It’s Time for Fort4Fitness!

Neighbors, it is that time of year again when the parade of runners come through our great neighborhood! Come out and help cheer them on as we show off our great neighborhood and support.

The 10K, half, and full marathon runners will be coming through Southwood Park and we need your help to cheer them on. As a runner, I cannot tell you how important this is.

Chalk the Walk Party

Location: South Wayne and Sherwood Terrace

Date: Friday, September 27

Time: 6:00 to 8:00

Come decorate the street with chalk by drawing pictures and messages to the runners. BYOB and a snack to share if you want. This is a great way to meet new neighbors and get geared up for the event!

Race Day

Location: South Wayne and Sherwood Terrace

Date: Saturday, September 28

Time: 7:00 – 12:00

Runners will start coming through early! Come enjoy a potluck breakfast and snacks. BYOB. There will be noise makers, chalk, decorations, and supplies to make motivational signs.

Southwood Park is always noted as one of the best neighborhoods to run through and there will be runners from all over the US and other countries. Come be inspired and help us cheer on the runners!!

— Nadine Rager, Board Member

Just as a reminder to folks new to the neighborhood, be prepared for detours and delays during race times Saturday.  If you’re not planning to cheer on runners, please remember this is a one-time-a-year event.  Give yourseld the extra time you need to reach your destinations,

If you live on the race route, please park your cars in the garage, driveway, or around the corner.  Thanks!

https://fort4fitness.org/fall-festival/course-maps/

Candidates Night: Thursday, September 5th at 7PM

PRESS RELEASE:

The Packard Area Planning Alliance (PAPA) will host a candidate forum on Thursday, September 5, 2019 from 7pm to 9pm at the Boys and Girls Club, 2609 Fairfield Ave. Residents of Fort Wayne’s historic southwest side will have the chance to ask questions of 5th District and At-Large City Council candidates. Candidates will be expected to answer each question in two minutes or less. This event is open to the public and residents are encouraged to bring any questions relevant to city government. An open forum will be conducted from 7:00pm – 8:30pm followed by refreshments and mingling with the Candidates.

PAPA believes it is vital that council members understand the needs and concerns of historic neighborhoods near the city’s core.

PAPA was established in 2005 as a way for neighborhoods near Packard Park to collaborate to improve quality of life for the area. PAPA members include leaders and volunteers from 13 neighborhood associations representing thousands of Fort Wayne residents. The organization leads a variety of initiatives including beautification, historic preservation, corridor improvements, neighborhood engagement, and infrastructure enhancements, among many others.

LIST OF CANDIDATES:

5th District
 Geoff Paddock (D)
 Taylor Vanover (R)

At Large
 Michael Barranda (R)
 Michelle Chambers (D)
 Steve Corona (D)
 Tom Freistroffer (R)
 Nathan Hartman (R)
 Glynn Hines (D)

 

South Side HS Centennial Planning Has Begun

South Side High School’s PTSA and Alumni Association have a Centennial Celebration Steering Committee and a kickoff planning meeting for South Side’s 100th Anniversary this Wednesday, August 21, at 6pm in the SSHS Media Center. Attend the meeting or contact committee members if you’re interested!

Association “Hoedown” Block Party: July 28, 2019

All Southwood Park residents are invited!

 

Rudisill-Broadway Closure Begins Monday

Fort Wayne City Utilities issued this news release today:

Fort Wayne, Ind. — Work to protect our rivers from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) is underway throughout the City, and next week a new phase to protect the St. Marys, near Foster Park, will begin. To accommodate the construction of a consolidation sewer the intersection of Rudisill Boulevard and Broadway will close beginning Monday, July 8, 2019. Motorists approaching Broadway from Bluffton Road will only be able to turn north. The closure is expected to be in place for up to ten months.

Because this is a significant intersection that connects to multiple parts of the City, two detour routes will be in place. Thru traffic, those who use the intersection to connect to southwest Fort Wayne, Waynedale or US 27, are encouraged to avoid the area altogether. Signs for the thru traffic detour will be at, Taylor Street, Clinton Street, Covington Road, Engle Road, Bluffton Road, Lower Huntington Road, Tillman Road and US 27/Lafayette Street.

For those motorists who live or are doing business in the area, a local detour route will include Broadway and Creighton and Fairfield Avenue. Foster Park will remain open, but will only be accessible from the south.

City Utilities asks that motorists allow extra time when traveling through the area and observe detour and speed limit signs.

A consolidation sewer is a near-surface sewer that collects or consolidates the flow from existing sewer pipes, and at this location will convey the flow to the Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Tunnel (3RPORT). The consolidation pipes that will be constructed at Rudisill and Broadway will collect combined sewage (sanitary and stormwater) from a 126-inch pipe under Rudisill and a 30-inch pipe that comes in from the south to this intersection.

The consolidation sewer is an essential project in efforts to protect our rivers. This location is the most significant CSO point within the City’s river system. An average of 392 million gallons of combined sewage is dumped into the St. Marys at this location, each year.

Residents can find more information and updates about the Rudisill Consolidation Sewer project at:  https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/rudisill-consolidation-sewer.html

Work to Protect the St. Marys River Moves Forward – – – Road Closure Coming Soon to Rudisill & Broadway Intersection

Here is a Press release from Fort Wayne City Utilities:

For release:  Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Work to Protect the St. Marys River Moves Foward

Road Closure Coming Soon to Rudisill & Broadway Intersection

Fort Wayne, Ind. — Motorists in the vicinity of the Broadway and Rudisill Boulevard intersection will notice signs this week, alerting them about an upcoming road closure. The intersection will be closed to accommodate construction of the Rudisill Consolidation Sewer, beginning the week of July 8, 2019.  The closure is expected to be in place for up to ten months.

A consolidation sewer is a near-surface sewer that collects or consolidates the flow from existing sewer pipes, and at this location will convey the flow to the Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Tunnel (3RPORT).  The consolidation pipes that will be constructed at Rudisill and Broadway will collect combined sewage (sanitary and stormwater) from a 126-inch pipe under Rudisill and a 30-inch pipe that comes in from the south to this intersection.

The consolidation sewer is an essential project in efforts to protect our rivers. This location is the largest Combined Sewer Overflow (CSOs) point within the City’s river system.  An average of 392 million gallons of combined sewage is dumped into the St. Marys each year.  These CSOs occur during wet weather events approximately 72 times a year.   This project is part of City Utilities’ 18-year Long Term Control Plan, to protect and clean up our three rivers.

Attached you will find two maps, one for the local detour, for those motorists who live or are doing business in the area, and the other for thru traffic.   Foster Park will remain open, but will only be accessible from the south.  Access to the park will be marked.

 

Local – Neighborhood Traffic Detour July 8 – 2019

Thru Traffic Detour – Starting July 8 – 2019

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 10^th.  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.