- Poplar Park Path Meeting
- Sign
- Spring Party
- Welcome Wagon and Buddy Program
- West St. Crossing
- Greenscape
- Studio 39
- Watershed Analysis and Stream Restoration
- Annual Meeting
First, a sincere, welcoming fist bump to Kaitlyn McQuaid who is now formatting and publishing Neighborhood News. She collaborates with Peri Lane who has been doing both this newsletter and the website. Thanks, ladies. Without you, there would be silence.
We ask you to consider joining our Board/Steering Committee. Several people have served for many years and brought us to the good condition we are in. We seek new energy. Tell us a bit about yourself and wherein lie your interests. To: ghca21401@gmail.com
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Wednesday, February 9th
at 7 pm at the Library
We all love Poplar Park. It knits together our community.
Poplar Park contains the Poplar Park Path. The City wants to extend the Poplar Park Path beyond Admiral Drive and connect it to the hospital, the shopping center, the Mall, and beyond to Waterworks Park and have received a design grant for this.
Eric Leshinsky, the Chief of Comprehensive Planning in the City Planning Department, will meet with us on Wednesday, February 9 at the Library beginning at 7 pm. He will inform us of the current status of the plans and he will solicit feedback, suggestions, goals, and concerns from us.
This is the opportunity to ask questions regarding the potential for more traffic, the possibility of widening the path, separating bicyclists, improving stormwater management, and working towards long-term plans for trees and shrubs. We have the chance to get involved before the plans are made. Join the meeting to listen and learn, ask questions, and shape the future of the path. The meeting will be in-person and virtual:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7275512688?pwd=cFpzNE9hdmdLWEk5RXRGNmNNR2NyZz09
Meeting ID: 727 551 2688
Passcode: 123456
Dial-In: 1-301-715-8592
Meeting ID: 727 551 2688
Passcode: 123456
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Signs on West Street at Brewer Ave.
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The sign is deteriorating. Slowly but steadily.
The Association would like to renew that sign and if we can find a spot on the Homewood side, emplace another sign. Conor Miller will be working with volunteers to acquire estimates. We will keep you up to date.
Mike Blade removed the shrubs which were hiding the sign and Jensen Sommer planted the two crepe myrtles that stand sentinel beside it. Maybe we can get some plants through Greenscape to give it some summer color? (see Greenscape below for more information and to get involved)
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Spring Party
Volunteers Needed!
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We hope, and not without reason, that this year will see the return of the Spring Party. This has always been a fun and a classy (sort of, in an informal way) affair.
Kirsten Chapman has offered to return to duty and head up the committee. Interested in joining with her? Let us know at ghca21401@gmail.com. Party details are still to be determined, so if you have ideas for locations and party details, join the planning committee!
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Welcome Wagon and Buddy Program
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Many new people moved into Germantown and Homewood. Welcome! You did the right thing by moving here.
Join us in welcoming our new neighbors that have moved into the community in the past few months. As the real estate inventory remains tight, we only welcomed 9 new families in the past two months. From Glen Avenue and Beach St to South Cherry Grove and Isaac Street, if you see a new face, say hello and ask them to join our vibrant community association! Tell them about the events we host throughout the year and the civic issues the Board advocates for and keeps us apprised of.
If you are interested in helping to welcome neighbors, join our Welcome Wagon Committee by contacting michele.deckman@sothebysrealty.com.
Why not take it a step further and become a buddy to a new neighbor...by signing up for the GHCA Neighborhood Buddy Program!
The Buddy Program is intended to help new people learn more about the neighborhood and the surrounding area while meeting and getting to know a welcoming face, and it will help existing residents meet some new neighborhood friends who are open to forming new friendships. The GHCA Neighborhood Buddy Team will match you up and share the provided contact information with your assigned buddy. It’s a great opportunity to get to know a neighbor on a deeper level. Are you interested in getting matched up with a buddy? Complete the survey and we will be in touch once we have a buddy to match you with. Questions? Email Antonia Barry at abarry@cbmove.com
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We agitated for a long time to get a crossing between the Library and Homewood. With the help of Mike Busch (surely his soul is resting), State Highway Administration (yes, it’s a state and not a city road) installed the heavy-duty crossing. Thank you, SHA. However, the timing of the crossing lights is w-a-a-a-y off. That is, off for everyone who crosses or drives over the crossing but not off for the SHA.
Conor Miller has worked with SHA to shorten the timing. Here is his report:
After a lengthy process with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), we finally got a MDOT crew to the library crosswalk to conduct an official survey. They spent an hour at the site observing traffic and driver behavior and assessing the timing of the crosswalk light. They reported that the crosswalk and crosswalk light was timed correctly according to the state’s standards for crosswalks. Ultimately, the MDOT concluded that the crosswalk light, as well as the traffic flow and light timing, are in accordance with state standards, and the case was closed. I’m truly sorry that we weren’t able to reach a better outcome. A huge thank you to everyone for their support and feedback throughout this process.
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Greenscape
Committee Volunteers Needed!
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Greenscape (which is the Annapolis version of Earth Day) is Saturday, April 23.
Over the years we have benefited greatly from the perennials, trees, shrubs, and mulch we get for free on Greenscape. Over the years the folks who show up to plant our bounty have a helluva spring day hanging out, talking, laughing, and even getting the planting done.
May I ask for a couple of people to assist this year in deciding what to order, picking that up, and working with other volunteers on the day itself? I would like to break in some new people to carry on after my shovel goes dull. Please, ghca21401@gmail.com.
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The construction of the new system is nearly complete. The school system changed out the entire heating machinery from oil to gas. Gas is cleaner, cheaper, more reliable, delivery risk-free, and an investment in the future. The cost: $675,000. Kirsten Chapman led this entirely successful effort. Thank you, Kirsten and AACPS.
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Germantown and Homewood are in two separate watersheds and both have streams running through. One goes to College Creek and the other to Spa Creek. Both run ultimately to our beloved Bay and both could use some help.
Brendan Boyle took up the flag on this. He attended a grant workshop and met on-site with someone from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and two folks from the City Department of Public Works, one of whom is the City stormwater specialist. Brendan learned the first step is to apply for an analysis and design grant. Based on that, work can be determined and funded.
The prospects look good. They look for community associations to sponsor the grants. There will be many steps. Furthermore, Homewood has problems with stormwater puddling on the streets. The City has for some years had on its capital budget an expensive water management project for Homewood. It always gets pushed back, probably because it is a lot of heavy construction and expensive. A few years back, I took a walk in Homewood with a landscape architect friend and Matt Waters, the City waters specialist. (I am not making this up.) Anyway, the two of them saw all sorts of non-invasive and considerably less expensive solutions. Perhaps this would be an opportunity to get that done.
This year’s grant deadline is February. Brendan is looking to next year’s granting cycle. Who would like to work with him? Someone from Homewood and someone from Germantown? Step forward: ghca21401@gmail.com. Or directly to Brendan at bpboyle@gmail.com
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Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 5. Location TBD
We will hold Election of Officers and welcome aboard Board and Steering Committee Members.
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So as not to let advertising creep in and take over our community Facebook page, we have set a policy that either you or your business must have an address in Germantown or Homewood and you may advertise no more frequently than once a month.
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Button up, watch for puddles, either pray for snow days or no snow days but either way be grateful for days,
Yours,
Bob Waldman, Chair
Board
Tim Doyle, Vice Chair
Erin McCopp, Treasurer
Michele Deckman, Secretary
Steering Committee
Antonia Barry
Kathleen Doyle
Peri Lane
Kaitlyn McQuaid
Conor Miller
Susan Rensted
Leon Shapirpo
Anne Woods, Emeritus
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