Back in 1997, Hanson’s “MMMBop” made the band a household name, Titanic hit theaters, and the final season of Seinfeld aired. More importantly, at least locally, the Eagan Art House first welcomed our art community. And just like Seinfeld, the Eagan Art House became a classic. But sometimes even something much beloved needs a refresh, and the time has come for a new building for Eagan artists.
At the May 7 groundbreaking, resident Elizabeth Edwards emphasized the need for more space. “Having more space means getting to make more art, and that’s a great thing for Eagan.” In addition to more space — 10,000 square feet in total — the new facility will feature two pottery studios, space for making raku pottery, and two more classrooms for a variety of programs and activities.
Project Timeline & Details
Additionally, sustainability and accessibility will be important new features. Impressively, the new Eagan Art House will be the City’s first fossil-fuel-free building, relying on solar panels and a geothermal system for heating and cooling. Plus, the new facility is designed for ease of use for all. The current art center is a rambler-style house designed for a family, not for the nearly 6,000 annual community users it currently receives. That means doorways, hallways, and entrances can be challenging to navigate.
“We were intentional throughout the design of the new facility to make sure it was welcoming and inclusive for all,” says Tanya Mozingo, Eagan’s recreation superintendent. “From how you get into the building to what type of art and activities are going to be offered there, we wanted to have a space for everyone.”
Says Edwards: “We’re excited that Eagan is supporting this. It’s really important and we’re happy about that.”
The new Eagan Art House is scheduled to open in fall 2025. However, classes at the current building will continue throughout construction until the new space opens.
To follow updates or to learn about other Parks and Recreation projects, visit cityofeagan.com/parkprojects
Businesses Surveyed Give Eagan Top Marks
Eagan is a successful, strong community for many reasons. One key pillar is our thriving business community. Every two years, we survey businesses about Eagan community characteristics, business climate, workforce, and government services. Here’s what the respondents had to say:
By The Numbers
- 98% rate Eagan positively for its quality of life
- 9/10 rate Eagan positively as a place to do business
- 9/10 recommend operating a business in Eagan
- 95% recommend working in Eagan
- 9/10 plan to keep their business in Eagan for the next five years
Top Takeaways Include:
- Nearly every respondent praised Eagan’s business climate.
- Business owners and managers appreciate Eagan’s high quality of life.
- Eagan’s business growth mirrors national trends relating to affordability and economic concerns, although sentiments remain higher than average.
- Eagan businesses experience relatively fewer-than-average challenges to labor market needs; a need for more education may be on the rise.
- Business stakeholders highly value Eagan’s leadership, governance, and City services.
Virtually all businesses (97%) highly ranked the overall quality of City services. And at least nine in 10 gave excellent or good ratings to:
- police and fire services,
- the number of public parking spaces in commercial areas
- ease of travel by car and bike
- overall customer service by City employees
Finally, when asked to evaluate various aspects of local government performance, businesses rated Eagan higher than peer cities in these categories:
- honesty
- value of services for taxes paid
- overall City direction
- overall confidence in City government
- and generally acting in the best interest of the community
Nearly all of these ratings top national benchmarks. To view full results, visit cityofeagan.com/business-survey.
More Life-Saving AEDs Added to Eagan Parks
You can now enjoy your favorite parks with added peace of mind, thanks to the recent installation of automatic external defibrillator (AED) devices at many key locations. Crucial for providing early, lifesaving intervention in cardiac emergencies, they’ve been strategically added to 13 of the City’s busiest parks and are now in a total of 16 Eagan parks.
This collaborative effort between Eagan’s public safety and parks teams was driven by community feedback, aiming to make emergency response more accessible and to strengthen safety in Eagan’s parks.
“Having AEDs in our public spaces is extremely important,” says Jake McPherson, Eagan Fire captain and AED initiative advocate. “If someone’s heart suddenly stops, giving them CPR right away and using a defibrillator quickly can help them survive.”
Each AED is equipped with clear instructions, making them user-friendly, even for those without medical training. “In the event of sudden cardiac arrest,” McPherson continues, “the first thing a bystander should do is call 911. The dispatcher can get us, the emergency responders, on the way, and also provide a code to unlock the AED cabinet.”
Once accessed, the AED guides the user through administering CPR and electrical shocks to the heart. This straightforward process serves as a vital resource before paramedics arrive, ensuring that help is within reach during emergencies.
Quarry Park pickleball player: “I have an irregular heartbeat, so just knowing there’s an AED device at the pickleball courts makes me feel safer.”
As Eagan continues to invest in its parks and public spaces, the addition of AED devices underscores the City’s commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all.
A great parks system goes beyond providing amenities. According to Andrew Pimental, director of Parks and Recreation, it prioritizes community safety and well-being. “The AEDs in Eagan parks symbolize our dedication to listening to the community,” he says, “and ensuring park amenities are provided in the safest way possible.”
Whether you’re enjoying a game of pickleball or a leisurely stroll, the presence of AEDs offers an additional layer of protection, so Eagan parks remain safe spaces for people to be active and connect as a community.
Eagan In a Minute
Community Conversations for Race Equity and Inclusion
The City of Eagan values all our residents. Our vision is to make Eagan a more racially equitable community where everyone can thrive. That’s why Eagan will participate in community conversations beginning this fall and continuing into the spring of 2025. And we need our community members — you, in fact — to get involved. Visit cityofeagan.com/rei-convos to tell us how you’d like to be included
Seasonal Water Use
Summer’s arrival often means increased water usage for watering lawns, gardens, new sod, and trees. Summertime also means washing cars, filling pools, and using water-cooled air conditioning systems and pressure washers. Before doing any or all of these things, be sure to check for leaks to prevent high water bills. Refer to the City of Eagan’s Odd-Even Watering Plan at cityofeagan.com/oddeven to conserve water and save money.
Annual Drinking Water Report
The City of Eagan’s water is safe and meets all standards for quality of drinking water. See the 2023 report at cityofeagan.com/drinkingwater. Paper copies are available upon request; call 651-675-5200.
Don't Flush Wipes
Whether it’s baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, facial tissues, or even wipes claiming to be “flushable,” the City of Eagan Utilities Division urges you not to flush them down the toilet. Flushing any of these items can cause huge issues for Eagan — and for your personal plumbing.
Oak Ridge Elementary Helps City Battle Invasive Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard is native to Europe but invasive in our area. Outcompeting native plants, it spreads quickly and is best removed in early spring before flowering. If pulled after flowering, the plants’ seeds can still mature, causing further spread. That means later in the season, plants must be bagged and removed to prevent spreading
Music teacher Micah Boudinot first learned about garlic mustard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending more time at home, she started noticing pretty white flowers dotting the area. Then she saw a Facebook post warning that this invasive plant was spreading throughout Minnesota.
Armed with this knowledge, Boudinot quickly found out how satisfying it can be to pull this plant — and how long it can take to eradicate it. “I spent hours upon hours pulling garlic mustard,” she says, noting how easy these plants are to pull. “I saw progress over three years — there weren’t as many tall plants or clusters anymore.”
Fast forward to 2024, and you’ll find Boudinot in the forest near Oak Ridge Elementary with a class of students, all pulling and gathering the invasive plant.
“It feels so good to have this big impact, and it’s accessible to anyone and everyone. I realized my K-5 students could do it, so I educated them about how to recognize thistle versus garlic mustard [and] about identifying plants and their structure,” Boudinot says. “We even learned about another plant that combats the itch from stinging nettle.”
The students have eradicated much of the garlic mustard on their school’s property and moved onto the surrounding City land to continue their efforts.
“It’s always a joyous, exuberant moment when they pull out a plant,” Boudinot says. “They feel like they’re saving the earth. It’s a big win. They beg other teachers to go out and pull more — it’s becoming a whole school movement.”
Working Together
Adam Schnaible, City forestry maintenance supervisor, met with Boudinot and her students to help their campaign and to haul away the garlic mustard plants.
“It’s a fun collaboration,” Schnaible says. “The teachers are leading the charge, educating the kids on what’s what. They go out and play in the woods and do this work, and it makes me happy to see it and be involved.”
Schnaible notes that you can spot garlic mustard along any major roadway in Eagan. “It’s become a lot more prevalent in the last five or six years. One plant can shed 1,000 seeds, and the window for managing it is really short. We don’t have a lot of seasonal staffing until mid-May, and by then, the window is almost closed.”
That’s why the Oak Ridge volunteers are key to helping manage this invasive plant. There are similar volunteers working to control buckthorn. “Garlic mustard is like the new buckthorn, but maybe even worse,” Schnaible says. “They both fill in every spot and outcompete native plants.”
“It’s fun to interact with teachers and kids to see how it all comes together,” Schnaible says. “Maybe in 20 years, one of these kids will be the green industry professional who comes up with a way to manage these troublesome plants.”
Get Involved
Like to help fight garlic mustard on your property or in a city park? You can do it on your own or even organize a group. For more information on plant identification and best management practices, visit dnr.state.mn.us and search “garlic mustard.” Join the volunteers protecting Eagan’s natural beauty!
Events
Food Truck Festival
Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 | 4–9 p.m.
Eagan Festival Grounds, 1501 Central Pkwy.
Bring friends and family members out for a night of great food (20+ food trucks!), awesome live music, and local beverages.
Also, since weather prevented the fireworks show during the Eagan July 4th Funfest, the display will take place during Food Truck Fest at dark. Find event details at cityofeagan.com/foodtruck.
Family Movie Night
Thursday, Aug. 15 | 6–8:15 p.m.
Eagan Community Center | 1501 Central
Pkwy. | $5 (ages 3+)
Featured movies include Babe (G), Leo (PG), and Goonies (PG). With each ticket, you’re free to grab a snack at the concession stand: popcorn, soda/water, and candy! Register at discovereagan.com.
Lakefest 2026
Thursday, Aug. 15 | 5–8 p.m.
Blackhawk Park (Blackhawk Lake) | Free
Learn about fishing and aquatic wildlife, play games, and build water-themed craft projects. See details at cityofeagan.com/lakefest.
Cookies and Quilts with Otto and Ella
Sunday, Aug. 18 | 2–4 p.m.
Holz Farm, 4665 Manor Dr. | Free
Visit the farmhouse to enjoy special cookies
and beautiful quilts on display.
End of Summer Bash
Thursday, Aug. 29 | 5–7 p.m. | $8/person
Rahn Park Pavilion, 4425 Sandstone Dr.
Join Eagan Parks & Recreation for yard games, crafts, bingo, and s’mores. Register by Thursday, Aug. 22, at discovereagan.com.
Series All Play
Woodhaven Park, 1950 Gold Tr. | Free
Through Thursday, Aug. 22 | Various times
People of all abilities are invited to participate in programs and try new activities. No registration is required.
Spark! Mobile
The Spark! Team presents original stories told by your favorite puppet friends in neighborhood parks. Selected performances feature ASL interpretation. See the Spark! Mobile’s schedule at cityofeagan.com/spark.
Harvest Festival
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Holz Farm, 4665 Manor Dr. | $3/person
Visit Historic Holz Farm for hayrides, live music, animals, demos, and more. Tickets are required for those 12 months and older and are available at discovereagan.com or on site.
Climate Action Plan: We Need Your Input
Join us for a climate action plan community input session at the Eagan Community Center. Talk with staff and consultants to help us gather feedback on how to address climate change.
The climate action plan will help the City:
- Develop strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Adapt to our changing climate
- Educate the community of climate resilience
Both sessions will cover the same material, so pick one night to join us!
Session 1
Thursday, Sept. 12 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Eagan Community Center, Oaks Banquet Room | 1501 Central Pkwy
Session 2
Tuesday, Sept. 24 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Eagan Community Center, Oaks Banquet Room | 1501 Central Pkwy