City of Albert Lea - City Hall

📣 Our hearts hurt to announce our festival is canceled today ⛈ Mother Nature sure had other plans for our season...we really appreciate everyone's support & hope to have a much different season next year! We miss our WDW! 💔

🎹 Please join us for the incredible musical talents of our festival headliner ECLIPSE tonight @ 112 on Broadway, the weather is always great at 112! 🎼

Cheers to better days,
Madison & Holly 💙 💚

The Albert Lea City Council appointed Reid Olson to the Ward 4 vacancy after City Councilor Sherri Rasmussen resigned in June. He’s quite familiar with the position, having served on the council from 2007-2022. Olson will serve the remaining 2-plus years left in the 4-year term. The only option for filling the seat was an appointment because the ballot for the November election was already finalized. For more details, go to https://cityofalbertlea.org/reidolson/.

MOSQUITO SPRAYING THIS WEEK: Mosquito Control of Iowa will spray in the City of Albert Lea Wednesday, Aug.14, with Thursday, Aug. 15, as a backup, weather permitting. Tip: Keep mosquitoes away from exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. More info at: https://cityofalbertlea.org/mosquitocontrol

Get ready for a fun-filled week in Albert Lea! There's a great lineup of events to keep you entertained:
• Wind Down Wednesday: Enjoy live music, food trucks, crafts and more!
• Thursdays on Fountain: Relax by the lake with live music from "Good Morning Bedlam."
• Movie in the Park: Grab your blanket and enjoy "Trolls Band Together" under the stars.

Albert Lea Recreation is hosting archery tag at Eberhart Park, 1502 Eberhart St., on Wednesday, Aug. 14 and 21. Come join the fun from 5:30-7 p.m. No registration or fee required. If there's enough interest, we'll start a league. All skill levels welcome!

PRIMARY ELECTION IS TUESDAY: Polling places will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 13 for primary elections. Voters will narrow the field of candidates for U.S. Senator and District 1 of the U.S. House of Representatives. For more information, including how to register to vote, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State website: www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/.

Get crafty at the library this week! Adults, stop in for Craft Night Tuesday. Let your creativity flow and meet other crafty folks in the community. Teens, it's your turn on Wednesday! See all the details below.

Check out what is happening this week at the Albert Lea Public Library!
Teens and tweens stop in Wednesday afternoon for some fun crafting, bring your friends!
https://bit.ly/3GpHWKZ

RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER: Fall into a favorite or new activity this autumn with programs and events for all ages at the Albert Lea Public Library, Senior Center and City Arena! Look for the Fall Fun Guide in your mailbox soon. Get a sneak peak online at https://cityofalbertlea.org/recreation/.

Due to low attendance the Aquatic Center will be closing at 5 p.m.

SOUTH SHORE DRIVE DETOUR STARTS MONDAY: Please note the South Shore Drive detour starting Aug. 12 while crews repair a break in the wastewater main that goes to the treatment plant. The City of Albert Lea expects the detour to be in place for at least 2 weeks. Keep following us for updates.

On the agenda: Former councilor to return to fourth ward seat. - https://mailchi.mp/259cd5ad7fe3/on-the-agenda-former-councilor-to-return-to-fourth-ward-seat Sign up for the week-lea at https://cityofalberlea.org/sign-up-for-enews/

A WINNING SHOW FOR ALBERT LEA: The City Arena is proud to again host the annual Club of Freeborn County dog show! The 68th and 69th all-breed dog shows, obedience trials and rally trials will be held Aug. 10-11 at the arena. More than 400 people with about 600 dogs usually compete in this show. Welcome to all visitors and good luck to all participants! Throughout the year, the arena is home to the kennel club, which holds obedience training courses. For more information, visit the club’s website: https://kennelcluboffreeborncounty.org/index.html. Thank you to Darcy Sime for the photos!

MOSQUITO SPRAYING THIS WEEK: Mosquito Control of Iowa will spray in the City of Albert Lea Wednesday, Aug. 7, with Thursday, Aug. 8, as a backup, weather permitting. Tip: Tightly cover water storage containers (e.g. rain barrels) so that mosquitoes can't lay eggs inside of it. More info at: https://cityofalbertlea.org/mosquitocontrol

Let’s fight cancer together! Join the Freeborn-Mower County Relay for Life this Friday 1105 Bridge Ave., Albert Lea. Let’s celebrate survivors, remember loved ones, and raise money for a world without cancer.

Big weekend for events coming up! Get ready to glow! Join the Glow Ride this Friday, Aug. 9 at 9 p.m. at the North Broadway parking lot. Light up the night with a slow cruise around Fountain Lake. Helmets are a must! No fee, no registration, just fun!

The Planning Commission meeting scheduled for tonight has been postponed to Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m. due to illness. The Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing on a proposed zoning ordinance for cannabis, off-sale liquor, to***co and sexually-oriented businesses.

Join Albert Lea Recreation at Eberhart Park, 1502 Eberhart St., on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 14 and 21 from 5:30-7 p.m. to learn all about archery tag! No fee or registration required. If there's enough interest, a league will be formed. No archery experience needed.

Want to become a birdwatching pro? Join the Albert Lea Public Library for a FREE lunch and learn on Thurs, Aug 8, noon-1pm at City Hall, 221 E. Clark St. Learn bird ID, feeding, gear, and more from expert Amy Simso Dean. Plus, discover easy ways to help protect our feathered friends. See details below.

Check out what is happening this week at the Albert Lea Public Library!
https://bit.ly/3GpHWKZ

Teens: Make a splash this Thursday, Aug. 8. Teen Night takes over the Aquatic Center, 321 James Ave., from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy beats by DJ Kessel, cool off in the pool, and hang with your friends. $2 admission or use your season pass. Ages 12-15.

ROCK-N-ROLL THE LAKES SATURDAY: There’s still time to register for the annual Rock-n-Roll the Lakes bike ride in Albert Lea! Enjoy 10-, 30-, or 50-mile route options on Saturday, Aug. 10, starting and ending at Central Park, 300 W. Clark St. Check-in opens at 8 a.m. that day and closes at 10 a.m. For details and to register, visit the www.bikemn.org/all-events/rock-and-roll-the-lakes/. Proceeds benefit local trails so get on your bike and ride!

LAST CHANCE TO MAKE A SPLASH! The Albert Lea Aquatic Center, 321 James Ave., closes for the season on Sun., Aug. 11. Don't miss out!

FIRST STEP TOWARD NEW ZONING: The Albert Lea Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Aug. 6 on a draft zoning law that would limit the locations for new cannabis, off-sale liquor, to***co and sexually-oriented businesses. The hearing will be held at the commission’s meeting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the top floor of City Hall, 221 E. Clark St. The commission will make a recommendation to the Albert Lea City Council on adopting the new zoning, with the council making the final decision later this year. The proposed zoning law would prohibit adult-focused businesses in residential areas, the historic downtown, an area around downtown and areas along I-35 and I-90. The law would also require setbacks from areas frequented by children and families, including schools, parks and places of worship. For more information, including the draft law, see the full news release at https://cityofalbertlea.org/adultfocusedbusinesses/ and the Zoning for the future webpage at https://cityofalbertlea.org/zoningforthefuture/. The proposed changes are in response to the State of Minnesota legalizing recreational use of ma*****na, with additional controls, such as permissible hours of operation, still being developed.

Project updates:
Seventh Street reconstruction (photo above): The contractor has completed all underground utility work. The next step will be installing a new aggregate road base.
Winter Avenue reconstruction: A temporary water supply is in place. The contractor has begun pavement removal and sanitary sewer replacement.
Fairlane Terrace area: The contractor has finished curb removal throughout the area. Gravel will temporarily replace driveways during construction. Concrete work, including new curb installation, is set to begin the week of Aug. 5.
Spicer Road reconstruction: The contractor has installed a new aggregate road base to allow driveway access. Curb installation is set to start the week of Aug. 5.
Downtown alley reconstruction: The contractor started pavement removal grading on the southernmost alley between Main and College Street this past week.
Fountain Lake in-lake habitat (a project of the Shell Rock River Watershed District): To prevent the rock mounds from settling into the lake bottom, the contractor paused on placing rocks to shore up the bases of the habitat features with sand. Crews have resumed working on rock mounds, with about 876 tons of rock placed so far.
Keep following us for future project updates.

Public hearing set on zoning for adult-focused businesses - https://mailchi.mp/2c8e84178692/public-hearing-set-on-zoning-for-adult-focused-businesses . Sign up for the Week-Lea: https://cityofalbertlea.org/sign-up-for-enews

UPGRADES COMING: Starting Monday, Aug. 5, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will be upgrading intersections on Broadway Avenue/Highway 65 at Front Street and Margaretha Avenue. The upgrades include replacing the traffic signals that are reaching the end of their useful life, and improving safety for both pedestrians and drivers. Expect road closures and detours on Broadway at Front Street and Margaretha Avenue. Broadway/Highway 65 will remain open to vehicles, but pedestrians and bicyclists will need to take detours. For more details and updates, visit the MnDOT project website: www.dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/traffic-signal-replacement.