Camp Coldwater and the Hiawatha Reroute
Unique to the situation of light rail in the Twin Cities is the endlessly ongoing battle over Camp Coldwater, a richly historical site just off of the interchange between Highways 55 and 62 which is threatened by the current plan for the Hiawatha line. In addition to being the site of the first white settlers in Minnesota, Camp Coldwater and its Coldwater Springs comprise a sacred place--both the wellspring of certain creation stories and a traditional place of truce--to many native peoples, including the Ojibwe, Fox, and Dakota. The contest over its status and protection has endured for over four decades. The construction and subsequent widening of Highway 55, contrary to promises and predictions made by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, caused damages to the land and to Coldwater Springs. Now the same promises are being made regarding bedrock excavation and other procedures related to the Hiawatha Line, and there are also fears that damage will spread to nearby bodies of water such as the Hiawatha Creek and Diamond Lake. Community groups are adamant that the past should not repeat itself and that this highly important site should not be lost to shortsighted development.
There is a huge amount of information available on the Web and from community groups concerning Camp Coldwater and its future. For detailed accounts of the significance of this site and the battle to protect it, follow the following links:
History of Camp Coldwater--exhibit by a University of Minnesota professor
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~white067/
The Preserve Camp Coldwater Coalition
http://www.preservecampcoldwater.org/index.htm
Coverage of the site's legal protection status by Minnesota Public Radio
http://news.mpr.org/features/200202/06_losurem_spring/index.shtml
A press release from the Minnehaha watershed district concerning reduced flow
in Coldwater Springs
http://www.minnehahacreek.org/press_releases/PR/pr020205.htm
The Department of Transportation's views concerning the Hiawatha Corridor Project
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/construction/hwy55/55faq.html