History
Fridley is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 27,208 at the 2010 census. Fridley was incorporated in 1949 as a village, and became a city in 1957. It is part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Fridley is a “first ring” or “inner ring” suburb in the northern part of the Twin Cities. Fridley connects with the city of Minneapolis at its southern border. Neighboring first-ring suburbs are Columbia Heights to the south and Brooklyn Center to the west across the Mississippi River.
Economy
Fridley is home to the Operational (formerly World) Headquarters of Ireland-based Medtronic plc. Medtronic also has a substantial Rice Creek business campus. Other major employers in Fridley include BAE Systems (formerly United Defense), Cummins, Unity Medical Center, part of the Allina Healthcare system, part of the Mercy Hospitals, Minco Products, Inc, Kurt Manufacturing Company, and Park Construction Company. Fridley is also home to a Target Stores retail distribution center. Magnum Research, a company that produces the Desert Eagle firearm, had its headquarters in Fridley until 2010.
Parks and recreation
Fridley is home to the 127-acre (0.51 km2) Springbrook Nature Center park and nature reserve on its northern border with Coon Rapids. The total Fridley city park space is 316 acres (1.28 km2). There are baseball and softball diamonds, football and soccer fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts for sports. In the winter there are outdoor skating rinks with warming houses. The western border of Fridley comprises the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Portions of islands within the recreation area are within the Fridley city limits.
Fridley has the following Anoka County parks within the city:
Manomin County Park (Rice Creek where it enters the Mississippi River and Locke Lake)
Rice Creek West/Locke Park and Regional Trail (Rice Creek)
Islands of Peace County Park (Mississippi River)
Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park (Mississippi River)
Politics
Fridley has a Council-manager government. Scott Lund is the current Mayor, first elected in 2000.
Fridley is located in Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, represented by Ilhan Omar, a Democrat. Ilhan became the first Somali American elected to the United States Congress. She was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. Omar is also the first Somali American elected to Congress, and the first woman of color to serve as a U.S. Representative from Minnesota. She replaced Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress.
Notable people
Bill Antonello – Major League Baseball player
Gordon Backlund -Minnesota State Politician
Connie Bernardy -Minnesota State Politician
Don Betzold – Minnesota State Politician
Satveer Chaudhary – Minnesota State Politician
L. Joseph Connors – Minnesota State Politician
Chris Dahlquist -Professional Hockey NHL Player
Ducky DooLittle – Sex educator
Brooke Elliott – actress
Mike Erlandson – Businessman
Abram M. Fridley – Minnesota State Politician and namesake of the city
Larry Hosch – Minnesota State Politician
Jon Melander – Professional Football NFL player
Donald Savelkoul – Minnesota State Politician and Lawyer
Don Simensen – Professional Football NFL player
Wayne Simoneau – Minnesota State Politician
Tom Tillberry – Minnesota State Politician
Rose Totino – Businesswoman
Warren Johnson – Former NHRA Drag Racer and Champion
Cory Wong – Guitar Player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia