West metro briefs: Celebration on tap for Robbinsdale's demolished Terrace Theatre

A community event will be held next month to remember the now-demolished Terrace Theatre in Robbinsdale.

The "Rock the Terrace" event, scheduled for Nov. 5, was initially supposed to be a fundraiser for a preservation group's legal efforts to fight demolition of the 1950s-era theater.

After the court battle to save the theater ended, the group remade the event to celebrate the theater's 65 years and collect donations to settle legal bills.

The 1,300-seat theater was designed by local theater architects Liebenberg and Kaplan and marked its 65th anniversary earlier this year. It had been closed since 1999.

St. Louis Park-based Inland Development Partners announced plans this summer to redevelop the theater property and half an adjacent mall for a Hy-Vee grocery store, a convenience store, coffee shop and gas pumps. Developers said it would cost $2.4 million to bring the theater up to code.

The Friends of the Terrace preservation group sued the theater's owner, Brixmor Property Group. But it was denied a temporary restraining order, lost an appeal and was unable to come up with the $6.3 million needed to halt demolition.

The City Council unanimously supported the redevelopment, saying it will revitalize blighted acreage, create 700 jobs and generate more property taxes — about $418,500 a year, up from $69,000.

GOLDEN VALLEY
Lower water usage results in water fee hike

Lower water consumption in Golden Valley has prompted city officials to raise the utility fee that pays for the area's emergency water supply.

Starting Nov. 1, utility bills in Golden Valley will go up by 10 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used. That's a 50 percent increase over the 20-cent fee now charged.

The City Council approved the fee hike at its Sept. 20 meeting.

Officials said the reason for the hike is that water consumption has declined since the fee was introduced in 2014, and more revenue is needed to pay for a $4 million project to drill and operate emergency wells to be used if the standard water supply from Minneapolis is halted.

Water consumption is down because of two straight years of higher-than-average rainfalls, which have reduced the need to water lawns more often.

KEVIN DUCHSCHERE

EXCELSIOR
Input sought on Commons park's past, future

The history and future of the Commons, a lakeside park in Excelsior, will be discussed at a free event on Monday, Oct. 10.

City officials are looking for public input on revitalizing the 13-acre park on Lake Minnetonka. Officials want to build a new band shell, bathrooms, lake walk and concession stands.

The event starts at 7 p.m. at Excelsior Brewing Co., 421 3rd St., and will discuss the history of the park, which has been public land for more than 160 years. It's part of a monthly series presented by the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.

KELLY SMITH

WEST METRO
Domestic violence forums and vigil to be held

Free public forums and a candlelight vigil this month will honor local victims of domestic violence and increase awareness about the issue.

Cornerstone Advocacy Service, a Bloomington-based nonprofit that provides services and support for victims, will host an interfaith domestic violence forum to educate people on how to better support someone experiencing domestic violence. The forum will be held 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Normandale Hylands United Methodist Church, 9920 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, at Edinbrook Church, 4300 Edinbrook Pkwy., Brooklyn Park.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 2015, at least 34 people were killed due to domestic violence in Minnesota; so far this year, at least 10 people have been killed, according to the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women. Events will be held statewide throughout the month to increase awareness about domestic violence. For a list of other events, go to mcbw.org/.