Robbinsdale Celebrates 125 Years, with a Cootie
On a day that actually felt like spring, Robbinsdale residents gathered to celebrate Arbor Day and to cap off its 125th Anniversary.
City Council member Pat Backen read a proclamation declaring the day Arbor Day in the city. City Forester Stephan Papiz selected a swamp white oak for a ceremonial planting near city hall.
“It’s a great urban landscape tree,” says Papiz. “We need more oaks. They do very well in our climate.”
Papiz says if you are selecting a tree for Arbor Day, consider a tree that offers some diversity to the urban forest.
“We aren’t planting many maples or lindens,” says Papiz. “We plant honey locust, Kentucky Coffee Tree, all sorts of different oaks, and even sycamores and hackberries.”
Residents got to take home one of seven different trees to plant.
Celebrate Adopt-a-Park
Residents also took a few moments to pick up trash in honor of Arbor Day. Manuel Jaeulan picks up trash a few times a year with his church who has adopted a few parks. “We adopted Sunset Park and Lakeview Terrace Park,” says Manuel Jaeulan. “It’s clean and green after our activity.”
The city coordinates the Adopt-A-Park program and provides trash bags and gloves for the pick-up days. “This year we have 14 groups who are volunteering to go out and clean up our parks,” says Tom Marshall, recreation services. “We ask them to do that three times a season from spring to fall.”
Interested in helping out? There are two parks currently up for adoption. Marshall says volunteers feel the Adopt-A-Park program is worthwhile. “There’s such a feeling of accomplishment that comes from it,” says Marshall. “I’ve heard it time and time again.”
Celebrate turning 125
Robbinsdale capped off a month-long 125 anniversary celebration with a picnic and Build Your Own Cootie contest. The Cootie sculpture, made by resident Noah Kolkman, held court at Lakeview Terrace Pavillion during the event. “It’s become quite popular on social media,” says John Tingley, assistant to the city manager. We encourage residents to do that and share it. This cootie is a piece of Robbinsdale and residents should come out and enjoy it.”
