Phase one of Windego Park Society’s three-phase project for the restoration of the Anoka Amphitheater is due to be started by spring of 2009.
“It will be a good thing for the community,” Anoka Mayor Bjorn Skogquist said. “And for the businesses downtown to have an extra thousand people walking through and past businesses and participating in the restaurants, being part of what a downtown should be.”
Skogquist revived Windego Park Society while working on a high-school project in 1996. He went on to propose the project to the Anoka City Council and succeeded in forming Windego Park Society by late 1997.
In December of 2005, the Windego Park Society received a 25-year lease to rehabilitate and operate the amphitheater.
Once Phase one is complete, the amphitheater will be in working condition. It will have a wooden deck at the entrance with shelter provided. The project has two more phases before completion.
Phase two will fix up the north section of the amphitheater that has crumbled and needs major reconstruction. This will open more seating up and also provide a hidden changing room, as there once was.
Phase three will bring a more fluid and uniform look to the amphitheater. A canopy will be installed to cover the audience as well as the stage, providing shade.
Windego Park Society needs to collect enough money to support Phase one by the end of 2008. Local events are being held to collect donations. This Friday they are hosting the Classic Horror Film Festival at Avant Garden, downtown Anoka.
“The politics are so polarized here.” Alyssa Baguss, Windego Park Administrator, said. “Bjorn formally resigned from Windego in 2005 in hopes to clear any conflict of interest.”
“Windego kind of became a poster-child for saving some drug rehabilitation centers,” Baguss said. In 1998 MnDOT planned to clear a large portion of the Anoka Amphitheater, making more room for the Highway 169 construction. The Amphitheater was saved as well as a few drug treatment facilities. This frustrated many people in the City Council.
The historic amphitheater, once a spot for many different activities, began as a project by Thaddeus P. Giddings in 1914. Giddings left the amphitheater in 1936 to found the Interlochen Music College in Interlochen, Michigan. The amphitheater frequented fewer activities until it closed down was and nearly forgotten.
“This is something that’s good for Anoka.” Skogquist said. “When it’s up and running, I think a lot of people will wonder why it was ever a fight.”

©2007 Michael Erickson, WordPress

October 14th, 2007

The http://anokacityforum.com/ site seemed to pop up with no clear statements as to who runs this site. However, this site makes some claims against the http://anokacityblogs.typepad.com site. I’d have to say, of all things I’ve been reading between these two sites, http://anokacityforum.com/ is nice to have to counter-balance the other. The Anokacityblogs site seems to just be focused on attacking Bjorn for any and every ridiculous reason there could be, never really getting to the proposed purpose of the BLOG.

http://anokacityforum.com/ makes an interesting statement about an individual named Linea Kirchner. This site makes claim that Linea Kirchner is a/the person behind the blogs that make claim to Anoka’s dysfunction. What really bothers me is that this site does not offer information behind who runs this site.

As far as who runs my site? ArisenProdigy is not a common name. A simple google search should turn up results ultimately revealing my identity. I’m not making this difficult.

What I’m trying to get at is the fact that it’d be nice to be able to have some sources. Anonymous blogs, no matter how much information you think you have to post, amounts to NOTHING.

Thanks again, its amazing how many views this blog is already getting only after being up for 2 days!

As far as the owner of http://www.anokacityforum.com/:
It’s cool to know there is another person creating and discussing these topics as well.  I’ve credited your site with the posts I’ve re-posted here and I hope this helps direct some traffic you way as well!

The following letter was written in response to a Letter to the Editor by Mrs. Kirchner published in the Anoka County Union.

My Dear Mrs. Kirchner,

My mother taught me two undeniable truths: One; that it was easy to sit on the sidelines and take cheap shots but it takes a bigger person to get involved and make a difference. The second was: “Those who say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it”

There are many individuals in this City of Anoka who donate their talents, time, and money to make this a better place. One only needs to attend the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to see over a hundred volunteers giving their time directly to the City of Anoka. Not present at the dinner are the hundreds of others who volunteer through groups like, Anoka Women of Today, Anoka Jaycees, Anoka County Historical Society, the Lions, Kiwanis’s, City Council, School Board, Every Anoka Church Group, Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few who unselfishly give of their time & talent to make this a better community.

Meanwhile, others like yourself sit on the sidelines and fling arrows at those volunteers, offering nothing to the discussion or work they are doing. Most of your writings, anonymous letters & blogs expound nothing more than your virulent “evil” hatred for those volunteers.

Unfortunately the perpetrators of this type of “Evil Hatred” seldom see their actions for what it is.

It’s time to come off the sidelines, Mrs. Kirchner (5th Generation Anokan) and move back into the city and do something positive for this town you claim as home. Yes, it takes more than writing anonymous letters/blogs; it takes ACTION, making friends and getting involved. Its time to be a part of the Solution, rather than the Problem.

If one wonders why others may consider Anoka “Dysfunctional” they need only look at your own writings that Create and continue to Promote that Perception.

The Kirchner’s continue to publish their scandalous blog called “The Anoka Forum” with another defamation character assassination on the Mayor of Anoka, with speculation on his leaving a job in which they (the Kirchner’s) have it wrong.

Its time for the Law Makers whom the Kirchner’s and “ACT” have helped in this endeavor and supported, to speak up and denounce these writings and tell them to Stop the Insanity.

Its time for an investigation into the identities of the other Ghost Writers of this dribble and hold them accountable. If there are additional City Staff involved or Council members, Board members involved in this scandalous writing, they should be accountable to the Ethics Pledges that they all signed, and dealt with accordingly.

It’s time for the Citizens of Anoka, MN to shout, “Stop the Insanity” and hold our elected officials who benefit from these two groups, accountable.

Note: The Kirchners, Robert and Linea are local residents of Coon Rapids; MN Robert is Community Development Director for the City of Anoka.

If one wonders why others consider Anoka, “Dysfunctional”, you need only look at your own writings that Create and continue to promote that Perception.

Recently a blog was setup by ghostwriters about politics in the City of Anoka.

I found it odd that none of the ghostwriters, nor the publisher of the blog dared pen their names to that blog, a collection of tales, and fiction about the newsmakers in Anoka written primarily by the wife of an executive at Anoka City Hall. (Linea Kirchner). The other ghostwriters like Ms. Kirchner are too proud to put their names to print.

Fortunately few have seen the website, which attempts to scandalize public servants, volunteers and the good people (citizen’s) of Anoka with yellow journalism. Perhaps the writer of that dribble should first look inward and consider re-reading

Exodus 8: 16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.“

Winston Churchill 1874-1965)

I would advise everyone who is actually giving this topic a serious thought to go ahead and ease their minds by contacting the Minnesota Attorney General or the Internal Revenue Service about this issue. If that’s not enough, you can also go to http://www.guidestar.org/ and search “Windego.”

Why wouldn’t somebody doing any research on Windego’s Credibility as a 501 (c)3 at least contact the Minnesota Attorney General?

http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2135488/7665380

The following is quoted straight from their blogsite(whoever “they” are):

“You are reading an Anoka government accountability site. During the 2006 local campaign many concerns were raised that will be addressed on this site. Conflict of interest, self interest/no interest on the council, “low ethics of people on the advisory boards” as reported by candidate Aaron Barr are just some of the areas to be explored.”

What part of the Anoka Government is running this site?

“This site will take an Open Source Reporting position. Tips, story ideas, actual letters and articles will all be considered. Primary sources will include Document research, Observation and Interviews.”

Open Source Reporting? My understanding of Open Source means that all sides are put into consideration and can contribute to this effort. But when making any attempt to post a comment you soon find out that it is moderated heavily by an unnamed committee and more than likely won’t be addressed or “…see the light of the Computer screen on this particular site.” (Refer to the ACF Comments Policy)

“Information and concerns from Snitches and Informants will be seriously considered. Posters will be varied and confidential. Issues that affect the operation of fair, healthy government will be the focus.”

What is your definition of “fair?” Is it posting a narrow-minded and completely biased weblog with an obvious agenda to discrediting certain people? Pretending that you are a

“Insights, advice and sound information are all welcome. Please notify us of errors and any corrections needed in factual information.”

Well, I personally have tried to make some sort of contact on a few of the errors, but since its impossible to post any comments, and you leave yourself unreachable, I couldn’t. I’m also sure others have also tried to do the same. Its a real shame this is the case. I’m sure everyone would be interested in tackling the details of “Anoka’s dysfunction” and make efforts to see where they really are.

http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2135488/7317874