Loring Ribbon Cutting

Here are my thoughts I shared at the Loring Park Tennis Court Ribbon-Cutting:

“Today is a celebration and I believe, a demonstration, a demonstration of how parks can bring people together…building community. The tremendous partnership of all those who funded these improvements is just the start, leading the way…. we will have families and children engaging together on the playground, students practicing their tennis skills who discover they’ve become true teammates, neighbors moving from strangers to friends through working and playing together and visitors enjoying all our city has to offer through the events and central location of this space.  Loring Park is bringing people together…building community.

In honor of this, I pulled out my community swag for this event…I have on my Friends of Loring Park hat and my T-shirt from the Loring Park safety walking team. Yet there are many more who are giving back to this space by their presence and encouragement.   I think of the Citizens for a Loring Park Community neighborhood group, Andy, the lead horticulturalist for Loring Park as well as Kelsey, Julie and the rec staff, MCTC and their support of the community gardens, Rayito de Sol preschool, Emerson School, The Women’s Club, The Loring Park Shuffleboard Club, Dave Hile, Pat Davies, Dr Lee Frelich, Jana Metge , Margit Berg and many others. Now we have DeLaSalle joining the Loring Park team as well.   We are bringing people together….building community.

But MPRB and the community are not done yet.  The park board recently approved the addition of two pickleball courts to Loring for 2023 and there is a group of residents working to raise funds to repair Berger Fountain.  The power of community in our parks personally inspires me about what we are doing at the park board and where we are going together…. there are exciting times ahead!"