Oakland Drive - Winchell Neighborhood

Welcome to the Oakland Drive - Winchell Neighborhood Association website!

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

* KATS Transportation Survey
The Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study (KATS), the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Kalamazoo Urbanized Area, has asked the public to comment on their Metropolitan Transportation Plan for 5 years and 20 years out.

This is a great opportunity for YOU to let them know your thoughts on making our streets safe for all users.

Please take a few minutes to help shape transportation in the Kalamazoo metropolitan area! All information will be confidential.

Click HERE to complete their short survey.

This survey will be open only until February 24 so please respond ASAP.

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* Woods Lake Park - Update
The City held an informational meeting regarding the status of Woods Lake Park on December 10, 2014. A total of 14 people attended, including three ODWNA Board members and two city employees (Ryan Johnson, Parks Manager and Sean Fletcher, Parks and Rec Managing Director).

A summary of the meeting is as follows:
Proposed Improvements to Woods Lake Beach Park Include:
• New restroom with attached outdoor shelter
• Boardwalks with fishing and observation stations
• Trails
• Re-configuring paved parking area, and specifically limit vehicle access to beach area (i.e., only emergency vehicles plus a couple of disabled parking spots)

Grant Budget
• Improvements to City Park only. Routine activities such as removal of dead branches overhanding the parking lot not included in grant budget.
• Have $591K in grant moneys with $53K already spent on design by Harris and Associates.
• Grant funds received from various sources: Gilmore, Dalton, Natural Resources Trust Fund, and perhaps another one.
• Project sent out for bid with 2 bids received. Both bids over budget (totals ~ 635K + contingency).
• City is now evaluating ways to re-engineer the plan to reduce costs while not altering the overall intent of the design. This may be accomplished by changing some of the building materials, eliminating or deferring some walkways, constructing the improvements in multiple stages over time, etc.
• City hopes to rebid job and select contractor by April 2015 and do construction June – Dec. 2015.

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FYI
- See the City's full Fall/Winter 2014 "View From The Curb" HERE

* Our next Association meeting will be held Wednesday FEBRUARY 18, 2015; 6:30pm ("Meet & Greet" @ 6:30pm; meeting starts @ 7:00pm) in the Winchell Elementary library

UPDATES:
NEW FOR 2014-15: This year, we are trying something a bit different for our Association meetings. We will still begin our meetings at 7PM (with our speaker starting around 7:15PM) However, you are welcome to arrive at 6:30PM in order to informally gather to talk to the ODWNA board members and/or just visit with your neighbors! We like to keep our meetings informative (for you and us) and not go too late, but some have requested that there is very little time to just talk & visit, so please come a bit early to share your thoughts!

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2014-15 Speaker Series Lineup
Our speaker on 2/18/15 will be Diana Morton-Thompson, P.G., C.P.G.; a Registered Professional Geologist and co-managing partner of Earth Resources, L.C., who will be discussing Kalamazoo Geology – Discover the Geologic History & Forces that created the Kalamazoo and the Oakland Drive/Winchell Neighborhood Landscapes

In this talk, you will discover a new way of looking at our neighborhood and at nature in general. You will learn about the geologic forces and processes that created our unique landscape, and you will learn how to identify and understand the major topographic features of the City of Kalamazoo and the smaller natural features specific to the Oakland Drive/Winchell Neighborhood.

Diana is the co-managing partner of Earth Resources International, L.C., a geologic-based consulting company. She has worked on projects ranging from the evaluation of natural resources in places like Albania and the Middle East to groundwater assessments and remediation operations in southwest Michigan. Her favorite type of projects involve building teams to address the sustainable development of, and co-habitation with, our natural resources.

Go HERE to see the full lineup of 2014-15 speakers!
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January 2014 Speaker Topic: City/Neighborhood Issues - Guest Speakers: Jim Ritsema, City Manager and Laura Lam, Director of Community Planning and Development

In addition to a PowerPoint presentation and handout, here are some of the issues that were covered by our speakers:

Budget is a big concern.
2015 budget is approved.
Kalamazoo has a 5 year fiscal plan.
Long term stability: Municipal budget model is broken, and it is a constant challenge. Advocacy at the State level to get money is tough.
Looking at what will happen if we don’t have more revenue.
Community engagement: researching/exploring how best to communicate/dialogue with residents.
City needs to listen better.
ImagineKalamazoo.com is a high tech and high touch solution.
Working on developing better partnerships with organizations.
Core services are always a concern that must be taken care of: Public Safety, Water, Sewer, etc.
When we look at non-core services the city needs to figure out what is important to residents.
The plan is to start with identifying community values.
They have a Mindmixer website that will be like an online survey.
They are working to improve their Website.
“Shared Prosperity” is a positive way to talk about the poverty issue.
They are working on a way to set up subscriptions so that community members can subscribe to which information they want to hear about and HOW they want to hear about it.

Go HERE to read the full meeting minutes of this (or any) of our ODWNA Association meetings
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Asylum Lake Preservation Association
What is the ALPA?

It is a volunteer organization dedicated to assuring the the Preserve remains a natural open space, to see that it is preserved as a habitat for wildlife and continued use by the community.

It started in 1990 when there was a threat that the area would be developed and a great public asset would be lost. Citizens organized and Asylum Lake Preservation Association (ALPA) was born.

Please consider beaing part the supportive community! This property is not a Preserve by accident, many people have worked long and hard to keep it this way.

Visit their website HERE for more information, to support their mission, or to get involved.
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As always; feel free to email us with your thoughts for the neighborhood!

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2014-15 ODWNA Board Members
President - Peter Kushner
Vice President - Chris Shook
Secretary - Sandy Bolstad
Treasurer - Diana Morton-Thompson

Board Members at-large:
Tom Kayser
Becky Mutzaers
Barb Ross
Paul Scott
Kathy Shook
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ODWNA Statement of Purpose

-Preserve and enhance the neighborhood living concept in the area.
-Protect the natural beauty of the area.
-Encurage the beautification, physical well-being and neighborhod spirit of the residential area.
-Constructively assist the Kalamazoo City and County Planning Commissions.
-Provide a forum for open and frank discussion of different points of view on neighborhood development.
-Provide for communication on matters of neighborhood interest to residents.

The Oakland Drive-Winchell Neighborhood Association was founded in 1973 in response to the City of Kalamazoo's proposal to widen Oakland Drive, which would have required the removal of many trees.

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