Rudisill-Old Mill Detours to begin July 8, 2019
The City of Fort Wayne hosted a “Meet the Contractor” for the Rudisill Boulevard sewer project on June 10th. Residents had a chance to meet people supervising the project and to ask questions.
WHAT IS THE PROJECT?
The City has an agreement with the federal EPA to reduce the amount and the number of sewage overflows into our rivers. A deep rock tunnel is being to route sewage to the wastewater treatment plant near Memorial Park. The tunnel follows rivers upstream to Foster Park, where the largest combined sewer overflow point is located, and the end of Rudisill Boulevard. The Rudisill sewer is more than ten feet in diameter! Learn more about the tunnel project by following this link: https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/visitors/218-tunnel-project-website.html
A 35’ deep connection between the Rudisill sewer and the deep rock tunnel has to be constructed under the intersection of Rudisill, Old Mill, and Broadway. To do this safely, the road must be closed. It is expected to be closed for at least 300 days, or ten months. Workers will not begin shifts before 7AM. Work days may adjust for available daylight through the seasons.
DETOURS
THE ROAD CLOSURE AND DETOURS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN JULY 8. Please help minimize the impact to neighbors in our association and surrounding neighborhoods: be courteous and stick to detour routes. There is no magic shortcut.
The marked detour to the Bluffton Road bridge is Fairfield to Creighton to Broadway. We would just remind neighbors of the other ways to reach points across the river: Jefferson Blvd., Taylor St., Hale Ave. and Airport Expressway.
The marked detour to Foster Park and the Foster Park neighborhood is Old Mill to Lexington to Fairfield. The City is planning to make the north side of Lexington Avenue NO PARKING. If you can move your vehicles from the detour route, make the effort. We don’t want to have damage to parked cars. If you live in the southern half of Southwood Park or in Woodhurst, we would suggest using Pettit Avenue to reach Fairfield, the detour route, or other bridges to cross the river.
The City is considering other traffic calming devices like speed humps and added patrols by FWPD. The City wants to hear from neighborhood associations and citizens so it can adjust traffic control if it proves necessary. The City’s project manager is Zack Schaefer and his email is zack.schaefer@cityoffortwayne.org. When the City posts its June 10 presentation online, we will post it here.
Share your thoughts with the association at Southwood_Park@yahoo.com.
HIRING: Pocket Gardener
We need help caring for our lovely pocket gardens! We need someone who can keep them weeded, edged and mulched. Months of work would be March through October.
If you are interested in this as a paid position, please send your proposal to us. Let us know how many hours per month and/or your flat monthly fee for the work. The Association is happy to pay for consumable materials like mulch that would be needed. The gardener would keep in contact with our beautification committee through the gardening year.
Our pocket gardens are the following locations:
Indiana/Rudisill pillars,
Arlington esplanade (4600 block),
South Wayne/Pettit,
Tacoma/Pettit,
Tacoma/Sherwood,
Indiana/Beaver,
Beaver/Westover,
Westover/Old Mill,
Old Mill Roundabout,
and Crestwood/Sunset.
Please send questions and proposals to Southwood_Park@yahoo.com. Please include references.
Thanks,
Historic Southwood Park Board of Directors
May 10th update: DUE TO ONGOING WET WEATHER, WE WILL DELAY DIRT DAY A SECOND TIME TO FRIDAY, MAY 17th.
Every year since 1978, the Association has purchased quality soil for residents to use in their gardens, flower pots, and yards. This is our 41st year helping Southwood Park gardeners! On May 4th, we are having quality tri-mix soil from Felger’s Peat Moss delivered. All you have to do is take your wheelbarrow to the sites and get what you need!
If there is a weather-related delay, we will announce plans here and on Facebook. Several years ago, we pushed the date a week later to avoid Dirt Day from becoming Mud Day. NEW Rain date is May 17th.
There will be three dirt pickup sites:
Indiana Avenue at Maxine Drive
South Wayne Avenue at Maple Grove Avenue
Sunset Drive at Crestwood Drive (the triangular island)
Dirt is for Historic Southwood Park homes only! No dumping. Please take only what you need, and be considerate of other neighbors. Don’t be a “dirt hog!”
Swim Clubs Near Southwood Park
Hot summer weather still seems like a far-off rumor at this point, but it will be here soon. And that means swimming! If you’re new to the neighborhood – or not originally from Fort Wayne – you may not know about swim clubs. What are they?
Photo credit: Pocohontas Swim Club
Decades ago, residents of several neighborhoods banded together to build swim clubs. In 1961, residents of Southwood Park and Indian Village collectively built Pocohontas Pool through memberships. Later on, residents of Avalon and surrounding neighborhoods did the same to build the Avalon Pool.
Fast forward a few decades: the ubiquity of home air conditioning and the internet keep many families indoors during the hot months of the year. Keeping a pool running is a tough job. Volunteers are scarce and competition for entertainment dollars has stretched the ability of their boards to keep them open. Other pools in the area have closed permanently. Poco recently survived a budget scare. Avalon is waiting to see how many subscriptions it gets by April 28 before it decides to open for 2019.
Photo credit: Avalon Summer Sports Club
Historic Southwood Park is lucky to be near two subscription pools. We hope it stays that way! Whether you’re looking for cheap entertainment or exercise opportunities or social interaction, the pools are a great bargain. Please consider spending your entertainment dollars in the neighborhood!
Pocohontas Swim Club, 3020 Ojibway Trail, Fort Wayne, IN 46809
Facebook: @pocopool https://pocopool.org/
Avalon Summer Sports Club, 8021 Durban Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46819
Facebook: @avalonsummersports www.avalonswim.com
— Steve McCord
Possible Break in Recent Area Burglaries
Deputy Chief Haffner reported a possible break in the recent thefts. Here it is:
“We had 4 reported Burglaries reported in December. Times are:
1. 0745-2015 Broken Window
2. 0830-1200 Forced door
3. 0800-1400 Back window open
4. 0700-1500 Pushed in AC wall unit to gain entry
So during the day it appears to be the times most occurred.
We did arrest 2 juveniles last night 3400 Beaver who were breaking into cars. We had been looking for them they just turned 14 and 16 years old. The have been stealing cars, using drugs (had some in their possession when arrested) NO parent supervision, had not been in school in some time, had warrants out for their arrest…. Word has it they were kicking in doors and burglarizing homes, so related ??? I will keep an eye out for the next week or so to see if we have anymore but I assume these 2 may have some responsibility.”
Meanwhile, keep using good crime prevention practices and call 911 whenever you see something suspicious.
Regarding neighbors’ questions about the Security Patrol: It is still running, mostly late at night to combat the ever-present problem of thefts from cars. 4 patrols per 24 hours, totaling 3 hours time per day. The Association has asked them to be as visible as possible.
You can always contact the Association at southwood_park@yahoo.com.
Thank you,
Steve McCord – Board of Directors President
It’s a “New Trash Day”?
Today is the new trash and recycling day for MOST of the neighborhood. If you live south of Lexington in Southwood Park or Fairmont, THURSDAY is your new trash day. Is your trash out right now?
If you live north of Lexington, your trash and recycling day remains Friday. Confused? Visit www.MyNewTrashDay.com to double check.
This is recycling week for all of us.
We all hope the new recycling schedule and routes fix Red River’s performance issues. But if your trash and recycling is still awaiting pickup at 6PM, please visit the 311 webpage to report it and make your complaint publicly visible. If it doesn’t work, we must let them know!
Good luck.
An in depth look by INPUT Fort Wayne at our neighborhoods own famous Skeletown attraction and how it came to “life” at 4429 Indiana Avenue.💀🎃 (Click the link to read the story!)
Don’t forget to donate non-perishables to the Community Harvest food bank barrel when you visit now through October 31, lights are on until 10p daily.
