How a grassroots movement in one Minneapolis suburb became a sustainability organization that changed the history of Columbia Heights, MN.
A 10-Year Future Vision
After seeing each other in the audience at several city council meetings, residents Connie Buesgens and Frost Simula were introduced and soon realized their common viewpoint: their community was stagnant and their city was behind the times. On September 9, 2015, Buesgens organized a meeting of concerned residents where brainstorming began. She asked, “What do we want for Heights by 2025?” These are the notes from that first meeting:
Community
- Improve city’s image – progressive, convenient
- Create more volunteer opportunities
- Enlarge clean-up efforts
- Survey current businesses to learn their vision for the future of the city
- Attract new businesses
- Water conservation
- Solar energy
- Native plants
- Monarch way-stations
- Improved landscaping on Central Avenue
- Garbage/recycle cans on Central Avenue
- Youth group involvement
City
- New city welcome signs
- Update store fronts/signage
- Uses for previous business sites
- New community center
- Performing arts center
- Local brewery
- Shared commercial kitchens
- Citi wide Wi-Fi
- Residential fiber optic internet
- Accessible city website and systems
- City mobile apps
- Improved city communications, including social media
- Sustainability commission
Additional brainstorming meetings were scheduled, and interest from the public grew. The group soon realized that they couldn’t directly influence the city, but they could make a positive impact on the community. This would mean collaborating with existing volunteer organizations, churches, etc.
Emerging Themes
What made this group unique from other organizations is a shared concern for the future of the community. They saw a need for:
Green Technology and Sustainability
Long-term practices that are environmentally friendly, conserving resources, reducing waste, and slowing climate change.
Resilience
The ability of a community to adapt in emergencies, such as recovering from a climate disaster or a social upheaval.
Justice and Equality
Embracing differences, advocating for equal rights, and providing equal access to information and services across various languages, cultures, ages, and abilities.
These became the tenets that everyone wanted for the future of Columbia Heights. The name HeightsNEXT was soon adopted by this grassroots movement.
One Event at a Time
The group’s efforts began small in March of 2016, hosting a multi-organization potluck dinner and networking event for all volunteers in the community. Later, a Dog Day Afternoon event introduced dog owners across the city, followed by a local home garden tour.
Over the next 18 months, other events were organized, many in cooperation with the public library, churches, other organizations, and city staff.
Similar organizations across the Twin Cities metro area took notice, and more partnerships were formed.
Making it Official
One group in particular, a grassroots movement to organize a Columbia Heights farmers market, proposed a merger with HeightsNEXT. On June 23, 2017, HeightsNEXT was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. With it came official branding, a mission statement, and an excited board of directors. Amáda Márquez Simula was the first President of HeightsNEXT. A humble potluck celebration took place in Wargo Park.
Trying New Ideas
HeightsNEXT has sponsored, hosted, or staffed many community events and projects. Some were wild successes year over year! Some, like a haunted house, only had enough volunteers support them for just one year. Others, like the farmers market, never gained enough momentum to become a reality.
Making History
Looking back to the very first meeting organized by Connie Buesgens, it’s clear that HeightsNEXT has reached several of its goals, and changed the course of history for Columbia Heights. Much of the community has embraced sustainability, diversity, and equality. Neighbors are becoming closer, making the community more resilient in times of crisis. But these values and relationships need to be continually nurtured, so the work of HeightsNEXT is never done.
What’s more, the City of Columbia Heights has made several improvements that were also on the initial wish list, including solar panels, new signage, improved store fronts, a more accessible website and systems, city mobile apps, and far better communications and transparency. The city has partnered with HeightsNEXT to create a food forest in the unused baseball diamond of Łomianki Park. Better still, the city has begun organizing some of the community events originally started by HeightsNEXT, such as the popular Dog Day gathering and movies in the park. A sustainability commission was started in 2023, as well as the police department’s first electric vehicles.
HeightsNEXT continues to be a positive influence on the community and the city. Supporting members and volunteers are always welcome to think big, look to the future, and ask “What’s next for Columbia Heights?”.
