Furniture and Things offers to donate them for season to be placed on Main Street green space
by Jim Boyle
Editor
The green strip of grass along Main Street where Elk River Meats used to stand could soon be a place to picnic.
The Elk River Housing and Redevelopment Authority was approached last month at its April 2 open forum with a suggestion for some temporary picnic tables and maybe even a big red oversized chair for photo ops.
“I know there are plans in progress, maybe for what to do with that whole area (long-term),” said Jim Stenglein, a longtime Elk River resident and downtown enthusiast. “I guess I’m here to offer a suggestion and maybe lend a hand towards temporarily (putting) something there. I know Deana (McLean, president of the Downtown Elk River Business Association) has spoken about putting some big red chair for photo ops.”
Stenglein said the idea came to him last summer during downtown events like the farmers markets. Since then Steve Hickman has offered to provide picnic tables and such for free to be installed and taken out at the end of the season.
“It’s disappointing to see a spot like that with nothing in it with all those people coming (to) downtown,” Stenglein said. “I think it would be short-sighted not to take advantage of a local business that wants to improve that area.”
After a lengthy discussion in a subsequent work session, the HRA encouraged Economic Development Director Brent O’Neil to work with Hickman on a plan with the idea of possibly adding the summertime amenity sometime in May.
The HRA expressed caution about doing anything that people would become attached to, knowing the plan is a temporary one. The topic, however, was already on the HRA’s radar as it was an April 2 work session item. McLean has been one of the advocates for doing something in that location.
She sees it as a nice addition to help the downtown, which she says has become a destination for shopping, dining, browsing shops, use of the park and use of the dock on the Mississippi River.
“We want people to enjoy what we have,” she told the Star News, adding that Hickman’s willingness to donate the furniture is such a blessing.
O’Neil provided some recent history to start the work session dialogue, noting when the HRA first acquired the former Elk River Meats property there was a concerted effort to keep it simple and not put in amenities that the city might take out depending on a future plan. HRA members noted later in the discussion that some in the community are still mad the soup ladle is gone. Another said the same was true with the county courthouse.
Planning and engineering departments for the city are planning for a future redesign of the downtown area where the Elk River Meats once was, including the parking lot area around it along with the full rebuild of Main Street, O’Neil said before asking the HRA if they have an interest in doing more with the green space in the interim. Public restrooms are another component being considered.
“There are some pretty strong requests downtown, and at relatively low cost,” O’Neil said of picnic tables.
The HRA discussed the pros and cons, noting the more it does the more maintenance will be required starting with mowing and weed whacking. HRA members began to question whether picnic tables should go on pavers to make maintenance easier and cheaper.
After much more discussion, HRA member and Elk River City Council Member Jen Wagner said she felt it was worth it to do something for this summer, arguing against pavers to avoid “making this more than it needs to be.” She also advocated for the big red chair, noting it would be like the big mitt that sits outside Target Field that draws people in to take photos and make memories.
The HRA meets on May 7, and will get an update from O’Neil on his discussions with Hickman and the status of the downtown green space.
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