Author: Kelley Regan

Riding the 32-foot diameter, 60,000-pound ice carousel at Red Rock Lake proves to be a winter adventure for these thrill-seekers. Drone photo by Mark David There’s a sleepy little lake in Eden Prairie named Red Rock Lake, but in February, it comes alive. Friends of Red Rock Lake (FORRL) association hosts an annual winter celebration every year. It’s a festival of sorts and celebrates the winter season with sledding, ice fishing and kite flying. Friends from far and wide come to roast hot dogs, enjoy s’mores and hit the 250-foot sledding hill. Matt Adam, president of the association, coordinates the…

As you are getting ready to enjoy everything this wonderful holiday season has to offer, make sure to include an Eden Prairie holiday lights tour. People come from far and wide to experience Eden Prairie’s dazzling spectacle of lights, and this year many residents have already set the stage for this magical adventure. EP Holiday lights map Outdoor holiday lights were introduced in North America after the first safe outdoor Christmas light bulbs were invented. The lights appeared in the 1930s to spread a bit of holiday spirit during the Depression. It may not be the Depression era, but we…

Eden Prairie has been recognized as one of the best cities to live in, and homebuyers are certainly taking notice. People of all ages are moving to this area not only because of its proximity to Minneapolis but because it is also a complete city. According to the website Niche, Eden Prairie ranks No. 1 as the best suburb to live in Minnesota for 2021. It’s home to exemplary schools, parks, and opportunities. Residents who move here get welcomed into a diverse and flourishing community. But buying in Eden Prairie may mean entering a crazy real estate market, and the pandemic…

It was a winter blast, thankfully spared from the arctic chill. Eden Prairie’s Winter Blast event at Staring Lake Park on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 8, took advantage of a one-day break in the subzero weather. The temps heated up into the 20s, providing residents a chance to embrace and celebrate winter without having to risk frostbite. The city-sponsored event offered a variety of fun outdoor activities for all ages. Bundled against the elements, a line of children and parents lumbered up the sledding hill in heavy snow boots before jumping aboard colorful inflatable tubes or sleds and darting back to…

The silhouette of a bronze feature depicting a female nurse with her hand on the world at Purgatory Creek Park stands amid a brilliant Monday, Dec. 6, sky at dusk. The moon and Venus are visible (above the bronzed world). According to earthsky.org, the moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus are all visible in the western sky after sunset from Dec. 6-9. Learn more by clicking on this Space.com article. The bronze feature, titled World Peace, is part of the Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial.

Last year’s EPLN Eden Prairie holiday lights map was a hit. So, we’re bringing it to you again. Enjoy an evening with your family viewing some of the creative displays in the city this holiday season! Outdoor holiday lights were introduced in North America after the first safe outdoor Christmas light bulbs were invented. The lights made their appearance in the 1930s to spread a bit of holiday spirit during the Depression. It may not be the Depression-era, but we still look forward to the first twinkling of color that announces the season of giving. Eden Prairie residents are generous…

The frigid cold temperatures did nothing to dampen the warm greetings seniors received at the Valentine’s Day event at the Eden Prairie Senior Center on Feb. 12. Staff and volunteers greeted each guest as they entered the makeshift “drive thru” for a few kind words and a friendly “masked” face. Sue Bohnsack, Senior Center director, and Josh Rockey, recreation specialist, handed out red carnations and a goodie bag to each attendee. The line was long as residents reconnected with the Eden Prairie Senior Center. Inside each goodie bag were thoughtful gifts donated by the event’s generous sponsors. The Eden Prairie…

We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, said the author Pascal Mercier. A part of us stays behind and can only be found again by returning. With that in mind, today we are debuting a regular feature: This Week in Eden Prairie History. This Week in Eden Prairie History steps back into a place in time where a part of us all – whether near, far, or no longer with us – is found in the events of the past. The short descriptions below are invitations to doorways into Eden Prairie’s past. By stepping through you…

If you happened to be near The Waters senior living center on Jan. 20, you may have heard polka music in the air. Lola Sletten, age 102, was among residents getting their vaccination. That’s because the residents at The Waters received their first-dose immunizations for COVID-19. Resident Shirley Gibson gets her first-dose COVID-19 vaccination. What could have been a somber affair for the residents was morphed it into a lighthearted event called a “poke a party.”  After each resident received the immunization, they were invited to take a swing at the COVID-shaped piñata. Nate Streich, environmental services manager, kept the…

Just south of County Road 5 on Eden Prairie Road sits a stately Queen Anne home which houses one rock star café. The building is an integral part of Eden Prairie’s history. Smith Café offers scrumptious home cooked fare, an accomplished wine list, and an incredible cup of joe. Yes, the café offers an incredible dining experience where you are you able to satisfy those hunger pangs, but it also remedies that Eden Prairie history fix you might be needing. The home itself was built in 1877 by Sheldon Smith and his wife Mary, one of Eden Prairies founding families.…