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National Great River Park Community Discussion
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Minnesota Centennial Showboat

  
In October, the Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation brought four national experts to town to share their thoughts on the National Great River Park and its four principles;  that Saint Paul can be more urban, more natural, more connected and a regional asset of national significance.  Each speaker's expertise involved one of the four principles.  Their bios, main points and video clips are below.  The video clips are windows media files and will need windows media player to view them  You can download the program for free here.
  
 
Gordon Price is Adjunct Professor in the School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He has developed and teaches a course Vancouver and Its Times. He is a regular lecturer on transportation and land use for the city of Portland, Oregon and Portland State University. He has been published in numerous journals and also publishes an e-magazine on urban issues called “Price Tags.” 

 Gordon Price
Watch Gordon Speak
Clip 1
Clip 2

 Focus:  Saint Paul can be More Urban.
  • The juxtaposition and contrast between the built environment and the natural one not only helps Saint Paul define its identity but it's the face Saint Paul shows to the world.
  • Pedestrian and bike loops are very important in a city as they allow people to access any point and move throughout the city without having to retrace their steps.
  • Public benefits add private value and private value helps pay for public benefits.
  • Don't underestimate the appeal of what is being created in Saint Paul.
  • More urban versus more natural is not an "either, or" dilemma.
  • Not advising Saint Paul to do what Vancouver has done, but find its own way. 

 

  
Mary Jukuri is Principal and Design Director at JJR, Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has more than 20 years experience in master planning and site design for public and private spaces. Projects include streetscape improvement plans, downtown revitalization studies, and master planning for residential neighborhoods and recreation resources. Her design approach and philosophy focus on the integration of the human element and natural environment within each project.  She also is a project consultant for the Saint Paul Riverfront Corportation.   

 Mary Jukuri
Watch Mary Speak

 Focus:  Saint Paul can be More Natural.
  • Storm water is an asset:  Capture and reuse rainfall at its source by incorporating infiltration systems into new developments.  This brings natural systems into urban environments.
  • Restore habitat:  Rip rap underwater creates a habitat for macro invertebrates which attracts amphibians, which attract fish, which attract waterfowl.  Fish and birds attract fishermen and birdwatchers which create a tourist destination.  Tourists create economic development and bring money to the city.
  • Integrate nature with new development by bringing the natural processes into the city and making it more visible.
  • This integration allows many parties to work together, it brings in private sector development and it inspires grants from federal, state and local government.

 

  
Laura Cohen is Director of the Confluence Greenway in St. Louis, Missouri. She coordinates a partnership of public and non-profit agencies to plan and implement a 200-square-mile system of parks, recreation areas, trails and heritage sites along the Mississippi and Missouri riverfronts. She participated in Leadership St. Louis and attended the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.     

 Laura Cohen
Watch Laura Speak

 Focus:  Saint Paul can be More Connected.
  • Greenways are fundamentally about connections.
  • Build on and reuse existing infrastructure.
  • Find ways to make the river the center of our region and not the dividing line.
  • Look for ways to "get people there" after building and creating new access.
  • Special events and programming are very important in bringing together new partners.
  • Marketing is important to help people find their way through the system.
  • Public/private partnerships are very important.


Following the four individual presentations, Tom Fisher, Dean of the University of Minnesota College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (CALA), moderated a question and answer session between the audience and the panel.  A short reception was held afterwards allowing attendees to ask further questions of the panelists and discuss topics amongst themselves.

 

  
Jerry Enzler is Executive Director of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and the National Rivers Hall of Fame in Dubuque, Iowa.  He has appeared on the History Channel’s four-part series Mighty Mississippi, was project director for the award winning film River of Dreams, has created an exhibit on the Mississippi River in Japan, and has served as chair of the National Maritime Alliance, a consortium of National Maritime Museums.

 Jerry Enzler
Watch Jerry Speak

 Focus:  Saint Paul's riverfront is a Regional Asset of National Significance.
  • What happens in Saint Paul matters to the rest of the nation. (Hypoxia example: creating a dead zone in the Gulf.)
  • The Mississippi River is part of the largest watershed in North America encompassing 31 states.
  • Focus on collaboration--even with partners without a direct connection to the river.
  • Grand Excursion was a great way to unify the Upper Mississippi and highlight its national signicance.
  
Following the four presentations, the audience was invited to write down questions and pass them in to be discussed by the panelists. Tom Fisher, Dean of the University of Minnesota College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (CALA) moderated this portion of the program. A short reception followed on the Showboat and the experts were invited to mingle with the guests and answer any remaining questions.