Activities

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The SE Como Improvement Association authorizes and supports a number of activities with the goals of neighborhood improvement or fostering community connections.  All of these activities welcome volunteer participation.  If no specific person is listed for an activity, please contact the office [email protected] to get involved.

Events

SECIA sponsors a wide array of events to bring the SE Como community together. Many of our events are hosted at Van Cleve Park, the hub of the Como neighborhood. Click here to find more information about some of our recurring events such as the Como Cookout, which brings over 600 community members together every September. Upcoming events will always be listed on the SECIA Event.

Past Events sponsored by SECIA:

  • Como Cookout
  • SE Como Bike Fest
  • Como Clean-Up
  • Global Game Night
  • Open Eye Theatre at Van Cleve Park
  • UMN Raptor Center at Van Cleve Park
  • Loft Literary Center classes
  • Heart and Soul Drum Academy
  • Brazil Arts Twin Cities Carnival

Community Gardening

Como community gardens come in all shapes, types, and sizes. Click here to find information on all of SE Como’s community gardens, which are a potential creative or emotional outlet to all neighborhood residents. You can find more information at each specific garden webpage. if you want to join our cadre of community gardeners, contact SECIA ([email protected]) for help determining which garden is the best fit for you. Or else just show up at one of our many workdays or work nights ready to get your hands dirty (although gloves and tools are usually provided). All garden work sessions are found on the SECIA Event Calendar and many garden updates are posted in SECIA’s bi-weekly newsletter, E-Comotion.

SECIA’s Community Gardens:

Projects

Have an idea for a new project around the neighborhood or want to become involved with current projects? SECIA holds a Community Project Night on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in Van Cleve Park’s Recreation Center. These meetings are open to all!

Current SECIA projects:

  • Utility Box Art Wraps– SECIA is working to wrap neighborhood utility boxes with nature photos taken by residents and printed on anti-graffiti vinyl
  • Diverter Garden– SECIA is turning the diverter at 15th Avenue and Talmage Avenue SE into a rain garden with native plants which will retain and filter precipitation where it falls

Planning Activities

The SE Como Improvement Association occasionally undertakes neighborhood-wide planning activities, usually with the assistance of consultants and the City of Minneapolis. The board appoints temporary committees to direct these efforts, but retains the authority to accept the results. Click here to see Southeast Como’s Neighborhood Blueprint and Housing Strategy. If you have an idea or would like to get involved in SE Como planning activities, the SECIA office at [email protected].