budget, the BET’s action from the day before, the role of the council, and any other topics that may be of interest to you. Mark your calendars, and I hope you can join us.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board budget information can be found at www.minneapolisparks.org/
- September 16 – MPRB Board meeting: Public comment on the recommended budget and commissioner review/input.
- September 23 — The BET will set the maximum levy. Once established, MPRB cannot collect more than that amount through property taxes.
- October 21 — MPRB Board meeting: Public comment on the recommended budget and commissioner review/input.
- November 18 — MPRB Board meeting: Public comment on the recommended budget and commissioner review/input.
- December 2 — MPRB Board meeting: Public comment on the recommended budget before the Administration and Finance Committee considers approval of the levy and budget.
- December 8 at 6:05 pm — Formal public hearing on the 2027 tax levy and 2027-28 budget: City Hall.
The City of Minneapolis budget information and ways to get involved can be found at www.minneapolismn.gov/
Oak Grove St. Traffic Calming
For a decade or more, many on Oak Grove Street between 15th St. and La Salle have pleaded with the City of Minneapolis to install traffic calming speed bumps. In the early fall of 2025 the City invited residents across the city to apply for traffic calming interventions to provide more safety on City streets.
So, I sent in a request, emphasizing that on our quarter mile or so there are 13+ high rise apartment and condominium buildings from three to twenty stories high with hundreds and hundreds of residents, one of the most densely populated areas in the City, with closely packed parking on the south side of the street and only two tight lanes of traffic passing each other opposite directions, and often with delivery drivers of various types double parking along the stretch leaving only one lane for cars going in opposite directions to negotiate. The parking situation makes visibility very, very difficulty for cars existing building driveways especially on the south side of the street, with far too many cars traveling on Oak Grove at 40+ miles per hour in a 20 mph corridor. Not only do we have hundreds of residents who walk the streets every day but many are children, with school buses in both the mornings and the afternoons; many walkers are senior citizens, and many folks traversing the street are disabled in various ways. The potential for dangerous situations is high, far too high.
Traffic calming in our Loring Park neighborhood is long, long over due. And, we on Oak Grove Street couldn’t be more joyous and thankful that Minneapolis is addressing this situation with five traffic calming speed bumps over this quarter mile residential street.
Gary Simpson
Board of Directors, 301 Oak Grove St. Condominium Association President Emeritus, Citizens for a Loring Park Community
Emergency Rental Assistance
Minneapolis residents are now able to apply for rental assistance funded by the City of Minneapolis. On February 5 and March 26, the Minneapolis City Council approved funding to support renter households after the continued impact of Operation Metro Surge.
This allowed the city to enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County for $2 million to allow their existing contracted community-based providers to support this rent assistance effort. Currently, three of their providers—CLUES, Isuroon, and Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center—are helping eligible applicants navigate the program. The County expects to add additional organizations from its provider network over the next several weeks.
Community Safety & Know Your Rights
Minneapolis is committed to being a Welcoming City where everyone feels safe, respected, and included, regardless of immigration status. If you or someone you know is affected by these developments, there are resources available:
- Free Legal Clinics: Immigration attorneys are available through Community Clinics, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, and Volunteer Lawyers Network.
- Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs: Drop-in hours are held every Wednesday, and Friday from 2-4 p.m. at 777 E. Lake St.
For more details on your rights in interactions with ICE, as well as how to prepare in case of an immigration encounter, visit this website.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- You can refuse to sign any documents until you speak with a lawyer.
- You can refuse entry to ICE officers unless they have a warrant.
- Stay calm, and don’t run away.
- Carry a “Know-Your-Rights” card and always have your immigration papers with you.
Learn about the impact of current federal actions and how the City is responding.
Know your rights if ICE comes to your home
The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota suggests the following if federal immigration agents come to your home.
City resources for residents, workplaces and landlords
Visit the City of Minneapolis Federal Actions page for the latest updates and resources.
Residents
Know Your Rights materials
Monarca also has some signs available: https://monarcamn.org/resources
Businesses
The city has created signs that businesses (and any private property owners) can use to identify non-public areas in which they wish to lawfully restrict activities related to staging for civil immigration enforcement.
Learn more here.
The city also has a good Q&A online for business owners. Find it here.
Landlords
You can put up signs that mark private or non-public areas. The City provides digital copies of these signs. People without permission can’t enter. This applies to federal law enforcement unless a narrow exception exists, including having a judicial warrant. Learn more here.
There are Volunteer patrollers out in the neighborhood, residents who have been trained and they may reach out to your businesses, churches, and organizations.