A unanimous vote at the October 12th school board meeting sealed the deal; the construction of the White Bear Lake Area Schools – YMCA Aquatic center was to begin. The project, which began more than three years ago, is a cooperative effort by the city, the school district and the YMCA to provide aquatic facilities to students and members of the community. The YMCA on Orchard Lane is going to be completely redesigned; adding more fitness facilities, a new pool and a diving program.  The district has wanted a home pool for many years. The current White Bear Lake swim team is hard pressed to find places to practice and home swim meets are held at the opposing school’s pool. Currently, the district spends around 100,000 dollars a year on the swim team and the elementary safety and swimming program. The new pool will provide the district with the necessary facilities for both. How much will this cost?? Is it really worth it?? The new aquatic center will cost the school district 180,000 dollars a year for the next ten years, though the district has a contract with the YMCA for the next twenty years. Over the next twenty years the district will actually save money while still having better facilities. The contract with the YMCA entitles the school to access the indoor pool at hours that are convenient for the swim team and the elementary safety program. When students aren’t using the pool it will be open to the public. Not only does the school district benefit, but everyone in White Bear Lake will have access to modern aquatic facilities. The money for construction is also not only coming from the district, but from three other sources: the city, the YMCA and private donations. “The cost is lower for all involved, we all had to come together to make this possible,” says Dr. Lovett, the superintendent of White Bear Lake Area Schools. The cost to the school system is ¼ what it would have been if a pool was constructed without the partnership of the YMCA and the city. Ground has already been broken and the pool is expected to be done this coming summer. The aquatic center will be ready for the 2010/2011 swim season and finally the White Bear Lake girls swim team will be able to compete under their home colors.

“My waist used to be as small as hers,” jokes the tour guide as the room erupted in laughter. She was referring to the Female Statuette Known as the Lady of Luxerre; just one of the numerous pieces of art in “The Louvre and the Masterpiece” at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. This piece of art crafted in the 7th century B.C. in Crete, Greece, was once used as a prop in a play and a hat stand. It wasn’t until later that currators learned how valuable the piece of artwork was.
      One of the most striking images in the exhibit is Pandemonium. As you enter the last section of the exhibit, this huge, red and orange painting with a six inch thick gold frame stares back at you. It is representative of good vs. evil where the light represents the army approaching to battle Satan, and the frame is covered in dragons and snakes.
      Other artworks include The Astronomer by Johannes Vermeer which was allowed to go to the U.S. for the first time, and Christ Carrying the Cross by Lorenzo Lotto which was painted in 1526.