Hello Neighbors!
It’s another grand day in the ol’ West End.
2024 Home & Garden Tour
By now many of you have likely heard, but the 2024 Home & Garden Tour and Artsfest were both HUGE successes! In fact, we broke records for the second straight year in terms of attendance, revenue and profits! A mega shout out to our 20+ committee members who were the main reason we did so great. It really is a fabulous event and the committee’s work shows up in how seamless everything is. Also need to recognize our two co-chairs, Ryan Benton and Ellen Sauer (yes we’re related 😀), for their leadership and organization.
Christopher A Photography © 2024
Fort Wayne Community Schools
Changing topics, at our October member meeting we were introduced to Antoinette Payne, who is our district’s representative on the Fort Wayne Community Schools Board. She provided a great update on what’s happening with our schools and answered questions from the membership.
One concern that came up is how cars speed past Washington Elementary as kids are coming and going. She was asked if there were strategies to make our streets more safe for all neighbors and guests, but in particular our school children. Speeding on Washington and Jefferson has been raised more generally by several neighbors in the recent past. Ms. Payne suggested we lobby for signs that post cars current speed as they pass and for better signage noting that they are in a school zone. She also pledged to connect with FWCS for other remedies.
As part of the conversation, our members wanted to know how they can help. Ms. Payne subsequently provided the below links on two great ways we can volunteer on behalf the kids. Steve Miranda put in a plug for Project Reads noting how personally rewarding it is for something as simple as just reading to a K – 3 aged child. You can find Ms. Payne’s contact information on our website here.
https://www.fortwayneschools.org/families/face/study-connection
https://literacyalliance.org/programs/project-reads/
Fort Wayne Urban Trails
Also presenting was Joe Giant, Planner for the City of Fort Wayne, talking about the proposed Urban Trail to connect downtown destinations. Many of you may have seen and heard about this in the newspapers and on our WC Facebook page, Beyond Porch Parties. If you’re not familiar with what an urban trail is, we have a great example along Harrison Street connecting Main and the core of downtown to Promenade Park (see photo). The plan is to extend this trail all the way to Electric Works, another significant investment and asset of downtown.
While three routes are being considered, one is the most direct and has the potential for the biggest impact with the least amount of parking loss. That route would be to continue the current trail down Harrison to West Washington, then west to Broadway and south on to Electric Works.
I’m happy to report that at Monday’s City Council meeting (10/22) the money to start planning for this route was unanimously approved! Thanks to all of you who wrote to our council members supporting this critical project. According to Mr. Giant, it really made a difference. We’re not done yet since this is only the planning phase, so please watch for more opportunities in the future for you to raise your voice on this topic.
2025 WCNA Officer Elections
The next big topic at the meeting was the notice that our officer (board) elections will be held at November’s membership meeting (11/18). All five of the current officers (listed below) have agreed to run again in 2025 and were presented by past president, Ben Wahli, as the 2025 slate of candidates. Anyone who is an active member is eligible to run and be included on the ballot, they simply need to be nominated. Active members can nominate themselves or another active member – we just ask that this person knows they were nominated and that they’re willing to serve!
Membership: Anita Kuker
President: Joel Sauer
Secretary: Bethany Pruitt
Treasurer: George Taylor
Vice President: Kelly Benton
Announcements
Also at our November member meeting the board will be presenting an updated WCNA spending policy. We created such a policy several years ago, so the updated version will build on that and hopefully provide more specific guidance on how to use our substantial resources. The board received ideas at a previous meeting and is building those into the new plan. Plan on attending so you can weigh in and provide guidance for future neighborhood investments.
Restoration of the Mechanic’s Street bridge has begun and is well along. As you can see in the picture, the entire bridge was been wrapped in plastic and tarps while sandblasting of the metal frame to remove paint takes place. Since that paint is very old – and may have some nasties in it – it is being captured so it doesn’t enter the river or environment. Additionally, the path leading to the bridge which had been completely covered by mud from regular flooding has now been cleared. It will be great having this historic neighborhood asset back to being functional connecting Swinney with the Nebraska Neighborhood.
Remember that the WCNA Holiday Party will be on Monday, December 9th beginning at 6 pm. The location is still being determined, but should be announced soon. This party is in lieu of a membership meeting, so there won’t be a December meeting – but we are meeting in November!
Steve Miranda graciously volunteered to organize a shoots and plant sale at the Swinney Homestead in the spring of 2025. This used to be an annual event, but the Homestead had to discontinue it for a lack of volunteers. Look for more details on this even and how you can be involved in the coming months.
Last, if anyone is interested in organizing a Holiday Cookie Exchange please let us know (info@westcentralneighborhood.org). We’ve done these in years past and they’ve always been very well appreciated.
See you at our next meeting and on the front porch!
Joel Sauer, President