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*Monthly Brush Collection Program
May through October Brush collection occurs monthly from May through October on the day of the month that bulk trash would occur. Residents should note that leaves are not accepted during the brush program. More information (including the schedule), is available HERE * Inventory Kalamazoo 2022: Oakland Drive-Winchell Neighborhood
It is time to document our neighborhood, and YOUR help is needed! Inventory Kalamazoo 2022 is a reconnaissance-level resource survey that photographs and documents the existing condition of structures made by people (houses, schools, stores, gas stations, parks, etc). The goal – to document (from the public right of way) every resource of any age within the City. Volunteers (working in pairs) are needed to collect data in-person for each structure by using their tablet or smartphone:
As a “thank you” for volunteering, all volunteers will receive a cool City “swag bag”, plus, the first 20 volunteers to sign up will receive a copy of “Kalamazoo Lost & Found” by Lynn Houghton and Pamala Hall O’Connor! For further details (and watch a video presentation) go HERE To sign up (or ask questions), contact Luis Pena, Historic Preservation Coordinator 269-337-8804, PenaL@kalamazoocity.org *Parkview Avenue Reconstruction Project
Between Tamsin Ave. and Oakland Dr.: Work Continues Coordinated project will upgrade water main, rebuild street, and improve biking and walkability Additionally, the width of vehicle lanes will be reduced to 10 feet wide to calm traffic. The additional space on the roadway will allow the width of the bike lanes to be expanded. New sidewalk will be installed on the north side of Parkview from Broadway to Barnard, and a crossing with a pedestrian island will be added at Barnard to connect the Oakwood and Oakland Drive/Winchell neighborhoods. The project will be completed in two phases: 1) March 21 through early April: will require full closure of Parkview Avenue between Knox and Madison 2) April - October: Eastbound traffic will be maintained, and westbound traffic will have a signed detour Project information including improvement and detour maps are available HERE =========== Traffic or speeding concerns can be submitted to the city HERE There will be brief disruptions to water service for some properties in the project area. Precautionary boil water advisories should also be expected. Affected residents will be notified in advance of any impacts to their water service. A list of active boil water advisories is also available HERE *Stewards of Glen Park
Work Days - Volunteers Needed The Stewards are part of Kzoo Parks "Adopt A Park" program; a sanctioned group of community volunteers who “adopt” a city park to help beautify and care for it. Our neighborhood has a number of parks and "mini parks" and the Stewards are keeping S. Glen Park beautiful! Next work days: SAT May 14 and SAT June 4
No rain dates - Dress for work and the weather - Bring your own work gloves and bug spray Questions? Email Karin The Stewards of Glen Park's mission aligns with the ODWN Neighborhood Plan's "Environmental Responsibility" section, which focuses on ways to promote the enjoyment and sustainable management of existing neighborhood natural systems, recognizes them as important assets, and proposes ways to protect them. *Deer
March 2022 Update - Results of Meeting with City Commission No commissioner had any direct objections to our report results or recommendations, a few seemed to be actively in favor of our recommendations, and all agreed that “no action” on this issue was no longer an option. Others indicated that they personally looked forward to learning more about deer. City staff is already actively working to develop/implement all “Phase 1” recommendations, and “Phase 2” (the actual creation of a deer management plan) has been given the green light to research the time, money, and resources needed to move forward. All things considered I believe it was the best our committee could have hoped for. The commission thanked our committee for doing our homework on deer and deer management before we came to them. Next steps by the city are still being determined. The understanding is that the Commission would like to, within the next 6 months, receive and review a detailed proposal on what it will take to move forward to develop and implement a deer management plan. You can review the Multi-Neighborhood Ad Hoc Committee's report HERE * Residents can now report traffic violations to police online
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) new webpage https://kalamazoopublicsafety.org/traffic/ with a form which allows you to report speeding, stop sign and red light violations, school bus violations, crosswalk violations, and more. You can also report where violations happen, how often they happen, and other details. KDPS says they will use the feedback to determine where to deploy their resources to address concerns. In case of an emergency, call 911. To report a malfunctioning traffic light or other equipment issues, call 311. *Native Plants
Update: Further Info. and Plant Sales We had a great turnout (and interest!) in our February 2021 ODWNA meeting relating to native plants. As a follow up, you will find below further information regarding native plants, as well as opportunities for you to purchase native plants for this year! 1) Native Plants "Cheat Sheet" - thanks to our February speaker Linda Whitlock, you can download HERE a "cheat sheet" of native plant information for our area, as well as other valuable resources. 2) Local Native Plant Sales (click on the links for details): *ODWN Neighborhood Plan
APPROVED By City Commission 6/1/20 Our Neighborhood Plan is now a part of the City's Master Plan!
*City & Neighborhood: Site Plans, Road Projects, Other Projects
1) Site Plans: The city regularly posts to their website active site plans for review and comment by the public. You can find all site plans HERE You can send any comments regarding a site plan to: siteplan@kalamazoocity.org 2) Road Projects: You can find information about road construction and other projects HERE 3) Other Projects: All other "Imagine Kalamazoo" city projects can be found HERE 
*Neighborhood Crime
Here's a great new (FREE to you) initiative that partners KDPS and "Ring!" * You can also put the FREE app on your PC or Mac if you don't have a smartphone! Just go HERE ================== What should you do to report something that is of a non-emergency nature? Well, our friends at KDPS tell us you should:
KDPS is here to help us...but they need our help as well! By reporting non-emergency issues, KDPS can track and identify trends in our neighborhood, and not only respond, but understand how to best be pro-active to prevent crimes as well! "Quality of Life" Issues/Who to Contact
Ordinance Enforcement As a follow-up to recent neighbor concerns regarding nuisance/quality of life ordinance adherence, we have listed on our Resource Links page the areas of concern as well as the City contact phone number you may call to report any perceived violations. Our City Rental Inspector has assured us that any complaints registered with the city will be followed up on, and the person reporting the violation will remain anonymous. You can also report violations via the City's website with their Report It! link |
Our next ODWNA Association meeting is Wednesday May 18, 2022
10th Annual ODWNA Car Show! We again are pleased to say that Cole/Nissan will be our Presenting Sponsor!
This is the ODWNA's way of kicking off summer; to let everyone have the chance to get outside, meet your neighbors, and see some cool cars as well! Our Board can always be reached via EMAIL HERE NEW: 2022 Spring/Summer View From The Curb is now available and full of very helpful information! Download it HERE
There is also a public comment link so individuals can look at the proposed routes and comment online. The survey is available HERE
* Gates, Restrooms, and Water Fountains now Open at City Parks
Facility Rentals Available starting May 13 All Kalamazoo city parks are open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. City parks are open year-round, but gates to some parking areas and vehicle drives are closed during the winter months because of reduced staffing. Restrooms and water fountains are winterized each year and reopen for the season once freezing temperatures pass and seasonal staff are available for cleaning and maintenance. You can learn more about Kalamazoo’s city parks including park locations and amenities HERE *Stadium Dr. Reconstruction Project
Began April 4 This project will improve the roadway and make a number of improvements for pedestrians and non-motorized users. Over the course of the project, Stadium Drive will be:
*Kalamazoo Community Sustainability Plan Draft Available for Review
Community invited to review the draft plan and share feedback A draft of the Kalamazoo Community Sustainability Plan (CSP) is now available for public review. The CSP is a 10-year guiding document focused on the role city government can play in partnership with the broader community to create a more sustainable, resilient Kalamazoo. Community members are encouraged to review the draft plan and share their thoughts online HERE *Rain Barrel Sale for Southwest Michigan Residents
The City of Battle Creek is hosting a rain barrel sale for residents of southwest Michigan. Rain barrels collect roof runoff and reduce the amount of water that flows from your property. They're a great way to conserve water and its free water for use in your landscape! You can place an order for an "upcycled" rain barrel HERE *Kzoo Parks Summer Program Registration
Now Open! Registration for Kzoo Parks summer camps and programs is now open! See the fun programs Kzoo Parks has planned for this summer HERE 
*Recycle Coach
FREE App For Personalized Trash, Recycling Info. And More! The City of Kalamazoo has launched of a mobile app (iPhone & Android) and website plug-in containing all of the information residents need to know about residential trash and recycling services, tailored specifically to your neighborhood. Other features include:
The app is available for Android and iPhone users and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play for free by searching for “Recycle Coach” *Upcoming City Projects
Curious about a project that is happening in the City? Want to find out what street construction projects are planned this year? Wondering about upcoming parks projects? All City projects can be found at: www.kalamazoocity.org/projects Projects are identified on an interactive map that includes the project scope and estimate start and completion dates (actual dates are dependent on weather and other factors and may differ). You can also sign up for email updates on road construction at that website that will be provided approximately every two weeks. *Kalamazoo County Smart911 Available
Now Available! Public Safety Officials Encourage Residents to Sign Up For the Free Service That Provides Emergency Responders with More Information in the Event of an Emergency Public safety officials in Kalamazoo County announced today that Smart911 is now available to all individuals in Kalamazoo County. Smart911 is a free service that allows individuals and families to sign up online to provide key information to 9-1-1 call takers during an emergency. Smart911 allows citizens to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency. When a citizen makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right response teams to the right location with the right information. *Are Your Service Water Pipes Made of Lead?
Check the map and database link below Kalamazoo's municipal water system has about 4,300 known lead service lines at about 2,800 addresses out of a total of more than 46,000 service lines in the system. At about 1,600 addresses, both the yard service lines and street service lines are lead. Of those addresses with one or the other, most of the lead pipes are yard service lines, according to city records. You can go to an MLive article HERE to access the map and/or search the database to see if your address is listed. Lead and Copper Program The City offers free lead and copper testing kits to City of Kalamazoo water customers. In an effort to streamline the City’s Lead and Copper program and respond timely to customers, the City requests that all calls and inquiries be directed to (269) 337-8550. ================== Here is a guide from the EPA, supplied to us by the City, that explains: • How lead gets into the body • About health effects of lead • What you can do to protect your family • Where to go for more information Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home * Connect With City Government!
Connect with the city to receive news, updates, and alerts 1) General Questions / Comments? (269) 337-8000 or 3-1-1 within city limits -or- www.KalamazooCity.org/contact 2) Foundation For Excellence website 3) www.ImagineKalamazoo.com where the public can connect and collaborate with local decision makers and other residents on the future of our community. 4) www.kalamazoocity.org/connect provides information on how residents can connect with the city to receive important information and updates. 5) The city has created an online newsletter. This bi-monthly publication will contain information about what is happening around the City and include news, alerts, meeting schedules & agendas, and events. Go HERE to sign up. |
ODWNA Statement of Purpose
-Preserve and enhance the neighborhood living concept in the area.
-Protect the natural beauty of the area.
-Encourage the beautification, physical well-being and neighborhood 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.
-Protect the natural beauty of the area.
-Encourage the beautification, physical well-being and neighborhood 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.
2021-22 ODWNA Board Members
President - Peter Kushner
Vice President - Chris Shook
Treasurer - Kathy Shook
Secretary - Chris Bovid
Board Members at-large:
Eric Boersma
Diana Morton-Thompson
Paul Scott
President - Peter Kushner
Vice President - Chris Shook
Treasurer - Kathy Shook
Secretary - Chris Bovid
Board Members at-large:
Eric Boersma
Diana Morton-Thompson
Paul Scott
Oakland Drive / Winchell Neighborhood Map
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ODWNA ~ P.O. BOX 20061 ~ Kalamazoo, Michigan 49019
ODWNA ~ P.O. BOX 20061 ~ Kalamazoo, Michigan 49019
