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From YouTube: Bloomington Today: March 21, 2012
Description
On this week's episode of Bloomington Today we'll take a look at what City engineers have planned for a popular pedestrian and bike trail, we'll also take a look at what's coming down at the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center to make room for a new and safer piece of play equipment.
A
Welcome
to
Bloomington
today,
I'm
Caitlin,
real
thanks
for
joining
us.
Well,
March
twentieth
marked
the
first
official
day
of
spring,
and
that
means
Bloomington's
annual
citywide
curbside
cleanup
is
right
around
the
corner.
It's
time
to
take
a
look
in
your
garage
basement
or
addict
and
get
rid
of
any
items.
Your
regular
trash
service
wouldn't
normally
take.
This
city
will
be
divided
into
five
collection
sites
taking
place
every
saturday
starting
april
14th.
For
five
weeks.
The
first
section
will
be
neighborhoods
east
of
portland
avenue.
A
Crews
will
be
busy
collecting
materials
such
as
furniture
appliances,
large
pieces
of
scrap
metal
and
construction
materials.
Boxed
up
unwanted
items
in
general
will
also
be
picked
up
at
the
curb
city
officials.
Ask
that
residents
set
materials
out
at
the
curb
at
7am
on
your
pickup
date
to
find
out
when
your
pickup
day
is
as
well
as
a
full
list
of
what
items
are
accepted,
visit
the
city's
website
and
keyword
search,
curbside
clean
up.
There
are
many
senior
citizens
throughout
the
metro
area
that
are
without
mobility,
transportation
and
often
food
in
their
cupboards.
B
A
The
philosophy
every
store
to
door
volunteer
lives
by
providing
clients
with
nothing,
but
the
best
strolling
through
the
aisles
at
your
local
grocery
store,
can
be
relaxing
for
some
a
hassle
for
others.
But
often
it's
a
task
not
able
to
be
performed
by
some
members
of
the
senior
community.
Whatever
the
reason
why
store
to
door
make
sure
elderly
residents
never
go
hungry,
Stewart.
C
A
Foods
in
Bloomington
is
just
the
first
stop
for
us
today,
as
we
hit
the
aisles
early
to
avoid
the
crowds.
Each
client
creates
a
grocery
list
and
once
every
two
weeks,
that
list
is
forwarded
to
a
volunteer
shopper
who
picks
up
the
requested
items.
More
and
more
clients
are
utilizing
the
services
offered
by
store
to
door
for
a
variety
of
reasons
or.
A
D
Maybe
get
friends
to
grocery
shop,
but
they
have
families
they're
busy.
This
way,
I
have
a
specific
schedule
when
order
and
when
white
delivery
comes
that's
very
helpful.
It's
forcing
me
to
create
the
manual
every
two
weeks,
and
so
I'm
actually
going
to
arrest
the
pace
and
trying
new
things
every
every
time
and
it's
been
a
lot
of
fun
started.
A
Or
is
always
looking
for
volunteers
to
process
clients
grocery
lists,
as
well
as
shoppers
and
delivery
people
to
find
out
how
you
can
volunteer
your
time,
log
on
to
WWE
to
do
org
and
if
you're
looking
to
spend
less
at
the
grocery
store
this
year
and
try
your
hand
at
growing
your
own
fresh
food,
maybe
you'd
want
to
try
gardening.
The
city
of
Bloomington
has
rented
82
gardening
plots
at
to
community
garden
locations.
There
were
28
plots
at
harrison
park
already
rented
out
and
54
plots
at
smith
park.
E
Actually
have
had
a
garden
at
smith
park
for
many
years.
We've
had
a
community
garden
there
and
it
had
36
plots.
It
had
been
consistently
selling
out
early
in
the
season,
so
we
decided
to
add
additional
spots
or
plot
at
that
site.
There's
18
more
and
then
we
added
a
second
site
at
harrison
park
here
near
the
civic
plaza
building
and
there
are
28
plots
there
as
well.
Last
year
was
the
first
year
of
this
expansion,
but
we
were
sold
out
last
year
and
I
think
we
will
sell
out
again
this
year,
weather.
A
Permitting
the
gardening
season
runs
from
april
21st
through
october.
21St
plots
are
10
feet
by
15
feet
and
there
our
on-site
water
tanks,
at
both
sites
for
gardeners
to
use
and
if
you're
thinking
well
I've,
never
gardened
before
a
community
plot
might
be
the
perfect
place
to
try
out
the
Hobby
community.
E
Gardens
are
perfect
for
a
lot
of
people,
they're
great
for
the
person
who
hasn't
garden
before
and
it's
just
getting
started.
Maybe
they
want
to
try
it
before
they
dig
up
their
backyard
or
wherever
they're
going
to
do
it.
It's
also
great
because
you
can
learn
from
the
other
gardeners.
It's
there's
a
social
aspect
to
it,
because
you
might
have
a
gardener
on
both
sides
of
you
and
maybe
they're
growing,
slightly
different
crops,
or
they
have
different
insights
than
you.
So
it
can
be
a
lot
of
fun
that
way
to.
A
Find
out
more
about
the
city
of
Bloomington
community
gardens,
just
log
on
to
the
city's
website
and
keyword,
search
garden
and
as
of
March
twentieth.
There
are
just
two
spots
left
at
smith
park.
So
if
you
happen
to
miss
this
year's
opportunity
to
use
the
community
garden
there's
always
next
year
or
there
are
other
community
gardens
around
the
area,
drivers
in
and
around
that
169
I
494
interchange
have
been
anxiously
awaiting
the
interchange
reconstruction
completion.
Now
MnDOT
officials
would
like
to
get
the
word
out
that
the
final
construction
season
is
underway.
A
Construction
activities
on
the
169
I
494
interchange
will
soon
be
in
full
swing.
Construction
continues
on
retaining
walls
along
169,
water,
main
removal
and
storm
sewer
work.
Also,
pile-driving
activities
have
been
extended
through
the
end
of
March
join
MnDOT
officials
on
Wednesday
March,
twenty
eighth
for
the
highway
169
I
494,
interchange,
reconstruction,
open
house,
this
event
held
at
the
Hellmouth
and
Johnson
pllc,
building
located
at
80
50
West
78th
Street
in
edina,
will
highlight
the
main
goals
and
timeline
of
the
final
construction
season.
A
Once
construction
activities
are
completed
in
November
of
this
year,
all
traffic
movements
will
be
available
to
motorists,
mainly
through
the
use
of
the
newly
constructed
freeway
ramps
and
bridges,
as
well
as
the
frontage
road
system
for
additional
details
on
the
March
28th
open
house,
you
can
call
the
project
information
hotline
at
1877,
5634
768,
and
it's
now
time
for
a
short
break
when
we
come
back,
we're
happy
to
be
joined
by
Mayor
Jean
Winstead
to
discuss
the
recent
2012
safe
of
the
city.
Presentation
stay
right
here.
How.
H
I
You
can't
text
and
pay
attention
to
the
world
around
you
and
you
definitely
can't
text
and
drop
every
year.
Deaths
due
to
distracted
and
negligent
driving
are
increasing.
In
fact,
while
drunk
driving
rates
have
dropped
greatly
negligent
driving
fatalities
have
skyrocketed,
find
out
more
at
negligent
driving,
calm.
A
A
You
know
bloomington
recently
held
its
state
of
the
city
presentation
and
that's
a
yearly
event
that
discusses
important
issues
in
bloomington
that
happened
over
the
past
year,
as
well
as
future
plans
for
the
city,
and
this
year's
theme
was
a
healthy,
sustainable
community.
Why
don't
you
tell
us
a
bit
about
that
theme?
Well,.
J
The
theme
is
really
based
around:
what's
really
important
for
our
community
and
really
anything
we
can
do
to
improve
and
work
with
people
to
improve
their
health
and
really
their
length
of
life.
So
a
healthy
long
life
is
a
good
thing,
but
we
dove
tailed
it
also
to
really
the
health
of
our
community
is
so
important
to
the
organization
of
the
city,
and
all
else
that
goes
on
in
the
city
needs
to
be
healthy
and
sustainable
going
forward.
A
J
A
J
So
people
feel
comfortable
and
safe
and
it's
easy
to
get
out
and
walk
and
bike
and
be
in
stay
and
be
more
active.
Our
farmers
market
has
been
a
great
success.
A
lot
of
people
are
getting
out
during
the
summer,
enjoying
the
farmers
market,
but
all
in
all
their
purchasing
and
they're
buying,
healthier
foods,
and
so
that's
a
big
part
of
the
campaign.
We've
been
working
to
grow
and
build
community
gardens
throughout
the
city.
Some
of
them
are
City.
J
Some
of
them
are
sponsored
by
some
of
the
faith-based
community,
some
of
the
different
churches,
but
those
are
really
coming
online.
So
these
are
just
kind
of
examples
of
what's
going
on.
Our
schools
have
become
involved
in
trying
to
get
the
students
a
little
bit
more
of
a
healthier
diet
as
well
as
more
activity,
so
we're
just
still
in
the
formative
stages,
but
working
to
get
things
like
this
active
and
moving
in
the
city
of
Bloomington.
A
J
It's
it's
the
housing
and
the
lifestyle
which
is
to
a
degree
the
wave
of
the
future.
It
doesn't
mean
bloomington's,
going
to
go
away
from
being
a
community-based
with
neighborhoods
and
in
a
suburban
style
setting.
But
what
we're
seeing
going
forward
is
that
it
makes
sense
for
sustainability
purposes
and
really
with
the
demand
of
people
coming
to
our
community,
as
well
as
people
who
want
to
stay
within
the
community
are
looking
for
a
little
more
tightly
knit
mixed-use
housing
developments
that
have
it's
in.
J
It's
been
multiple
housing,
it's
been
apartments,
it's
been
condo
kind
of
development,
so
it's
dense,
but
it's
got
that
blend
of
street-level
retail
shops,
restaurants,
things
that
go
along
with
it
areas
that
people
can
walk
and
feel
safe,
walking
in
their
neighborhood,
and
so
it
all
ties
in
together
with
the
sustainability
and
really
the
do
town
scenario,
and
so
we've
got
plans
for
many
of
them,
and
pen
and
American
is
the
biggest
one
we
see
going
now.
But
we
have
some
other
new
developments
coming
online.
J
When
I'm
in
the
Norman
Dale
Lakes
area,
then
we've
got
other
developments
happening
throughout
the
community
out
in
the
southwest
corner.
We've
got
some.
We
can
talk
a
little
bit
about,
but
that
is
what's
important
for
going
forward
and
it's
what
people
are
wanting,
whether
they're
looking
to
downsize
from
a
home
or
they're
looking
to
enter
the
community
for
the
first
time
and
get
a
a
living
quarters
they're.
Looking
for
that
style,
absolutely.
A
J
Hidden
bluffs
and
here
again
that's
a
suburban
style,
a
subdivision
in
the
city
of
Bloomington
out
in
the
southwest
corner
of
our
community,
the
acquired
land
from
the
Bethany
fellowship
campus
and
it's
a
40
home
subdivision
being
developed
by
pulte
homes
and
there's
40
homes
designed
in
here
there's
been
ten
building
permits
pulled
already
and
I.
Think
eight
or
nine
of
those
homes
are
really
completed.
Some
of
them
have
been
purchased
and
it's
moving
forward
really
at
a
fast
pace.
At
a
time
when
housing
has
been
kind
of
distressed.
J
So
we're
seeing
that
and
that's
a
positive
thing,
we're
also
seeing
out
in
that
same
area
a
new
senior
campus
coming
out
too,
and
that's
on
the
Bethany
fellowship
campus
and
that's
being
put
forth
by
Presbyterian
homes
and
it's
called
founders
Ridge
and
it's
a
three-phase
development.
The
first
phase
is
finished
and
that's
some
senior
living
and
it's
a
beautiful
facility
and
they're
getting
people
ready
to
move
and
it's
filling
up
quite
a
filling
up.
Quick.
A
It
is
a
lot
of
people,
it
is
filling
up
quickly.
Well,
not
only
do
city
officials
want
to
promote
physical
health
throughout
Bloomington,
but
financial
health
is
also
a
vital
role
when
it
comes
to
being
successful
city
manager,
Mark,
Barnard
ssin.
He
actually
was
the
one
that
addressed
that
in
the
state
of
the
city
presentation
any
notes
on
the
city's
financial
health
well,.
G
J
So
important
for
the
organization,
it's
part
of
really
a
city,
that's
going
to
last
into
the
future
and
you
know
to
be
sustainable.
We
have
retained
and
you've
heard
this
many
times
our
triple-a
bond
rating
from
the
three
rating
agencies,
and
that
really
puts
us
an
elite
class
of
municipal
governments
that
is
able
to
achieve
that.
J
A
J
Coming
out
of
these
tough
times,
of
course,
a
lot
of
people
found
themselves
unemployed
having
a
hard
time
of
it,
and
it
hasn't
been
easy
for
many
many
people,
but
things
are
looking
up.
We've
seen
Bloomington
come
down
from
a
high
peak
of
eight
point:
six
percent
unemployment,
which
was
in
June
of
2009
and
we're
currently
down
to
five
point
two
percent.
So
we've
made
marked
improvement
moving
forward.
J
There
still
are
some
people
out
there
who
are
having
a
tough
time,
and
we
need
to
be
aware
of
that
and
we
need
to
go,
but
things
are
looking
up
for
us
and
the
Bloomington
unemployment
rate
and
figures
are
better
than
the
region,
the
state
and
really
the
nation
in
general.
So
those
are
other
positive
things
to
report
absolutely.
A
I
G
A
Welcome
back
everyone,
the
weather
is
finally
warming
and
more
and
more
residents
are
getting
outdoors
to
enjoy
the
parks
and
trails
around
the
city.
Soon,
one
popular
trail
will
be
receiving
a
well-deserved
makeover
at
the
time
of
filming.
There
was
just
a
bit
of
snow
left
on
the
ground,
but
the
trail
around
normandale
lake
isn't
being
neglected,
whether
its
residents
walking
their
dogs,
business
people
taking
a
stroll
on
their
lunch
break
or
the
avid
runner.
A
This
trail
sees
its
fair
share
of
users
and
in
just
a
few
weeks
this
heavily
used
trail
will
be
getting
a
makeover.
A
large
portion
of
the
existing
walking
and
multi-use
trails
will
be
improved,
either.
Bike,
rack
or
fog
ceiling
or
reconstruction
areas
in
the
red
indicate
trails
slated
for
maintenance,
yellow
trails
are
in
good
condition
and
will
be
left
alone.
Trails
will
be
widened
to
10
feet
and
reconstructed
along
their
existing
place
in
an
effort
to
save
trees
and
plants
along
the
trail.
Trail
connections
will
also
be
added
to
allow
for
easier
access.
A
The
city
is
excited
to
begin
work
on
path
improvements
in
the
spring
of
this
year
and
that
will
end
sometime
in
mid
summer,
Bloomington
has
received
a
park
and
trails
Legacy
Fund
grant
that
will
be
used
for
the
trail
updates
city
engineers
say
there
will
be
times
when
segments
of
the
paths
are
closed
to
residents.
There
will
be
clearly
marked
detours
and
signage
posted
to
alert
pedestrians
and
bikers
of
those
temporary
changes.
A
The
Bloomington
family,
Aquatic
Center,
will
be
opening
its
doors
to
the
public
in
just
a
few
short
months,
and
recently
we
were
on
scene
as
one
popular
play
item
at
the
aquatic
center
tumbled
down
only
to
be
replaced
by
something
bigger
and
better.
The
water
slide
at
the
bloomington
family
aquatic
center
is
always
being
used
on
a
hot
summer
day.
Kids,
both
young
and
old,
flock
to
it
and
soon
the
slide
will
be
even
better.
A
On
March
twelfth,
we
were
on
scene
as
crews
prepared
to
take
the
19
year
old
slide
down
an
excavator
grabbed
pushed
and
yanked
away
at
the
slides
themselves.
The
structural
tower
the
stairway
and
the
exterior
piping
holding
everything
together
a
new
tower
with
two
water
slides,
stairs
and
signage,
is
set
to
be
built
starting
in
early
spring.
The
new
design
is
bigger,
better
and
significantly
safer
parks
and
recreation
supervisor
and
mo's
acts
as
design
has
changed
a
lot
in
nearly
two
decades,
and
it
was
simply
time
for
an
updated
slide.
A
All
work
is
set
to
begin
and
end
before
the
Bloomington
family
aquatic
center
opens
for
the
season
on
jun
9th
and
that's
all
the
time
we
have
for
today
to
get
more
information
on
city
projects,
parks,
road
construction
and
events
visit.
The
city's
website
to
check
out
past
episodes
of
Bloomington
today
or
other
City
productions,
visit,
bloomington's
youtube,
channel,
accessible
right
from
the
city's
homepage.
That
and
so
much
more
is
online
right
now
at
wwc,
I,
bloomington,
MN
us.