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BROOMBALL • ELECTION RESULTS • FISHING CONTEST & BOOYA • NEW PLAYGROUND
Le Petit
Canadien
a publication of the
City of Little Canada
Little Canada City Council & Staff wish you Happy Holidays!
“NEW” POSTCARD TO
SANTA Cookies with Santa
Join us for the second annual
Bring the kids to the Little Canada
Cookies with Santa event! The
City Center to have them write a
event will be held on Saturday,
postcard to Santa. A table with
December 8, at the Little Canada
postcards, pens, and pencils will
City Center, from 1-3 PM. Make
be set up at the City Center for
sure to bring your camera and
the boys and girls to write down
catch the magic of Christmas
their Christmas wishes. Stop in
with Santa while enjoying cook-
before December 21, to make
ies, hot chocolate, face painters,
sure Santa receives the postcard
balloon animals, holiday movies,
before Christmas. Postcards will
and music. Parents must
also be available on our website.
accompany children throughout
They can be printed and dropped
the event. More information
off in Santa’s mailbox inside the
can be found on our website.
City Center.
Thank you to the Little Canada
Recreation Association for spon-
soring a portion of this event!
DELAYED TRASH
COLLECTION SERVICE
City Center Now a “Toys for Tots” Drop-off
Just a reminder: Little Canada’s
trash collection service will be It warms our heart to announce that we have partnered with Toys
delayed one day during the week for Tots to host a drop-off site. Toys for Tots is a 70-year charitable
of December 24 and the week of program run by the U.S. Marine Corps to provide happiness and
December 31 due to the holidays. hope to disadvantaged children. The toys, books, and other gifts
collected and distributed by the Marines offer these children recogni-
tion, confidence, and a positive memory for a lifetime. You can drop
off any new, unwrapped toy, book, or other gift at the Little Canada
City Center, from November 26 to December 14 during business
DECEMBER 2018 — JANUARY 2019 hours or Saturday, December 8 at Cookies with Santa.
www.littlecanadamn.org
Community Survey
One of the City Council’s 2018 goals was to
conduct a community-wide survey. The last
survey was conducted in 2011, and the City
worked with Peter Leatherman from The Morris
Leatherman Company to conduct a survey in
2018. The following are a few of the findings
from the survey:
• 92% of survey respondents indicated that the
City of Little Canada was headed in the right
direction.
• 88% of survey respondents felt a strong
sense of community in Little Canada.
• 96% of survey respondents felt that the quality of life was good or excellent in Little Canada.
The survey of 400 randomly selected Little Canada households was completed in August and a copy
of the survey results and a presentation from Peter Leatherman are available on our website for
residents to view.
Election Results 2019 Budget &
The City of Little Canada would like to congratulate Mayor Property Tax Levy
John Keis and Council Members Tom Fischer and Christian
Torkelson for their re-election to the Little Canada City The Council adopted the preliminary levy
Council. Mayor Keis ran unopposed and Fischer and for 2019 at the City Council meeting on
Torkelson ran against Andrew Henderson. September 26. The preliminary levy
was certified at $3,352,550 which is an
Vote totals for the Council Members were: increase of 3.41% over 2018. The final
tax levy for 2019 must be set and a
Fischer – 2,308 (40.52%) certified copy sent to the Ramsey County
Auditor by the end of December. As
Torkelson – 2,116 (37.15%)
in previous years, the final levy can be
Henderson – 1,180 (20.72%) lowered from the preliminary certified
levy, but it cannot be increased.
3,249 Little Canada residents came out to vote on Election
Day and over 1,450 voted either by Absentee (in-person The City Council also directed staff to
or by mail) or Early Voting (from October 30-November 5). come up with potential budget cuts to
In 2016, the Minnesota Legislature added Early Voting as reduce the total levy increase to under
an option for people to vote during the seven days before 3%. City staff has come up with several
Election Day. Early Voting allows the voter to put the options that were considered at the City
voted ballot directly into the ballot scanner rather than an Council meeting on November 28. A final
Absentee envelope. No votes are tallied until Election Day. public hearing for adoption of the 2019
budget and property tax levy is scheduled
The City of Little Canada would like to thank all of the for Wednesday, December 19 at 7:30 PM.
people who served as Election Judges during both the If you have any questions, please feel
Primary Election and General Elections this year, along with free to contact City Administrator Chris
working for Ramsey County as judges during the Early Heineman at 651-766-4040 for additional
Voting period. Elections could not be managed without information.
these great people stepping up to work on Election Day.
2 | LePetit Canadien
Season’s Greetings from
Canadian Days!
As 2018 comes to a close, we pause to wish
you a joyous holiday season and a new
year of peace and happiness. We warmly
think of those whose friendship, support,
and goodwill mean so much to us. When
you get your 2019 calendars, remember to
save the dates for the next Canadian Days
festival: August 2, 3 and 4.
Gift Idea!
Canadian Days t-shirts and hoodies
make great gifts. From November 26 to
Canadian Days Boat
December 7, all t-shirts and hoodies will be Parade Winners
on sale at 40% off. Sizes, styles, and colors
are limited to the current stock. If you The 2018 Boat Parade winners stopped by Little
would like to purchase one of these items, Canada City Center to receive their trophy. Their
please fill out the online order form at www. boat was selected as the best entry for our theme
canadiandays.org/T-Shirts-and-Sweatshirts. “Superhero Headquarters.” Pictured are the McCord
We will check our inventory at Little Canada Family and the Reissner Family along with Mayor
City Center and notify you (usually within John Keis, Gervais Lake Association Boat Parade
24 hours) when the item is available for you Coordinator Julianna Sandin, and Canadian Days
to pick up and pay for between 8 AM and President Jeanne Parsons. Congratulations to the
4:30 PM, Monday-Friday. winners!
Economic
Development Garbage & Recycling
Update Containers
Please keep your garbage and
The City of Little Canada has been recycling containers off of the street.
working with representatives from the When you put them down at the
Minnesota Department of Employment end of the driveway to be emptied
and Economic Development (DEED) on Wednesdays, keep them on
and Commercial Real Estate Broker your driveway and out of the street
CBRE on a possible business expan- so that walkers, bikers, vehicles,
sion project in Little Canada. A local and plow trucks do not have to go
produce delivery company is working around them. It can cause an unsafe
to acquire an existing 207,000 square situation if a pedestrian has to veer Incorrect
foot facility on Centerville Road in out into a traffic lane to get around
the southeast quadrant of Interstate a garbage container. It also makes
35E and 694 as part of a planned plowing streets much more difficult
expansion. for the operators if they have to
The company expects to create 129 plow around containers sitting in the
jobs within a four-year period with the street. The garbage and recycling
average wage being $15.69 per hour. trucks have no trouble reaching into
The City Council held a public hear- the driveway or grass to grab and
ing on Wednesday, November 28 to dump the containers. Thank you for
consider establishing a Tax Increment your cooperation.
Financing District to assist with some Correct
of the qualified project costs.
www.littlecanadamn.org | 3
Youth Winter Activities
REGISTER ONLINE! www.littlecanadamn.org
Please Note: A $5 late fee will be assessed after 12/21/2018.
BASKETBALL CLINIC
This instructional clinic is designed to teach children the basics of basketball and to prepare them for
league play that begins at the third grade level.
6-8 year olds • Saturdays • 1/5 - 2/9 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Little Canada Elementary School • 400 Eli Road
$33 residents / $38 non-residents
Registration Deadline: December 21
SKATING LESSONS
This instructional course gives children the opportunity to learn ice skating basics on an outdoor rink.
Classes meet between the hours of 11 AM - 1 PM, and last 30 minutes.
5-12 year olds • Saturdays • 1/5 - 2/16 • time varies
Fire Barns Skate Park • 430 Little Canada Road East
$33 residents / $38 non-residents
Registration Deadline: December 21
WINTER GYMNASTICS
This instructional class teaches children the basics of gymnastics, acrobatics, and tumbling. All classes
held at Little Canada Elementary School.
5-12 year olds • Tuesdays & some Thursdays • 1/8 - 2/28 • 6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Little Canada Elementary School • 400 Eli Road
$33 residents / $38 non-residents
Registration Deadline: December 21
ROLLER DERBY GIRLS
LCRA Ice Fishing Contest BUS TRIP
The Little Canada Recreation Association (LCRA) Join us for the MN Roller Derby
will be hosting its 8th Annual Ice Fishing Contest Girls Night on Saturday, January
on Lake Gervais, Saturday, February 2, 2019, 19, 2019, at the Roy Wilkins
from noon to 3 PM. There will be plenty of food, Auditorium (downtown St. Paul),
drinks, and booya served by the Little Canada Fire beginning at 7 PM!
Department! Advanced tickets are $20 and are
available at various sites around the city. Tickets will also be Transportation, admission, and a
available on the day of the contest for $25 each provided spots beverage costs $29 per person.
are still available. The bus leaves at 6:20 PM and
returns after the game, approxi-
The Fire Department will also be selling booya at the Fire mately 9:15 PM.
Station the same day as the fishing contest starting at 8 AM,
and it will be served until gone. Make sure to stop by one of Tickets may be purchased at
these locations before it’s too late. Little Canada City Center, 515
Little Canada Road East
For more information on the fishing contest, ticket locations, or
to buy your tickets, go to www.lcraonline.org. For more information, call Don at
651-208-3909.
4 | LePetit Canadien
Adult Activities
Hockey Rink Hours
“NEW” ADULT CO-REC BROOMBALL
Little Canada’s outdoor ice rinks feature lighted
We are now offering an Adult Co-Rec Broomball pleasure and hockey rinks, warming houses,
League! The 8-week season will be held at the and on-site parking. The rinks are generally
Demont outdoor rink, starting in mid-December open from mid-December through the end
(weather dependent). Register online or in of February, weather permitting. Hours for
person at the Little Canada City Center. For hockey and pleasure skating are:
more information, contact Don Bowman at
RINK #1: 430 Little Canada Road East
651-208-3909. Monday-Friday: 4-9 PM
Saturday: 10 AM - 9 PM
6-Player Co-Rec Teams • Officiated • Tuesdays & Sunday: 12-9 PM
Wednesdays • Game Times 6 PM & 7 PM • $250/
team RINK #2: 60 Demont Avenue East*
Monday: Closed
Registration Deadline: December 10 Tuesday-Friday: 5-9 PM
Saturday: 12-9 PM
MARKET PLACE MORNING TALKS Sunday: 12-9 PM
*may be closed to open skating on Tuesdays/Wednesdays
due to broomball
A monthly educational series of interest for
seniors is held at the Market Place Bingo Hall, During school off days, the rinks will also be
2900 Rice Street, at 9:30 AM on the second open from 9 AM to 9 PM. The rinks will not be
Wednesday of each month. Topics of future open on the evenings of December 24 and 31,
discussions are: and will be closed all day on December 25.
December • No Session
January 9 • Living on a Limited Budget New Accessible Playground
Coming to Spooner Park
DRIVER SAFETY CLASSES
The Spooner Park playground is on track to
Offered this spring for drivers age 55 and older. be replaced in the Spring of 2019. Using the
Dates will be known after February 1. Register recently completed Parks Master Plan, the
online on our website or by calling 651-766- Parks & Recreation Commission was able to
4029. Classes are held at the Little Canada City give thoughtful input on the playground design
Center, 515 Little Canada Road East. and amenities that would be beneficial to the
community. The new playground will have
many new features unique to the area and will
OPEN BASKETBALL allow for play opportunities for people of all
abilities with the sensory-rich, inclusive play
An informal, fun-filled activity for high school system. The system includes accessible routes
students and adults. of travel throughout the structure, as well
Sundays • 1/6-3/31 • 6-8 PM as plenty of interactive auditory, visual, and
Little Canada Elementary School • 400 Eli Rd tactile sensors. The playground upgrade will
$4 adults/$2 high school students per evening also include new swings and an ADA accessible
pay on-site • no pre-registration play area.
The City was able to secure $84,205 in grant
SUMMER SOFTBALL funds towards the playground equipment
Men’s and women’s leagues will be offered from the playground equipment manufacturer
again in 2019, with returning team registrations GameTime. These funds provide a great
beginning on Monday, January 7. New team opportunity to get a bigger and extremely
registration begins on Monday, January 21. This ‘cool’ playground in Spooner Park for the Little
league features double-headers that are held Canada community.
weeknights. Games are held at Pioneer Park Stay tuned for more information in upcoming
beginning early May. Registration materials will newsletters, the website, and Facebook on a
be available on our website closer to the date of date for a Community Build. The Community
registration. For more information, contact Don Build will be your opportunity to contribute to
Bowman at 651-208-3909. building this new playground at Spooner Park.
www.littlecanadamn.org | 5
DID YOU KNOW?
Christmas Tree
• One of every three
Christmas tree fires
Safety
is caused by electrical • Never block an exit with a Christmas tree.
problems.
• Only use non-flammable decorations.
• You should throw out any
holiday lights that show • Keep trees away from heat vents and other
signs of fraying, bare heat sources.
wires, or other wear.
• Remove the tree from your home when the
• If a home experiences needles are brittle or begin to fall off.
a Christmas tree fire, it
is more likely to be fatal • Pick a tree stand that can hold the tree
than other types of fires. securely. The stand should hold enough
water for two days.
Free Options For Live Christmas
Tree Disposal
Did you know that Ramsey County yard waste sites are open
on weekends during the winter and they’re free for residents?
That’s right and three of the sites accept trees and shrubs. So
when you finally decide to take down the Christmas tree, visit
RamseyRecycles.com or call 651-633-EASY (3279) (answered
24/7), for more information on yard waste. For residents who
have a recycling account with the City, please call 651-766-4038
to schedule curbside removal of your live Christmas tree the first
two weeks in January – no charge!
Old Fire Hall Update
The work at the Old Fire Hall has been substantially completed. The brick on the front of the building
has been replaced and the other three sides received a stucco treatment to cover up the blocked in
old window openings and the cracking that has occurred over the years. A wrap was applied to the
garage doors to give them the appearance of the old wood garage doors that the building used to
have. Updates were done to the electrical and HVAC systems, including red light fixtures over the
garage doors. The service doors were painted, bollards were added in front of the garage doors, and
awnings were installed over the doors in the back of the building.
The improvements have really shaped up the building while maintaining the character that has been
a part of the Old Fire Hall for so many years. The upper portion of the building is used for storage
for the Public Works Department, the Historical Society, and the Little Canada Recreation Association.
The lower portion of the building is available to rent for hosting various events and parties. If you
are interested in renting the facility, please call 651-766-4029 or check it out on our website.
6 | LePetit Canadien
Snow & Ice Control
Winter means snow and ice and cannot direct it
and that means plow trucks onto another resident’s Please remember parking is
will be out de-icing and plow- property. Any resident prohibited on city streets between
ing the city’s 30 centerline found to have dumped 2 AM and 6 AM, from November 1
miles of streets, 50 cul-de- snow on another resi- until April 1. The Ramsey County
sacs, city-owned parking lots, dent’s property without Sheriff’s Department tickets
sidewalks, paths, and trails. consent will be required illegally parked cars during snow
to remove the snow and emergencies, and failure to move
The city’s snow plowing policy is is subject to a citation.
to plow streets after any snowfall the vehicle could result in the
event of 2 inches or more. For The city does the best vehicle being towed.
accumulations less than 2 inches they can to minimize
a decision is made based on the snow left in drive-
road conditions and the weather ways but it is a necessary evil in Please stay back when driving
forecast. On occasion the best plowing streets, cul-de-sacs, and behind the plow trucks. It is
policy is to plow a one-inch sidewalks. Pile snow you’re your very difficult for the operators
snowfall if the forecast calls for driveway downstream of the to see other vehicles and they
extremely cold conditions that plowing operation to help mini- can activate the salt spreader at
could freeze the snow and cause mize the amount of snow you any time, which could damage
rough and unsafe driving condi- get at the end of your driveway. a vehicle driving too close to
tions. Salt is spread on roads the truck. Also, do not allow
when plowing is not necessary If your mailbox is physically
children to play in the snow
and also as part of normal hit and damaged or knocked
piles at the end of driveways
plowing procedures. Salt takes down by a plow truck the city
or along side the road. A plow
time to activate, particularly in will replace the mailbox with a
truck could drive by without
extremely cold temperatures, temporary one until the ground
seeing a child and cause seri-
so do not assume it is safe to thaws and then a new post and
ous injury or death. With your
brake quickly just because there box will be installed up to a value
cooperation Public Works can
is salt at an intersection. Please within reason for a mailbox. If
be more efficient and have the
exercise caution on icy roads. the snow plowed by a plow truck
roads cleared in very little time.
There are times when the low knocks over the mailbox the city
If you have questions regarding
temperature and lack of sun is not responsible for the repair
our snowplowing procedures,
results in salt not working on of the mailbox due to the post
contact the Public Works Director
the ice and the roads remaining being unfit for winter conditions.
at 651-766-4049 or bill.dircks@
in poor condition. City crews littlecanadamn.org.
will do their best to scrape the
roads, but they can’t always get
them clean.
Please do not plow, blow, or
shovel snow across the street
or back into the street. This
snow hardens and causes
unsafe driving conditions. If
you hire a contractor to plow
your snow please remind them
not to plow snow across the
street. All snow should be kept
on the property it is cleared
from. It is illegal under state
statute to deposit snow on
another resident’s property and
also not very neighborly. Each
resident is responsible for his/
her own runoff, including snow,
www.littlecanadamn.org | 7
City of Little Canada PRSRT STD
Office Hours | M-F 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
515 Little Canada Road East U.S. POSTAGE PAID Ph 651-766-4029 | Fax 651-766-4048
Twin Cities, MN
Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 Permit No. 5915 www.littlecanadamn.org
MAYOR JOHN KEIS
651-482-8774 | john.keis@littlecanadamn.org
COUNCIL MEMBER RICK MONTOUR
651-482-8180 | rick.montour@littlecanadamn.org
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL MCGRAW
651-483-3339 | michael.mcgraw@littlecanadamn.org
COUNCIL MEMBER TOM FISCHER
651-489-5585 | tom.fischer@littlecanadamn.org
ECR WSS COUNCIL MEMBER CHRISTIAN TORKELSON
Postal Customer 651-395-0983 | christian.torkelson@littlecanadamn.org
Jessica Jagoe, Editor
jessica.jagoe@littlecanadamn.org
Le Petit Canadien is published bimonthly and is printed on recycled
paper with agri-based ink. Each issue is paid for in part by the State
of Minnesota S.C.O.R.E. Fund and Ramsey County.
Safe Online Shopping & Shipping
Holiday shopping online and having items shipped
is a great convenience for many. Unfortunately,
thieves are also actively seeking ways to scam
or steal from busy shoppers. Follow these online
shopping safety tips to help prevent you from
becoming the next victim:
• Prior to surfing the internet, make sure your
computer is updated and you have an anti-
virus software installed.
• If the bargain is too good to be true, it prob-
ably is.
• Use secure websites for shopping. Look for
HTTPS in the URL.
• Use caution when sharing personal and finan-
cial information.
Packages left stacked in front of a residence • Place a note on front door asking the delivery
for hours before being retrieved are a target for driver to leave packages on the back steps.
thieves. Packages are often stolen during daylight
hours. Here are some safety tips to prevent pack- • Have packages delivered to your work or a
age theft: business address if possible.
• Ask a trustworthy neighbor to watch for and Keep the exterior of your home lighted to deter
retrieve your package when it is delivered. criminals. Make sure to secure your home, and
keep the packages/gifts inside the residence and
• Request “signature required” service from the out of view from windows. Be a good neighbor. If
delivery company. you notice anything suspicious, call 9-1-1 to notify
local law enforcement immediately.
• Place a storage container, such as a large
Rubbermaid container, on your stoop for pack-
ages to be placed in so they are not readily
seen by people driving by.
8 | LePetit Canadien
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