There’s a lot to look forward to this spring and summer in the city of Carver, and I want to share a few updates.
April showers bring May flowers, but in Carver rain this time of year has historically brought spring floods. Thankfully that’s not the case this year, but regardless, I’m continuing to make finding funding partners for Carver’s Levee Improvement Project a priority.
We’re making good progress, including securing grants from both the Minnesota DNR and the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, but there is still more work to be done.
If you’ve ever heard me talk about this project, I’ve likely said “this is a marathon and not a sprint.” It could take a decade before we accomplish the end goal of this project — a FEMA-certified levee. My advocacy on behalf of this project continues at the local, state and federal levels, with a strong preference to find funding partners for this project so the city of Carver won’t have to levy for the levee.
Next, the city of Carver is partnering with the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce to bring a farmers market to Carver this summer. On Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m. starting July 13 and through the end of September the market will take place in Community Park, 800 6th St. W. Follow “Carver Farmers’ Market” on Facebook for all the latest info and updates on vendors.
I’m also excited about our new community gardens, which will be located behind Church-by-the-River downtown. The 18 4- by 8-foot garden plots, which are already spoken for, will allow folks who don’t have the room or ability to garden in their yards, a place where they can grow the fruits, veggies and flowers of their choosing.
Funding for both the farmers market and the community gardens was made possible through a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grant, which is administered through Carver County Public Health. Both of these projects are just a couple of examples of the strong partnerships the city of Carver has with our neighboring communities, businesses, and other resources to make these types of things happen!
Carver’s city wide Clean Up Day will be Saturday, May 15. This annual event is always popular and provides residents of the city of Carver an opportunity to dispose of larger items which might not fit in their trash bins.
For more details about Clean Up Day, including what you can and can’t dispose of, go to cityofcarver.com and search “clean up.” Also on May 15, the Carver Lions will be hosting a Shredding Event from 9-11 a.m. at Community Park. This free event will shred paper only, and has a two-box limit per car.
Finally, the Jonathan Carver Parkway (JCP)/County Highway 11 Improvements project, a joint effort with Carver County taking the lead, is underway after years of planning.
In 2015 the Carver City Council identified the need to plan for the future of JCP, which led to the first step, a traffic study which we partnered with Carver County.
Now, after years of meeting with neighborhood leaders, business owners and traffic engineers, and getting feedback from residents at community open house events (both in-person pre-pandemic and virtually) this major construction project is underway.
When it’s completed in November, JCP will be four lanes from Fourth Street to Levi Griffin Road, with a roundabout at Sixth Street, a new underpass north of Ironwood Drive and new trail connections. All of these improvements will provide efficient and reliable mobility both today and in the future, and will safely accommodate all users of Carver’s main north/south thoroughfare.
Like many construction projects, this one won’t be without its inconveniences. JCP will be closed to all traffic from Sixth Street to Ironwood Drive starting in June after school is out, through late August. There will be weekend closures and temporary lane shifts to plan for and navigate around too.
The best way to stay up-to-date with the latest that’s going on with the JCP Improvement project is to sign up for updates on the project website: co.carver.mn.us/jcpimprovements.
As you can see, there’s a lot going on in Carver. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to hearing from you!
Take care.