Team Leaders, this is aimed mainly at teams in the 7-county metro area.  It’s the first step in trying to bring more resources to MN teams.  Special thanks to Tim Dirr, Team 2129, Mpls. Southwest, for heading up this effort.

Minneapolis Urban Robotics Alliance (MURA) has created a FIRST Practice Facility at Lincoln Middle School in North Minneapolis including:
Full Size FRC Field
FTC Field
Shop with drill press, chop saw, and a growing list of hand tools (accepting donations)
Classroom with electronic projector

On Saturday, December 8 from 1pm-5pm, metro teams are invited to an Open House at the field
Address:
2131 12th Avenue North (Penn Avenue south of Plymouth)
Minneapolis, MN

The Open House is to familiarize teams with the facility so you can include it in your planning:
Understand what’s available to us
Bring your robot to the open house (get to know the loading dock entrance for FRC)
Scope the facility if you’re an FTC team competing there on 12/15
Meet other teams who will use the facility

Please send email to info@mura.works to let us know: you’ll be joining us, the number of people, and if you’ll bring your robot.

‘hope to see you there

How will MURA Field work?
A calendar of open times will be published (tentatively Mon 5-9, Thu 5-9, Sat 9-3 during FRC build)
Teams will reserve field time online
There will be a nominal charge to cover operating costs

MURA Field is funded by Boston Scientific and Seagate in space provided by the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS).  The two corporate sponsors provided materials for the field and this year have funded benches and tools for a shop and classroom.  Their goals are to 1) make practice fields accessible to teams that may not be able to build their own and 2) to make the facility self-sustaining.

The MURA Field core team is composed of Herobotics (2500), Ultraviolet (2129), NoMythic (2491), Green Machine (1816), and associated FTC teams.  They have developed online tools, keep the fields current, and coordinate operation.

Dave Sylvestre from Patrick Henry High School (2500 Herobotics) and Mark Lawrence (MNFIRST) started MURA Field, coordinating contributions from the sponsors and space from MPS.

Regards, Mark Lawrence
Chairman, MN FIRST Regional Planning Committee