Whose view? From where? — February 2012

We received two correct guesses this month — thanks to both of our entrants!

"This is from the parking lot of the St. Paul Airport looking across the river toward the bluffs below Mounds Park. In the foreground are the top of some steps that go down to a small backwater of the river that used to be the harbor of the old sea plane base."
— Eric Otterness

"I'm guessing it's a view of the bluffs above Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Indian Mounds Regional Park from the St. Paul airport. The steps served seaplane access in the inlet by the airport ..."
— Kathleen Anglo

And Kathleen should know, since she was the lead landscape architect on an update to Indian Mounds Regional Park Master Plan.

The steps are one of a couple openings in the Holman Field Floodwall, which was built about five years ago amid much debate (including opposition from Friends of the Mississippi River). Debate focused on its impact on the river and the future of the airport.

However, one of the upsides of the floodwall was the improved stairs to serve the sea plane harbor. The view also accentuates the lovely limestone bluffs at Mounds Park just across the river.

About Whose view? From where?

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.