MnDOT believes that Rock Island Park’s lilacs are original from the 1930s. This long stretch of lilacs is located on the north end of the park, along 28th St. and Toledo in St. Louis Park, MN.
Lilacs were part of the original 1930s landscaping of the Lilac Way, the showcase section of Highway 100.
According to Andrea Weber, manger of MnDOT’s Historic Roadside Property Program: “Lilacs are really long lived and most of Rock Island Park’s lilacs had some really large trunk sizes which looked to me like they were probably original. The size was consistent with the lilacs on the city-owned north end where we did not remove any buckthorn.”
Flourishing after MnDOT thinned out the buckthorn.
After marking protected trees and shrubs with blue ribbons, MnDOT removed Rock Island Park’s diseased, damaged and invasive trees and shrubs in late March 2021. Lots of invasive buckthorn and mulberries were removed near 28th & Toledo, allowing these original lilacs to get more sun and air to encourage growth.
They will be lost to development if the City of SLP does not purchase this parcel from MnDOT, and accept the south parcel for free from MnDOT.
Please visit the page below to encourage the City of SLP to save them. Press one button to send an email to all members of SLP Council.
