1. Totino-Grace
City: Fridley, MN
Category: Education
Telephone: (763) 571-9116
Address: 1350 Gardena Ave. NE
Description: Totino-Grace, a private Catholic high school, serves the northern Twin Cities suburbs. The school’s mission centers on learning, faith, service, and community. As the second largest of the 13 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the school has an annual enrollment of more than 1,000. Totino-Grace was founded in 1965 to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding Twin Cities north suburban area.
2. Unity Hospital
City: Fridley, MN
Category: Health Care
Telephone: (763) 236-5000
Address: 550 Osborne Rd.
Description: Mercy and Unity Hospitals are nonprofit hospitals that have been serving the northern Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area for more than 40 years. The two hospitals function as virtually one entity, with shared resources to help ensure quality, cost-effective care. Mercy and Unity specialty services include behavioral health, cardiac, emergency, family centered care, oncology, and bariatrics. The hospitals offer medical transportation, health education, and support groups. In addition, Mercy Hospital provides specialized services for senior citizens.
3. Billiard Street Café/Two Stooges Bar & Grill
City: Fridley, MN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (763) 574-1399
Address: 7178 University Ave. NE
Description: Since 1988 Billiard Street Café has served as a pool hall with a cafe and a proshop, and in 2005 it added the Two Stooges Bar & Grill. It is inconspicuously located in a strip mall; despite this, it is one of Minnesota’s largest billiard clubs, with more than 40 pool tables. In-house nine-ball leagues make the Billiard Street Café busy, and it is sometimes difficult to reserve a table on weekday evenings, although they are usually available after a wait. The late night/early morning hours also provide ample opportunity for billiards.
4. G. B. Leighton’S Pickle Park
City: Fridley, MN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (763) 786-1515
Address: 7820 University Ave. NE
Description: Pickle Park is the mammoth establishment owned by local roots-rocker G. B. Leighton, and Leighton knows how to give his unpretentious fans what they want in a bar. A huge guitar is mounted on the bar’s ceiling, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra would comfortably fit on the stage. The portions? Also big. The menu makes a game attempt to convince you through theming (fried breaded onions are “guitar strings”) that it’s unique, but of course it’s not: It’s bar food, pure and simple. Rock on!
5. Riverfront Regional Park/Islands Of Peace
City: Fridley, MN
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (763) 757-3920
Address: 5100 East River Rd.
Description: This Anoka County park’s biking, hiking, and ungroomed cross-country skiing trails offer nice views of the Mississippi River all along the trails. Canoes can be rented from the park, and fishing is permitted from the shore and the river. If you’re lucky enough to hook some lunch, grills and picnic shelters are also available.The Islands of Peace segment of the park, located north of I-694, has been developed by the Foundation for Islands of Peace. A reception center has a fireplace, restrooms, a library, a lounge, and meeting rooms. A walk bridge and paved trail link the center to Chase’s Island facilities, which include paved trails, shelter, river viewing, and picnic facilities—all with wheelchair access. The 57-acre Durnam Island segment, located in the Mississippi River west of Chase’s Island, has accessible nature trails and a boat shuttle service.