2025 Sustainable Fridley Award recipients
Individual: Tim Kelly
Mr. Kelly has served as the District Administrator of Coon Creek Watershed District since 1990 when he started as the district’s first employee. During this time, Mr. Kelly has been a visionary leader in the management of water resources and an excellent partner to the City. His technical expertise has helped guide the City’s local water planning as well as the implementation of capital improvements to prevent flooding and improve water quality. Under his direction, Coon Creek Watershed District has partnered with the City on notable projects, including the Oak Glen Creek Stabilization and Iron Enhanced Sand Filter Projects, the Springbrook Nature Center Pond Dredging Project, the Apex Pond Expansion and district-wide flood mapping and modeling. Mr. Kelly retired at the end of 2025 following 50 years in the water resources sector.
Youth: Hayes Elementary School Students
The students at Hayes Elementary School helped install rain gardens on their school’s property to help improve the water quality of Rice Creek. Hayes students planted native plants in the rain garden that they had grown from seeds as part of Growing Green Hearts’ Prairie Plants as Super Heroes Relay Program. Students also designed educational signs and artwork for the rain garden. Through this work, students learned about protecting water resources and the benefits of native plants. The rain garden will serve as an ongoing outdoor classroom for Hayes Elementary in years to come. Project partners included Growing Green Hearts, Rice Creek Watershed District and Anoka Conservation District.
Institutions/Organization: Park Plaza Co-Operative
Park Plaza Cooperative completed multiple sustainability projects to benefit their community in 2025. The Co-Op worked with Solar by Us to install rooftop solar on their community building and rental home and did significant outreach in the community to increase participation in energy efficiency programs. The co-operative also partnered with the City on the Water Efficient Toilets grant to replace old, inefficient toilets and the ReLEAF grant to plant new trees.
Business: Hyde Development and Mortenson Properties
Hyde Development and Mortenson Properties, owners of the Northern Stacks industrial park, recently installed three large rooftop solar arrays on buildings occupied by Trio and Certified Power. The arrays will generate more than 624,000 kWh of renewable energy within the first year, which is as much power as charging 33,855,761 smart phones. Over the solar arrays’ first 20 years, they will reduce the same amount of greenhouse gases as planting 168,706 trees. The project, which was installed by Cedar Creek Energy, also results in significant electric bill savings that Hyde Development and Mortenson Properties will pass on to their tenants.