Eagle Ridge Reporter: March 2014

Friday, March 28, 2014

Resident Survey - We want to know what you think!

At Condor Corporation, we care about what our residents think. To ensure we're living up to our pledge to go Beyond the Expected for our residents, we are asking them to take a few minutes and fill out a survey. We delivered a printed version of the survey to each apartment, which can be returned to the office once completed. Alternatively, we have put the survey online, that way our residents pick whichever format that's most convenient for them.

This is not only an opportunity for you to tell us how we're doing, but also a chance to change your community! We want to know what we can do to improve your living experience. Plus, all survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to receive $20 off their April rent - and there will be 20 winners chosen! The survey will close on April 7.

Thank you all for your time and valuable input!

Take The Survey!

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e9396bs5ht1t2nht/start

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Get Your Wheels Ready for Some Fun

With the expected warm-up this weekend, everyone is feeling the itch to get outside and get active! A popular way to get outside is to ride something with wheels - so go get your bike or skateboard out of storage and get ready to have some fun!

Awesome Bike Trails

For people who love biking or boarding, Eagle Ridge is a great place to live. Paved city trails run right along the entrances to our community and they connect to an excellent network of local and regional trails.

Or if you prefer mountain biking, we're close to one of the best local places to go: Elm Creek Park Reserve.

Here are some links to more information about the trails near us:

City of Maple Grove trail map: http://www.maplegrovemn.gov/parks-and-recreation/parks-and-trails
Hennepin County trail maps: http://www.hennepin.us/bikeplan
Elm Creek Park Reserve: http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/elm-creek-park.aspx
MN Bike Trail Navigator: If you're looking for some great routes in the metro area, check out this independent blogger's favorite routes page. http://mnbiketrailnavigator.blogspot.com/p/favorite-routes.html

Time to Tune-Up or Upgrade

It's always a good idea to get your bike or board checked for safety. Often you can do this yourself, if you know what to look for; but if not, there are some great bike and board shops near Eagle Ridge that do tune-ups. A good bike shop will check the frame, steering system, wheels, brakes, cranks and bottom brackets, derailleurs, and the chain.

Local Bike & Board Shops

Here are some great bike and board shops near Eagle Ridge. Ride safe!

Maple Grove Cycling
13950 Grove Drive
Maple Grove, MN 55311
(763) 420-8878
maplegrovecycling.com‎

Erik's Bike and Board Shop
6850 Hemlock Lane North
Maple Grove, MN 55369
(763) 391-7888
eriksbikeshop.com‎
‎
REI Maple Grove

11581 Fountains Drive
Maple Grove, MN 55369
(763) 493-7861
rei.com‎

Bike Storage
One of the many amenities we provide at Eagle Ridge is a secure bike storage room in the garage of each of our buildings.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Happy First Day of Spring!

Happy first day of spring!

Did you know that spring fever is not just a myth? Here's some amazing facts about Spring:

The human body may experience physiological changes due to changes in diet, hormone production and temperature
Melting snow and additional rain may cause more flooding in spring
Children grow faster in spring
Spring is also when birds return home after migrating in winter. About 1800 bird species migrate.

We are looking forward to spring at Eagle Ridge. We’ll be planting flowers, cleaning up the tennis courts, and soon we'll be watching all of the beautiful trees around our buildings bloom. Happy Spring!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Melting Snow + Freezing Nights = Slippery Sidewalks

This winter just doesn't know how to quit! The forecast is calling for three to six more inches of snow tonight for the Twin Cities metro area. This is a good time to remind everyone to continue to walk carefully outside - this winter isn't giving us any breaks from the snow and ice.

Please use caution when walking on the sidewalks and in the parking lots around Eagle Ridge. As the temperatures fluctuate this time of year we often see snow and ice melting during the day, only to freeze again at night - which can make for some slippery conditions on the pavement. We will do our best to have these areas salted and sanded in a timely manner, but your caution is always necessary.

Thank you for cooperation in this important safety matter.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Celebrating St. Paddy's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This holiday is a big deal in the St. Paul metro area, because of the city's historical Irish heritage. Here's a quick guide for celebrating St. Patrick's day.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide and is a national holiday in Ireland. In Chicago, on St. Patrick’s Day, the river is dyed green; and in Seattle there is a ceremony where a green stripe is painted down the roads. Some people even go so far as to dye their hair green, and many more people will wear green, purportedly to avoid being pinched. Many bars in the United States and other countries serve green beer to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day.

If you’re looking to celebrate your Irish heritage, or even if you’re not Irish, here are some ways to celebrate:

Parade in Minneapolis

In Minneapolis there is a St. Patrick’s Day parade on Monday, March 17 at 6:30 pm on the Nicollet Mall. The parade route will start at Nicollet and 13th Street until it reaches 5th Street.

Parade in St. Paul

The Annual St. Paul St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held at 12:00 pm on Monday, March 17. The parade travels east to west along 5th Street beginning at Broadway.

Irish Pubs

If you are into green beer, you can head to The Liffey Irish Pub on 175 7th St. W in St. Paul. There is also Cork’s Irish Pub located at 175 10th St. E in St. Paul as well.

Irish Food

And if you are craving some traditional Irish food to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, check out Kieran’s Irish Pub located at 85 6th Street North in Minneapolis. They offer traditional Irish food, drinks and have live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

An old Irish quote: “May you always walk in sunshine, may you never want for more, may Irish angels rest their wings, right beside your door!” Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Como Conservatory Flower Show - Bask In Sun, Warmth, and Flowers

Flowers - and lots of them! Head over to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park this weekend to see the special Winter Flower Show. This is the last weekend for the display; so if you are craving a taste of spring, this is a great place to visit. Soon the trees, bushes, and flowers around Eagle Ridge will be blooming as spring finally arrives - but for now you can go bask in sun, warmth, and take in the sight of hundreds of beautiful flowers at the Conservatory.

Sunken Garden at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Source: http://www.comozooconservatory.org/attractions/gardens/sunken-gardens/#/info

Seasonal Shows

The Sunken Garden is a special room at the Como Park Marjorie McNeely Conservatory that features changing displays throughout the year - so you can keep visiting and see something new! Here's a description of the Winter Flower Show from the website:

The Winter Show will have a mixture of the purple, red, pink and yellow. Plants highlighted will be various Cyclamen, Pansies, Viola, Cineraria, Amaryllis, Primula from the Touch me Midi series, Azaleas, Camellias, and Velthemia with their pink flower spikes. Fragrance to the show will be supplies by various Oriental lilies and Paperwhite Narcissus.

The Spring Flower Show begins on March 22. You could visit this weekend and the next and see how the Sunken Garden is transformed from one theme to the next.

For more information visit the Como Park Conservatory website here:

http://www.comozooconservatory.org/attractions/gardens/sunken-gardens/#/info