I mentioned the data center meetings in Minneapolis’ North Loop earlier, today MPR talks more about the meetings led by the Minnesota Design Center. They heard about how the first meeting went last night (Aug 18)…

MARY BINKLEY: It was a really nice exercise that Dr. Burga and his colleagues from the U had US go through. There were giant maps of the North Loop at several tables, and they asked us to plot where in the North Loop, where are the things that we love about the North Loop, what do we think is missing, and what are the concerns about data centers.

And as I was looking at what people put on their Post-It notes, I learned that people really, really value the green space that we have in the North Loop along the Mississippi River as well as our small business community. This is a community that has everybody’s favorite restaurants and coffee shops and gyms and retailers, and that definitely came out in the feedback on the maps that we saw last night. It was a good exercise.

And a little bit on the agenda for the next meeting (Aug 20)…

FERNANDO BURGA: Certainly. Because we have to understand what is important for the community to be able to guide the work. So we start by understanding exactly how the community sees itself. What are the values, locations, histories that define the community.

From there, we move into a more systematic way to understanding impacts, which is what we’re going to be doing today. Today we’re going to be focusing on the question of data center impacts. And similarly to the maps, we have a series of tools that have been developed by our researchers here at the Minnesota Design Center to continue the process of collecting information and understanding the hopes, the dreams, the stories that define essentially how people see themselves, how they see their community impacted, and how they see the region impacted.

These tools are going to be geared around issues related to water, energy, economy, society, family, neighborhood, and also neighborhoods, people that live in other places that may enjoy coming to the North Loop. So we’re aiming to develop essentially an archive, also a system of information that we can then look at, and then on Thursday, we’re going to be considering alternatives. What are the ways that we can think about moving forward? Based on tomorrow’s presentation, we’re going to be able to develop that workshop, and then on Saturday we’re going to have a final share out with the community about next steps.

They also talk about the difference between rural and urban conversations about data centers…

FERNANDO BURGA: So the main similarity is that there’s deep concern and confusion about data centers coming to people’s communities. There is a lack of information, transparency. There is misinformation. People do not know what they don’t know. People feel paralyzed.

In many ways, each community is different and unique. We’re finding that specific communities across rural Minnesota are developing alternatives that include thinking about the design and the placement of buildings, for example. Some of them are in complete opposition, and this is a very divisive topic, one which is really affecting people emotionally and mentally also.

Through our work in empowering small Minnesota communities’ partnership with University of Minnesota Extension, we are considering these questions, and we are developing essentially a set of engagement, models, kits, tools but also developing the research and the questions that allow us then to move forward proactively and work with a community like the North Loop Neighbors Association in the North Loop that is open and available to be able to have this type of conversation with the public.