Minutes of Neighborhood-Wide Meeting of 11/04/10

Parkwood Garden Club Neighborhood-Wide Meeting
hosted by the Parkwood Park Committee (PPC)
November 4, 2010

Officers in Attendance:
Katie Black, President
Sheri Kennedy, Vice President, PPC Chair, and Presenter
Beverly Greene, Treasurer
Mary K Jarboe, Secretary
Bolot & Rebecca Kerimbaev, Communications Chairs
Frances Galifianakis, Neighbor Care Chair
Bryan Bell, Civic Co-Chair

PGC and the Parkwood Park Committee hosted a presentation outlining the Park’s history starting with the Druid Hills development as well as Parkwood Garden Club changes to the Park through the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.  The presentation also included photos from surrounding parks with a similar terrain.  The PGC members then broke up into smaller groups and brainstormed their ideas of the Park and then presented them to the entire group.

To watch and listen to the 40-minute video of Sheri Kennedy’s Keynote presentation, please go to http://vimeo.com/16970929.

To view a PDF of Sheri Kennedy’s Keynote presentation slides with written notes (not a video), please go to:  http://goo.gl/6B0DH (PDF, 19.6 MB).

To watch and listen to the 8-minute slideshow of Rebecca Kerimbaev’s photos taken within Parkwood Park over summer/fall 2010, please go to: http://vimeo.com/16542950.

Brainstorming Session:

We divided into 4 groups of people and brainstormed a list of ideas for Parkwood Park.  The list below is from all 4 groups organized into categories.

1. Cleaning up the Park:The majority agreed with continuing to remove the invasive plants in the Park and then maintain with periodically scheduled neighborhood clean-up days.  (NOTE: We have contacted the Forestry Commission and will meet with an Urban Forester for the Atlanta area in the next few weeks to discuss future invasive clean-ups and impacts to the creek.)
2. Possible DeKalb county issues:
   1. Improve curbs along cut-through to prevent stormwater from entering the ravine outside of an inlet.
   2. Improve county drainage inlets and retaining walls. (NOTE: A work request has been opened with DeKalb County Roads and Drainage.  An inspector should be contacting Sheri Kennedy within the next couple of weeks to discuss.)
3. Possible Future Enhancements:
   1. Ensure future enhancements will be low cost and low maintenance additions
   2. Consider bridges/overlook as a future enhancement
   3. Create steps into the ravine
   4. Walking trail inside the Park (and possible bench)
   5. Walking trail around the perimeter of the Park
   6. Ensure the walking paths are safe and will prevent anyone from falling into the ravine/creek.
   7. Addition of native plants to replace invasive plants–may need master plan.
   8. Hide pipes/create bridges across creek
   9. Enhance W Ponce de Leon Ave entrance but may need to be included in overall master plan for the Park.
4. Action Items/Concerns:
   1. Research environmental regulations concerning the removal of invasive plants and the impacts to creek beds.
   2. Research environmental regulations/issues concerning removal of invasive plants on drop offs to ensure silt does not wash into the creek.  Mostly concerned with English Ivy removal.
   3. Liability Insurance coverage (Referred to Katie Black)
   4. Communicate with neighbors around the ravine to prevent any additional yard debris from being put into the Park.
   5. Determine the requirements/stipulations before accepting any grants or additional donations outside of PGC.
   6. Determine tax exempt status and impacts to receiving additional funds from donations outside of PGC (Referred to Katie Black)