SRF’s EcoTeam and Community Outreach Committee teamed up to coordinate a group of volunteer employees to clean and stencil storm drain inlets throughout the Bryn Mawr neighborhood in Minneapolis, near the SRF office. The volunteers also did some community outreach, visiting and handing out information to neighborhood residents.
Resources were provided to the volunteers as part of the City of Minneapolis’s storm drain awareness initiative. These organized efforts are aimed at educating residents about the importance of keeping storm drains clear of debris and waste and improving the water quality of our local streams, rivers, and lakes.
The SRF volunteers focused on drain inlets located upstream of Bryn Mawr Meadows Park, where SRF wrapped up a construction project this year in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission (BCWMC), and the City of Minneapolis. The project was completed concurrently with the construction of two new regional water quality ponds built by BCWMC and sanitary sewer improvements constructed by the City.
The construction project
The SRF team led the development of concept through final design of the recent park improvements, including the removal and reconstruction of a parking lot, trails, athletic fields, and landscaping. SRF coordinated stakeholder involvement to ensure the BCWMC elements were incorporated seamlessly into the construction bidding plans and to confirm the location of the City’s sanitary sewer project. A grand opening for the park is expected to take place in 2024.