Through the Hills: St. Katherine’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Tucked away on Highway 96 West near Snelling Avenue North, five cross-topped domes belonging to St. Katherine’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church peek over the tree line. Established in St. Paul in the 1950's, the parish operated as the Saints Volodymyr and Olga Ukrainian Orthodox Church until it moved to Arden Hills in 1995 and changed its name to St. Katherine's. Prior to the move, parishioner Oleg Gregoret designed and oversaw the construction of the building. The iconic black domes are indication of the 17th-century Ukrainian Baroque architectural style, which is known for its geometric and cylindrical elements.

Not long after St. Katherine’s opened its doors in Arden Hills, they also opened a small museum in the same building celebrating Ukrainian culture. The exhibits feature traditional textiles, centuries old ceramics, paintings, garments, and instruments, all of which are considered family heirlooms by the congregants who donated them. Every spring, the church hosts an annual Ukrainian Dinner and Painted Egg sale that all are welcome to join. The event features traditional baked goods and a silent auction. Additionally, the local parish is partnering with St. Michael and St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Minneapolis to host humanitarian aid fundraising luncheons. Thus far, the churches estimate that $50,000 has been raised in addition to the hundreds of boxes of medical and other supplies already donated to assist Ukrainian refugees. More information about upcoming community and fundraising events can be found at katherine.church/donate.php and on their Facebook page.

april 2022 Edition

Sustainability in Arden Hills

Written by G. Arel, directed and edited by the Arden Hills City Council

Among the City’s values is ecological and environmental sustainability. The City of Arden Hills is a member of the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program, which is a voluntary, challenge-based program meant to help cities achieve sustainability and quality-of-life goals. Cities choose action steps from pre-identified Best Practices that align with their goals and that they have the capacity to implement. Arden Hills demonstrates this commitment in its investment in parks and trails, solid waste prevention and reduction, and design for natural resource conservation.

Arden Hills has and will continue to invest in its parks and trails. The new asphalt trail on the west side of Snelling Avenue North was installed in conjunction with road and utility improvements in July 2022. The coordination of the projects enables the existing pavement to be reclaimed and used to construct the base material of the new trail, which saves time, money, and natural resources. This reclamation process is used for construction projects whenever it is feasible. The construction of trails is not a simple task because City leadership considers a number of environmental factors during the planning process.

Another priority of the City is the prevention and reduction of solid waste. Through a partnership with Republic Services, residents receive curbside recycling services—they do not need to set up individual contracts with carriers. An organic recycling site is located within Arden Hills at 3530 Hudson Avenue to encourage residents to recycle their food scraps and yard waste. Additionally, the City regularly promotes resources that identify sustainable waste disposal options. To access these resources, begin by visiting cityofardenhills.org/organic-waste.

The City prioritizes the conservation of natural resources in new designs and construction. The City Council encourages commercial developers to add electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to their lots and requires that bike racks are included in development plans. These changes make the city more accessible for bikers and EV drivers.

Arden Hills is within the jurisdiction of the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD), whose purpose is to conserve and restore "water resources for the beneficial use of current and future generations.” With the collaboration of the RCWD and the assistance of the Karth Lake Improvement District, Arden Hills Public Works completed a run-off control project for Karth Lake in 2021. The project resulted in improving the water quality of the lake by reducing phosphorus intake by 11.33 lbs per year, which is equal to preventing 11 tons of sediment from moving into the lake.

From using a brine treatment prior to snowfall to reduce the amount of regular road salt used in the winter (which pollutes lakes and rivers through storm drains) to the recent installation of LED lights around the city and the many rain gardens that have seamlessly been added to the City’s landscape, Arden Hills is committed to creating an environmentally-aware and sustainable future.