Empty seats plague citizen committees making major budget decisions in Minneapolis and St. Paul

13 hours ago 22

Westgate Commons Park sits at the corner of Emerald Street SE and Myrtle Avenue in St. Paul, steps from the Minneapolis border and lined by an affordable housing community and a senior apartment complex.

The park has a climbing structure, a barbecue grill and a wide open lawn – but virtually nowhere for anyone to escape from the beating sun on a hot day.

Shortly after the park’s construction in 2023, the St. Anthony Park Community Council surveyed 168 people and found that nearly every one of them noted its lack of shade, using words like “exposed” and “desolate.”

The council did some research and determined that $214,000 would pay for the park they’ve been wanting for years – structures to provide shade during the day, and lights to make it more accessible at night. The question was how to get it.