Brookside Woods Civic Association

BWCA June 2004 Woods' Lore

Jun 26, 2004

JUNE ISSUE OF WOOD'S LORE

Brookside Woods Civic Association
P.O. Box 340052
Columbus, Ohio 43234-0052

Board Members:
Arthur Pellegrini President 761-8547
Scott Fair Vice President / Far Northwest Coalition 761-3175

Mark Gresham Treasurer 889-2891
Barb Boyd Secretary 766-5459
Sue Downey Parks
766-5421
Open Position Blockwatch

NEXT BOARD MEETING
July 19, 2004 at 7:30 pm Scott Fair?’s Home (7155 Lakebrook Blvd.) All neighbors welcome!


PRESIDENT'S REPORT:

ON THE DOLE

Brookside Woods is a blessed community. There is probably no one in our community who lives on government subsidy or food stamps. I doubt that there is anybody in our community who does not believe they pull their weight. If that is true, then why are some of our residents on the dole? Only 205 of 299 community families have paid their dues. Recent estimates of the board regarding the yearly Brookside Woods budget raised concerns of a deficit at the end of this year. The dues support maintenance of property that is the responsibility of Brookside Woods, not the responsibility of Columbus or individual property owners. Snow removal is paid for out of dues. There are no frivolous expenditures. If you live in Brookside, you benefit from the expenditures of dues. If you don't contribute your share, you are on the dole. Dues reminders are sent out twice a year. However, you can keep your own yearly calendar. We appreciate the money any time we get it.

NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING?

As someone who volunteers, I know the truth of that statement. Our current dues cannot pay for landscape maintenance beyond mowing and trimming, even if we had nearly 100% participation. Weeding and similar activities require labor. The more numerous the volunteers, the less labor per person. Please contact Sue Downey at 766-5421 with an offer to donate a little time to maintain our properties.

EGGING

On my morning walk, I saw a house that was egged with eggshell debris in the street. I hope the owners called the police. Vandalism sprouts like Spring flowers. I wish I had a good answer. The perps think it is a joke but the victims don?’t always think so. Vandalism can lead to escalating violence. The community needs to resist vandalism. Again, if you experience vandalism or any crime, call the police.

Arthur Pellegrini, President

BWCAwww.brooksidewoods.com


COMMUNITY CALENDAR:

July 19, 2004 BWCA Board Meeting, 7:30 pm, Scott Fair?’s Home
Submission of names for new Board Members

September 13, 2004 Annual Neighborhood Board Meeting & Elections,
7:30 pm Northwest Library (New and Retiring Board Members Attend)


THANK YOU:

Several weeks ago the light at the northeast entrance to Brookside Woods was run over. This was reported to the police. I have not heard anything regarding the perpetrator. The light has been repaired by Clyde Welch, handyman extraordinaire, and member of our neighborhood. He has my highest recommendation for work you need done around the house. His phone number is 571-8262.

A big thanks to Clyde for his continued efforts to maintain the beauty of our community.
Arthur Pellegrini




PARKS REPORT:

Things are really shaping up in the Maplebrook Civic Park and the entrances. The cleanup and annual plantings would not have been possible without the help from a few energetic residents and the Brookside Woods Womens Club. Special thanks to Renee Macomber for the cleanup and tilling of the Thistlewood entrance. Also thanks to Linda Tenwalde, Barb Boyd, Donna Schrodt, Linda Switzer, Julie and Jessica Lorenz and Susan Butler for planting the annuals at each entrance. It really looks great!

If anyone can help with continued maintenance and/or watering, if we hit a dry spell, please let me know (Sue Downey at 766-5421). These areas won?’t look good if we do not all do our part to maintain them.

Cleanup is in the works for the Maplebrook Civic Park as well.

We have installed a new bench. Stop by and check it out!

I am still looking for any ?“donations?” of perennials that you may be dividing. Give me a call and I will pick them up and make sure that they get planted in the park or at one of the entrances. Earlier this month, we did plant some shrubs and trees at the far east side of the 161 entrance.

Thanks to the many generous capital improvement contributions, a new park bench has been purchased and installed in our Maplebrook Civic Park this June. During your next stroll through the neighborhood, please stop by and take a rest on our new bench.
Sue Downey, Parks BWCA





FAR NORTHWEST COALITION REPORT:

Antrim Property Developments
By Scott Fair, with direct excerpts from Dan Eaton (This Week) June 3rd article


With M/I Homes planning houses on what has been considered the last possible public park space in the far northwest, community leaders hope to get better park commitments from the developer.
The Far Northwest Coalition at its meeting last week tabled a rezoning request from M/I, hoping to determine the company's willingness to pay for or provide parkland to the area. The request is on 55 acres of a 97-acre site the company owns at the corner of Hard and Linworth roads (entire 97-acre site is called The Lakes of Worthington).
While coalition members had few complaints about the project, there was remorse about the loss of green space. "This is taking the last available piece of parklands," said John Best, president of the coalition.

Best was referring to Columbus City Council's Northwest Plan, developed in 1990, which had called for the acreage to be a regional park. The formal plan for this park has yet to materialize, though, according to Best. Best said Columbus has been slow to act regarding the park, and the project is two years behind schedule.

There is a 40-acre plot across the street (Hard Rd.) from the M/I site where Columbus plans to construct a park in the future. The group said a monetary contribution from M/I could make that park a reality sooner than expected. Other questions to be asked are whether M/I would allow public access and build trails around the ponds and ravines on its site, which is part of the 23 acres of open space, which cannot be built on.
The Development

The rezoning would allow 80 townhouse units, 42 traditional-neighborhood-development-style homes, and 53 single-family homes on the 55 acres that comprise the southern portion of the site. There are two other parcels, 33 acres comprising the northeast corner of the property and a 9-acre site at the intersection of Hard and Linworth.
He added that though final prices have not been set, the town homes would go for around $200,000, while the higher-end homes, likely to be on the corner, would cost about $500,000.

Construction on the Hard Road-side homes could begin by the end of this year, Fair said. The homes in the property being rezoned likely would not begin construction until next summer. Comments, questions and ideas about the property should be directed to johnwbest@juno.com.


TREASURER'S REPORT:

To date, 205 families out of 299 have paid their dues and officially joined the BWCA for fiscal year 2003/2004. Over 32% of these families also contributed to our Capital Fund. Thank you! Our current bank balance is $5,210.98.

As reported in the Parks report, we have utilized some of the Capital Improvement funds to purchase a new park bench for Maplebrook Civic Park.

On Friday May 21, we mailed out a notice to the remainder of our neighbors asking for their financial support so the maintenance and capital improvement activities will be funded through the end of our fiscal year in October. If you are wondering if you have paid your BWCA dues, please feel free to call me and I will check to see if they have been received.

If you have any questions about your civic association, please feel free to contact me at 889-2891, or any of the BWCA Board members (names and phone numbers available on the front of this newsletter).

Another source of information about your civic association is our web site: www.brooksidewoods.com.
Mark Gresham, Treasurer BWCA



ADVERTISEMENTS:

HANDYMAN SERVICES. Also build shelves for additional storage space in garages, closets or basements. Clyde Welch, 6693 Maplebrook Lane, 571-8262.


WANTED: Northwest Swim Club Membership Bond, preferably beginning Summer 2005. Please contact Amy Gresham at 889-2891.


WANTED: Nominations for 2004/2005 BWCA Board Officers. Please forward to Barb Boyd, 766-5459 or email at bboyd1@columbus.rr.com.