June 25, 2021
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week the Board approved $100,000 in playground projects and $124,823 in small equipment and/or other small capital assets funding through our Hennepin Youth Sports Program. These grants include a total of $61,506 for four projects in District 6, including playgrounds in Edina and Shorewood and sports equipment in Orono.
The Hennepin Youth Sports Program awards capital grants to build, repair, renovate or expand youth sports facilities in Hennepin County. Earlier this month, I was able to see one of these finished projects at the Shorewood Badger Park grand opening. The Youth Sports Program helped fund the new playground. It also contributed to synthetic turf for a multipurpose field at Badger Park.
Updates in this week’s newsletter:
☕️ Coffee with Chris (in-person) Saturday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m.: Join me for my first in-person coffee with Chris at the Edina Library Conference Room.
⚽️ Hennepin County Awards Youth Sports Grants
💉 Hennepin County Public Health Clinic: The Hennepin County Public Health Clinic is offering first and second dose COVID-19 vaccines to people 12 and older during regular clinic hours. The clinic has the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
🏠 Healthy Homes Grants: If your home was built before 1978, you may be eligible for free tests and grants of up to $12,000 to fix lead paint hazards.
🏛 Deephaven City Council Meeting
🥦 ICA Food Shelf Tour and Vaccine Clinic: The ICA Food Shelf serves residents through their homelessness prevention, employment assistance, food programs, and most recently through a vaccine clinic.
☀️ Minnetonka Summerfest: The City of Minnetonka’s Summer Fest is this Saturday from 4-10:30 p.m.! There will be fireworks, inflatables, and food vendors.
In service,
Chris
☕️ Coffee with Chris (in-person) Saturday, July 10 at 10:00am
On Saturday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m., I will be hosting my first in-person Coffee with Chris at the Edina Library Conference Room. Join me at 5280 Grandview Square, Edina, MN 55346 for a conversation over coffee.
RSVP here.
⚽️ Hennepin County Awards Youth Sports Grants
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved funding for the 2021 grant cycle for the period of May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022 for the small equipment/other small capital assets grants and May 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022 for playground projects as follows.
Among the projects funded, the following awards went to District 6:
Small Equipment/Other Small Assets:
- $3,071 for the City of Orono Bederwood Park.
- $8,435 for the City of Orono Lee Carlson Fields
Playground Projects:
- $25,000 for a playground at Silverwood Park in the City of Shorewood
- $25,000 for a playground at Concord Elementary in the City of Edina
View the complete list of projects here.
💉 Hennepin County Public Health Clinic
The Hennepin County Public Health Clinic is offering first and second dose COVID-19 vaccines to people 12 and older during regular clinic hours. The clinic has the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. Call 612-543-5555 to schedule an appointment or for more information. Walk-ins are accepted as supply allows.
Clinic hours
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Thursday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Clinic address: Fourth floor, Health Services Building; 525 Portland Ave; Minneapolis, MN 55415
Getting to the Hennepin County Public Health Clinic:
- The blue and green light rail lines stop at U.S. Bank Stadium Station, 0.3 miles from the clinic.
- Many downtown buses also stop near the clinic.
- The clinic will give you a voucher for discounted parking in Hennepin Healthcare’s parking lot at 6th Street and Park Avenue.
- There is also paid parking in nearby lots or at meters along the street.
Other vaccine options
- Find and connect with local vaccine providers using Minnesota’s Vaccine Locator
- Check availability for the COVID-19 vaccine through Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector
- Or contact your primary care provider
The best COVID-19 vaccine is the first one you can get.
🏠 Healthy Homes Grants
June is National Healthy Homes Month. Part of keeping your home healthy is keeping it lead-safe. If your home was built before 1978, you may be eligible for free tests and grants of up to $12,000 to fix lead paint hazards.
Learn about free home lead tests and grants to fix lead paint hazards available for owners and renters.
🏛 Deephaven City Council Meeting
Strong local partnerships are critical to good governing. This week, I had a great conversation with the Deephaven City Council members and Mayor Paul Skredje about how to best partner to serve residents and our community.
🥦 ICA Food Shelf Tour and Vaccine Clinic
The ICA Food Shelf (Intercongregation Communities Association) serves residents of Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Shorewood, and Woodland through their homelessness prevention, employment assistance, and food programs. I toured their facility to see up close how this work is done and stopped by their vaccine clinic to thank our volunteers.
📰 News
Natural area in Orono gets final pieces of land donated by Dayton family
By David Chanen, Star Tribune
“These nature areas are a pretty unique asset in Minnesota’s legacy commitment to conservation and the environment,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Chris LaTondresse, whose district includes Wood-Rill. “The areas are still left very wild but are accessible to the public. It’s a real gift.”
Access the full story here.
☀️ Minnetonka Summerfest
The City of Minnetonka’s Summer Fest is this Saturday from 4-10:30 p.m.! There will be fireworks, inflatables, and food vendors.
Find the full schedule of events here.
About District 6
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
County information
- Elected officials
- Hennepin County libraries
- Hennepin County Medical Center
- Hennepin volunteers
- Online services
- Phone directory
- Service Center information
- Southwest light rail
- Understanding your property tax
Chris LaTondresse
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Jessica Oaxaca
District Director
612-348-6885
Kyle Olson
Policy Director
612-348-3168