Community Projects Committee

Association-Supported Activities in the Neighborhood

The Community Projects program has been in place for over a decade. Each year we ask neighbors to suggest projects that improve livability and safety in Bryn Mawr. These projects are mainly supported with sweat equity and donations, with a small contribution from association dollars.

About the Bryn Mawr Community Projects Committee

Meetings

The Community Projects Committee meets yearly in the spring to review applications. Check the Events calendar to stay caught up on the latest.

BMNA Strategic Projects

The BMNA has initiated several strategic projects to take a long-term view of the neighborhood. These include developing a twenty-five-year plan and working to understand neighborhood land use.

Lightrail

Minneapolis and the Metro Council is in a long-term process to improve transportation for our citizens (see Transportation 2040.) A main impact to Bryn Mawr is the development of the Southwest LRT (Green Line Extension) and also the development of the Bottineau Line (Blue Line Extension). The BMNA has been an active participant and proponent of these projects through participation on committees and through neighborhood advocacy for many years

Related Links – Southwest Light Rail Transit (Green Line) / Bottineau Light Rail Transit (Blue Line) / BMNA light rail neighborhood update

City-Wide Projects

The BMNA has representation on several projects that are city-wide. These links provide detailed information on the Neighborhoods 2020 project and demographics on Bryn Mawr.

BMNA Community Project Grants

The BMNA Community Projects Committee is looking for a few good ideas to improve Bryn Mawr. You could have the perfect suggestion.

When?

Ideas are solicited from October – December each year. The committee meets in January to identify workable projects and make a recommendation to the board at their February board meeting

How?

  • Respond to the Request for Proposals (RFP) distributed in the Bugle, email list and Next Door, October – December.

  • Submit a brief summary of your proposal to jessica.wiley@bmna.org from October to December 1.

  • Complete an electronic form sent to each proposer to articulate specifics of the project by December 31.

  • Description of the project

  • Who will lead the project?

  • What will it involve?

  • How much funding is needed?

  • The committee evaluates suggestions using the criteria listed below.

  • Is there leadership (an identified neighbor) to get the project done? Is it possible (politically, physically)?

  • Does it meet the budget ($0 - $5000)?

  • Is it sustainable long term?

  • Does it have neighborhood wide impact?

  • Proposals chosen for funding will be notified following the February BMNA board meeting

The BMNA Community Project program has been in place for over a decade. Each year we ask neighbors to suggest projects that improve livability and safety in Bryn Mawr. 

Projects from past years include: 

  • Redesign of the Upton community garden. Completed a remake of the Upton garden in Area 4, and created a plan for ongoing maintenance.  

  • Energy Challenge. Over 80 neighbors joined the challenge and received statistics about their energy use. From this project we leveraged our relationship with SEE to receive two cash awards that benefited other BMNA initiatives. 

  • Ash Bore identification project. BMNA teams identified more than 800 ash trees in Bryn Mawr and presented neighbors with a variety of options for maintaining or replacing ash trees.  

  • Downtown banner project. Part of a joint City of Minneapolis/BMNA NRP project, four banners identifying Bryn Mawr are displayed from light posts in downtown Bryn Mawr.  

  • Pedal to Petal garden bike ride. This group bike ride through the neighborhood highlighted our community gardens and culminated in a renewal of our alternate year garden tour program.  

  • Little Library. Built on Penn Avenue near Cedar Lake Road with the sweat equity of neighbors. 

  • Buckthorn removal in Chestnut Park/Fruen Mill. A continuing effort to eradicate buckthorn by neighbors in Area 7 working with the Park Board.  

  • Park bench. Installed by the Park Board at Brownie Lake near the canoe rack.  

  • Bee hotel. Built in J.D. Rivers Children’s Garden by a Bryn Mawr Eagle Scout candidate.  

  • Scholarships for children participating in the Nature Play Adventure Camp. The camp was designed for 4-7 year olds, held at Anwatin in summer 2017. This is part of the effort to support a Minneapolis Nature Pre-School.  

  • Traffic speed indication sign. Purchased to provide speed information; moved as needed.