December2010

Over

December6 Human Rights Commission meeting, 7 p.m.

13 City Council meeting, 7 p.m.

14 Citizen Advisory Commission meeting, 7 p.m.

20 City Council work session, Council meal at 6 p.m., meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.

24 Christmas Day observance, city offi ces closed

31 New Years Day observance, city offi ces closed

All activities are at City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. unless otherwise indicated. Agendas and minutes for council and commission meetings are available on the city’s website.

Schedule is subject to change. Call 763-531-5100 for more information.

Lace up your skates and get out and enjoy some clear, crisp winter weath-er on an outdoor ice rink at one of four New Hope parks this winter.

Parks maintenance staff will fl ood rinks in Liberty Park at 60th and Get-tysburg avenues, Civic Center Park at 44th and Xylon avenues, Lions Park at 38th and Oregon avenues, and Hidden Valley Park at 32nd and Boone avenues.

Th e rinks are scheduled to open on December 18, weather permit-ting. Each park will have a rink for leisure skating and a separate rink, surrounded by boards, for hockey. For safety reasons, hockey sticks and pucks are not permitted in the gen-eral skating area. Each park will also have a warming house.

Warming house hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Satur-days, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Expanded warming house hours are scheduled on school vacation days – from 1 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. And, hours are reduced around the holi-

days – from 1 to 3 p.m. on December 24 and 31, and closed on Christmas

and New Years days.Programmed activities, such as broomball, sometimes preempt regu-larly scheduled open skating hours. Check with the warming house at-tendant for details. New Hope’s rinks and warming houses are scheduled to remain open until February 13, if Mother Nature cooperates.

New Hope will have outdoor rinks at four parks

Snow on sidewalks❖ Property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from side-walks adjacent to their home or busi-ness in a timely manner.

❖ Although New Hope does remove snow from city sidewalks when time and resources permit, maintenance workers’ fi rst priority is to clear city streets. New Hope does not budget overtime for sidewalk plowing.

❖ Pedestrians should always use extra caution when walking on plowed sidewalks. City crews are fre-quently unable to clear sidewalks to bare pavement and, consequently, plowed sidewalks may have slippery spots.

On-street parkingprohibited after snowfallWith wintertime here, it’s impor-tant for residents to remember New Hope’s on-street parking restrictions:

❄ On-street parking is prohibited in New Hope as soon as 1½ inches of snow have fallen.

❄ Vehicles must remain off the street until the pavement has been plowed to full width. If possible, residents are encouraged to avoid parking on the street for 24 hours after a snowfall.

❄ Vehicles violating the city’s park-ing restrictions may be ticketed or towed.

During the cold winter months, salt that is applied to streets and driveways eventually fl ows into nearby lakes and rivers. Help keep area waters clean this winter by following these simple tips from the West Metro Water Alliance:

1. Before the storm – Apply a liquid de-icer before snow storms to prevent snow and ice from building up. Th is is not a substitute for shoveling; it just makes it more eff ective. You can make your own liquid de-icer by mixing two cups of hot water with one-half cup of rock salt.

2. Shovel that snow – Shovel, snow blow, plow, and/or sweep. Th ese are all eff ective measures that will remove snow and minimize ice buildup.

3. Less is better – When applying salt, if there are leftover crystals still visible, the salt has been over applied. Th e leftover salt can be swept up and reused or disposed of in the trash.

4. Temperature matters – As temperatures drop salt becomes less eff ective. Check your product label for more information. When the tempera-ture falls below 15° F consider using sand as an alternative to salt.

Prevent pollution with proper winter maintenance

Safety Tip of the Month

Recreation CornerWinter Vacation Youth Sports CampsBoys’ and girls’ basketball camps for youth in grades 4 to 6 and a girls’ vol-leyball camp for girls in grades 6 to 8 are scheduled for December 21 and 22 at the New Hope Community Gyms. Th e fee for any of the three camps is $30 for residents of New Hope, Crystal, Robbinsdale and Golden Valley or $36 for nonresidents. A Sports Unlimited Multi-Sport Camp on December 28 and 29 at New Hope Community Gyms will give kids ages 6 to 11 a chance to explore fl ag football, soccer, and lacrosse. Th e fee is $41 for residents of New Hope, Crystal and Robbinsdale and $47 for nonresidents. And, a series of one-day skateboard camps are being off ered at 3rd Lair for kids ages 6 and older on December 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 or 29. Th e fee is $47 per day without lunch or $51 with lunch. Call the recreation offi ce for details.

Outdoor hockey for your rink ratRink Rat Hockey is an instructional hockey program for boys and girls ages 5 to 11 that’s played outdoors. Games are played every Friday evening and Sunday afternoon from January 2 through February 11 at rinks in New Hope and six nearby communities. Participants must provide their own transportation and equipment. Teams are formed in three age groups. Each player will receive a league jersey and participation award. Th e league fee is $42. Register by December 10.

Gift Certifi cates Make a Great Holiday GiftIs there someone on your holiday gift list who enjoys golfi ng or taking rec-reation classes? Why not buy them a gift certifi cate from the New Hope Vil-lage Golf Course or the New Hope Parks and Recreation Department? For details call 763-531-5151.

For more information about these programs or to register, call the New Hope Parks and Recreation offi ce at 763-531-5151.

As cold winter weather returns to Minnesota, it is important to review the best ways to protect yourself from the cold and to recognize and know how to treat health problems such as hypothermia and frostbite that can result from exposure to cold temperatures.

Staying Warm OutdoorsExposure to cold can be life-threaten-ing. Take these steps to keep warm:

❄ Wear a hat, hood, or scarf. Most heat is lost through the head.

❄ Wear layers. Th ey provide better insulation and warmth.

❄ Keep fi ngertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.

❄ Keep clothing dry. If a layer becomes wet, remove it.

❄ Drinking alcohol may make you think you feel warmer but it actually aids in

City is sponsoringfood and toy drives

City employees are sponsoring holiday food and toy drives again this year.

Unopened, nonperishable food items will be accepted at drop-off sites in the upper level of New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Avenue North, and the New Hope public works maintenance facility, 5500 International Parkway. Drop-off site hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through December 15.

Th e New Hope Police Department is sponsoring a holiday toy drive through December 10. Items may be dropped off 24 hours a day in the lobby of the New Hope Police Department, 4401 Xylon Ave. N. (lower level).

Donations to either drive may also be made by check. Donated items will be delivered to local families in need before the holidays.

decreasing core body temperature.

❄ Shivering is an important fi rst sign that the body is losing heat. Shivering is a signal to return indoors.

❄ Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. Remember, your body isalready working hard just to stay warm,so don’t overdo it. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about engaging in strenuous activities in the cold.

❄ Make sure to drink enough fl uids and eat enough high-energy food, par-ticularly if you are exerting yourself.

❄ Th e wind can compound the danger caused by very cold temperatures. Ac-cording to the National Weather Ser-vice, with a wind of 15 mph, exposed skin can suff er frostbite in 30 minutes at 0ºF and in only 10 minutes at -20°F.

Recognizing and Treating Hypothermia and Frostbite❄ Hypothermia is a life-threatening condition where the body tempera-ture is abnormally low (below 95°F).

❄ Symptoms may include shivering, slurred speech, sluggishness, drowsi-ness, unusual behavior, confusion, dizziness, and shallow breathing.

❄ Some people, such as infants, seniors, overly tired individuals, those under the infl uence of alcohol or drugs and those with chronic diseases (particularly heart or blood fl ow problems) tend to be more susceptible to hypothermia.

❄ Frostbite is a serious injury to a body part frozen from exposure to the cold. It most often aff ects extrem-ities like fi ngers and toes or exposed areas such as ears or parts of the face.

❄ Redness and pain may be the fi rst warning of frostbite. Other symptoms include numbness or skin that ap-pears pale, fi rm, or waxy.

❄ If you suspect a person is suff ering from frostbite or hypothermia, bring him or her someplace warm and call 911.

❄ If medical help is not immedi-ately available, re-warm the person. Remove any damp clothing and cover them with warm blankets. Avoid us-ing direct heat sources, hot water, or rubbing frostbitten areas.