Diamond Lake in south Minneapolis, subject of Minnesota's first Blue Community Makeover, managed by Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies
Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies is pleased to be involved in a hundred residential landscaping projects in south Minneapolis that will reduce stormwater runoff and help improve the quality of Diamond Lake. Projects include raingardens, permeable paver driveways, RainXchange rainwater harvesting systems, rain barrels, trees and native plantings. The goal is to stop raindrops where they fall, capture the water for reuse later or allow it to soak into the soil, rather than run off driveways and lawns and into the streets. When stormwater hits the streets, it picks up pollution like automotive fluids, road salt and garbage, channels all of it into storm sewers and dumps it into Diamond Lake. The lake currenly has an “F” water quality rating.
It also has an active group of residents who care about it. Area residents want to reverse the damage and asked Hedberg for help lining up the products, technologies and installation resources to help them “Go Blue!” Together, two neighborhood organizations (Friends of Diamond Lake and Hale Page Diamond Lake), the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and Hedberg Landscape & Masonry Supplies applied for and won competitive grant funding to help residents offset part of their project costs.
A raingarden installed as part of Minnesota's first ever Blue Community Makeover.
Planning for the Blue Community Makeover started in November 2009 and continued throughout the winter. Stormwater plans were developed by Metro Blooms for all sites this spring and ten contractors attended a mandatory meeting in May to learn the specific requirements of the project. Work began on June 8, 2010 with the installation of a dozen raingardens and will continue through the summer. Major projects are also planned at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church and Pearl Park, both of which currently contribute runoff directly into the lake.
As more projects are installed in the neighborhood, word is getting around about the citizen-led initiative. “I have had lots of conversations with my neighbors who are learning about raingardens as well as the clean water grant to help clean up Diamond Lake.” Sally Hoover, Minneapolis resident and Blue Community Makeover Participant.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Blue Community Makeover(TM) and how you can become part of the movement in your neighborhood, please contact Tina Plant at tplant@hedbergaggregates.com.
“I have had lots of conversations with my neighbors who are learning about raingardens as well as the clean water grant to help clean up Diamond Lake.” Sally Hoover, Minneapolis resident and Blue Community Makeover Participant.
