1966
A little lobbying by the Robbinsdale City Forester, Daniel R. Strapay resulted in a $14,120 budget provision to help prevent Dutch Elm disease. A program was set up to systematically spray, trim and prune 1,200 trees per year. At that time nearly eighty percent of the trees lining Robbinsdale’s streets were mature elms.
The 52nd anniversary of the Robbinsdale City Band was somewhat muted by public indifference. The band had 50 members at the time and the first concert of the year drew fewer than 30 listeners. Director Donald Schiermer told city manager George DeLay he wasn’t sure the city should be spending money $5,000 a year on the band. Schiermer who also directed the Robbinsdale Jr. High band said competition from movies, television, professional orchestras and other entertainments were cutting into the bands audience.
In August Montgomery Wards opened their fourth Twin City location in Robbinsdale just below the Terrace Theatre on the west side of Crystal Lake.
In November Robbinsdale once again elected Charles O. Wallace as Mayor. Wallace was Robbinsdale’s first city clerk. He held office from 1938 until 1945. He served as Mayor from 1947 through 1954 and again from 1967 to 1972. The city’s new government offices behind Robin Center were dedicated to Wallace in 1970. Alderman Verl Weaver was the only incumbent to hold onto his seat in the election.
In late Novemeber an early morning fire destroyed O’Donnell’s Cleaners at 4179 West Broadway.
This post is part of a series loosely based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett.