Help Replant Southwood Park

Free White Oak seedlings are available – while they last – at two locations: 4125 Indiana Avenue and 4617 Arlington Avenue.  Plant them in your yard and take care of your new “tree baby”!  Instructions are at the end of this article.

Once upon a time, parts of Southwood Park were covered in valuable trees.  The developers referred to it as a “forest primeval”.  The photo below shows a map of a small portion of the neighborhood, the 4200 block of Tacoma Avenue.  All of the dots on the map were mature trees that existed at that time. White Oak was the most common tree on the map.  Many came down as houses were built, and many others died over the last century. Of all the dots on the map of that block, less than half a dozen still stand.

The 2019 year end survey showed that we highly value our mature urban tree canopy. But just like everything else, we have a part to play in maintaining that tree canopy.

The Association Board is doing several things to help our tree canopy:
1)  We are compiling a list of folks requesting a City street tree, paid by the Association.  Several people let us know they are interested.  Thank you! (We’ll let you know when we hear updates.)
2)  Historic Southwood Park is cooperating with Historic Fairmont to request dozens of trees from the City on Fairfield Avenue from Rudisill to Pettit.  We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
and 3)  Southwood Park purchased 100 white oak seedlings from the Indiana Department of Forestry that you can plant in your yard.

If you have a place in your yard, not too close to wires or buildings, please pick one up and help replant our urban forest.  Keep the wood in SouthWOOD Park.

Instruction link below:

Thanks for picking up a White Oak seedling

 

 

 

City-Only Trash and Recycling Carts to be Picked Up

Editor’s Note:  We have asked if the City has discontinued 311 curbside pickup of biodegradable lawn bags.  We will update this when we have more information.

March 19, 2020 – Beginning Monday, March 23, garbage and recycling crews will collect only City of Fort Wayne-issued carts used for residential collection. Workers will not pick up additional personal containers, bags, boxes or bulk items. Following public health guidelines, these restrictions are being instituted by refuse hauling companies across the nation to protect workers and help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. 

“Garbage and recycling collection is essential to our health, our neighborhoods and our community. But during these unusual times, we need to make changes to protect our neighbors who work to provide the vital service of garbage collection,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “As we all pull together during this unprecedented pandemic, we trust that our residents will do their part to keep these valuable workers and our community safer.”

Again, only City-issued garbage and recycling carts will be collected. Lids should be closed when placed properly for collection.This restriction will remain in effect through at least April 15.

Residents can take yard waste including, leaves, limbs and branches, to the City Utilities’ Biosolids facility at 6202 Lake Avenue. Drop off fees are $1 per 100 pounds.

Biosolids Hours of Operation – Through March 30

Monday – Friday 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM

April 1 – Nov 30

Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sunday Noon – 6:00 PM

 

https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/latest-news/4751-city-only-trash-and-recycling-carts-to-be-picked-up.html

 

 

This Is a Place Where Residents Care

Our neighborhood prides itself on not only being lovely, full of quaint homes and storybook charm but a place where residents CARE. In that spirit, today would be the perfect time to check in with your neighbors who are in the higher risk age groups or with existing medical conditions. If you don’t have their number or suspect they aren’t on social media, go knock on their door, remembering to keep a minimum six foot distance, as you inquire. Grocery items, medications, pet food are easy things we can retrieve for them so they aren’t forced to leave their homes then continuing to check in with them regularly for at least the next month.

If you don’t know your neighbors or haven’t been contacted, please message us here directly and our board members will be happy to assist you.  Email: Southwood_Park@yahoo.com.

For updates and facts on Covid-19 please visit https://www.allencountyhealth.com/get-informed/covid-19/ and for questions regarding city services, closings and public notices visit www.cityoffortwayne.org.

We are all in this together and the more we can do to help people in our own neighborhoods the better chance we have to avoid illness altogether.

Got Leaves?

Neighbors can still phone 311 to have late winter leaves picked up by the City!

You must call 311.  You must have the leaves in biodegradable paper yard waste bags. And you must place the bags at your curb, even if you have alley trash services.

Bluffton Road Bridge News

Federal funds going to bridges

7 in county set to be replaced

JIM CHAPMAN | The Journal Gazette

Federal dollars will pay at least 80% of the cost to replace seven Allen County bridges over the next five to seven years, officials said Friday.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Fort Wayne will receive $5.5 million in federal money to replace the Bluffton Road bridge over the St. Marys River and $958,400 to replace the Goeglein Road bridge over the Bullerman Drain.

Both bridges have weight restrictions.

Frank Suárez, director of public information for the Division of Public Works and City Utilities, said construction for both bridges could begin in 2025.

About 25,000 vehicles a day use the Bluffton Road bridge. The Goeglein Road Bridge serves about 2,700 vehicles per day, he said.

The state transportation department told the Allen County Highway Department this week that $6.6 million in federal money will be awarded to five projects. More federal money might be available to pay for engineering and right of way acquisition costs, county officials said.

Two of the bridge replacement projects are expected to be advertised for bids in late 2023 and 2024, with construction beginning a year to 18 months later. Those projects are:

• The Bluffton Road bridge over Harbor Ditch just south of Winters Road. The total cost of the project, including right-of-way acquisition, is expected to be $2.4 million.

• The Monroeville Road bridge over Hoffman Ditch just west of Fackler Road. That project is estimated to cost $1.7 million.

The three other projects are expected to be advertised for bids in late 2024 or early 2025, with construction expected a year to 18 months later. They are:

• The Amber Road bridge over the Little River near Branning Road. The project is expected to cost $1.2 million.

• The Antwerp Road bridge over the Oberhaltzer Ditch on the west edge of Harlan. The cost is expected to be $1.5 million.

• The Slusher Road bridge over the Edgerton-Carson Ditch just west of Brobst Road. That project is expected to be $3.4 million.

jchapman@jg.net

These Are the People in Your Neighborhood: “New American” Style Restaurant to Open at Fairfield and Maxine in May.

New Restaurant to Open at Former Hartley’s Location at Fairfield and Maxine

Folks in the neighborhood were excited last week to hear a new restaurant will be within walking distance of Southwood Park!   Here is more information on the subject from today’s newspaper.

KIMBERLY DUPPS TRUESDELL | For The Journal Gazette

At one time, the restaurant space at Fairfield and Maxine avenues was vibrant and full of life. It was home to Hartley’s, a Fort Wayne institution open for 25 years.

However, since Hartley’s closed in 2009, the space has been relatively quiet. Chuck & Bird’s Bistro briefly occupied the building in 2011, and My Grannie’s Table took over 4301 Fairfield Ave. in 2016. But a local couple are set to breathe new life into the building, signing a lease to open a restaurant there this year.

Corey and Amy Bowers will be serving “new American” cuisine with a rotating menu. There will be an emphasis on quality ingredients, sourced as locally as possible.

No stranger to the kitchen, Corey Bowers spent many years in the Chicago culinary scene. He was a sous chef at HB Home Bistro in the Boystown neighborhood, where he was “dishing up inventive New American fare; familiar flavors executed in unfamiliar ways,” according to the Illinois Office of Tourism.

A tentative timeline has the restaurant opening in May.

Additional FWPD Patrols for Detour Route

Last week’s car crash on Lexington Avenue reminded everyone about the volume of traffic Indiana and Lexington carry with the Rudisill detour.  There also speeders that stand out from the regular flow of cars and trucks.

The Association requested additional traffic patrols from FWPD.  Deputy Chief Haffner has responded and more police cars have been present.  Keep your speeds down and don’t be a distracted driver!  You’re more likely to be in a traffic stop!

The Association sent another, more insistent request for speed bumps along the detour – just as we did last summer and fall.  The speeding hasn’t improved.  The ball is now in City Utilities’ court.