COVNA Newsletter 2/05

Washington

Monthly COVNA Meeting

FEBRUARY MEETING

7:00 p.m. Monday, February 21st
Southwest Church of Christ
8900 Manchaca Rd. (Rear Entrance)

FEBRUARY PROGRAM
LOCAL WATER UTILITY PROBLEMS

Janet Atkinson, an engineer with Austin Water Utilities (formerly City of Austin, Water & Wastewater Dept.), Systems Planning, has agreed to speak to our association regarding the numerous water main breaks, the reason for those breaks, and what, if anything, the AWU is planning on doing to reduce the number of breaks. She will also explain why the water pressure is so high and what, if anything, the residents or City can do about that.

2005 Membership

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Receive notices and info such as the repairman you can trust (and maybe afford). All welcome! Email Doug at tabonyproductions@austin.rr.com

COVNA CALENDAR Monthly meetings are held on the third Monday of the month. 2005 Meetings:
January 17th February 21st March 21st April 18th May 16th	June Picnic TBA September 19th October 17th November 21st December 19th - Holiday Party

2005 COVNA BOARD
Doug DuBois Barbara Klein Melanie Malewitz Marjorie Smith Doug Tabony Doug DuBois Claudia Anderson	President (292-9323) Vice President (292-9313) Secretary (282-0048) Treasurer (282-1065) Newsletter (280-4080) ANC Delegate (292-9323) Past President (282-1932)

President's Message

Neighbors,

The Austin Neighborhoods Council recently featured Karl Krehde of Massachusetts. Mr. Krehde has been working on a project for the last 12 years dealing with smart land use. The premise of his presentation is to overcome conflict between developers and abutters, or those residents who would be affected by the new development, with a series of meetings. These meetings would be used primarily to get to know the parties involved, with the objective of the development being secondary. The premise is: once you get to know each other as human beings, it is easier to discuss differences and avoid conflict.

This same philosophy can be applied to our everyday neighborly getting along with each other. We should all share a common sense of community in our neighborhood, despite our differences. This sense of community can be an affinity for the quiet tree-lined streets we enjoy; the safe neighborhood we live in; the freedom of expression – within the relatively conservative limits of our area, and many other ideals. To strengthen this sense of community, we need to get to know each other better. The coming warmer weather of spring will be a great opportunity to enjoy a walk around the block, or two and get to know our neighbors. I’ll see you on the streets.

Doug DuBois

Spring at the Wildflower Center

Wildflower Days 2005

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center welcomes spring with its annual Wildflower Days season from March 14-April 25, 2005. In addition to beautiful blooms, the upcoming season includes long-time favorite events, special book signings, and a US premiere - The Ladybird Chronicles.

Wildflower Days kicks off with The Ladybird Chronicles by Jane Davenport. This open-air, outdoor art exhibit will make its United States debut from March 10-April 27. The internationally award-winning exhibit includes 30 six-foot-high photographic artworks featuring the bugs and beetles of Australia's Wollongong Botanic Garden. Ladybugs, known as ladybirds in Australia, are featured in each of these photographs that blend art and entomological detail.

An Artisans Festival is the season's first event is on March 19 and 20, 2005, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From fine art to folk art, the best in natural forms will be on display. More than 20 artists and artisans will showcase their nature-related work including metal work, painting, photography, pottery, and more. Event highlights include a children's interactive mural painting activity, educational discovery stations, walks and talks, and entertainment provided by various local musicians.

Wildflower Days continues with the ever-popular Spring Plant Sale and Gardening Festival held on April 9 and 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a special members-only preview sale Friday, April 8, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. This plant sale boasts the largest selection of native plants in Central Texas with some 300 species and 23,000 plants from which to choose. Native plant experts are available all day to help visitors make the best choices for their gardens.

This spring the Wildflower Center also welcomes five authors for book signings.

Jane Davenport, Ladybird Chronicles - Saturday, March 19
Melanie Gerth, Ten Little Ladybugs - Sunday, March 20
Michael Lind, Bluebonnet Girl - Saturday, April 9
Kathi Appelt, Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How A First Lady Changed America - Sunday, April 10
Susan Wittig Albert, Dead Man's Bones - Saturday, May 14

Finally, on Saturday, May 7, 2005, the Wildflower Center will feature a NEW Austin Gardens Tour. Participants will take an exclusive look into Austin's backyard native gems. The tour includes six to eight homes.

Hours for the Wildflower Center are Tuesday - Sunday 9am - 5:30pm.
From March 14 to April 25, the Center is open on Mondays as well.
Spring admission is $7 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and students, and $2.50 for Children. Children 5 and younger, and members are free.

The Wildflower Center is located in southwest Austin: Follow Loop 1 south, turn left on La Crosse Avenue, the first light past Slaughter Lane. The Wildflower Center is two blocks down on the right.

For more information on any of these events or additional information on the Center, call (512) 292-4200 or visit www.wildflower.org

WARNING! CRIME SPREE HITS
SHADY HOLLOW

We don’t live in the type of neighborhood Wanda Corbin describes in the next article. City problems have invaded our quiet neighborhoods. I remember Shady Hollow from the middle ‘70s, when it was a small neighborhood, isolated at the end of Brodie. The following was received from a Shady Hollow resident. (Ed)

“Currently, there is a crime spree in Shady Hollow. We were robbed Mon night. My purse was taken from inside the house WHILE we were home. A house in the Estates was robbed last week. The thief got in their doggie door and stole a laptop, wallet and purse. Just yesterday, a Baranoff parent was coming down her stairs mid-day and a strange man was in the middle of her house. She screamed, grabbed the baby and ran out. A brand new truck on Apache Forest had all 4 of its wheels stolen. The week before Christmas, another family on Indian Point had tools taken from their garage. These guys are quick, brazen and smart and know just what they're doing. My credit card was used at 2 gas stations where they wouldn't be photographed or held for questioning if the card had read "declined." When the sheriff came to see me, he said that so far no one has been hurt. He mentioned that open garage, front, and back doors are how they're getting in, and that they're also popping car windows out and simply using the remote control to get into garages. So lock all doors, even when you're home and bring your clicker inside if you park your car outside the garage.”

SOME LOCAL HISTORY

Early Castlewood Forest Memories
By: Wanda Corbin

We moved to Castlewood in 1969 from a rented house on Glencoe Circle off Lansing Dr., south of Ben White. Our realtor showed us the area and we decided to build here. This neighborhood was very convenient to Bill’s work at what was then John Roberts Class Rings on I-35. He would come home for lunch every day.

I don't know if Castlewood Forest was started in 1968 or 69. The last suburban development south of Ben White before Castlewood was the Lansing/Jones Road area, except for Cherry Creek which was off the road. In between there were just scattered country houses. The only entrance to the area was from Manchaca onto Monarch which ended at Castlewood Dr. Castlewood ended at Crownspoint and Crownspoint ended at Queenswood. All the roads were white caliche.

We built our house in 69 and moved into it in July of that same year. On Castlewood Drive, there were only 2 houses on the east side of that street. On Crownspoint Drive, there were only 3, (all on the south side) the last one being ours. The rest of the area was very heavily wooded, much more so than today. Within 6 months of our moving in, building began to boom. Our builder, and I am assuming the builder of the other 4 houses, was Bartley Harris. He went broke after finishing our house and Felder took over. Felder built out here for several years and then I think West took it over after that.

In the beginning, there weren't many families with children in the area. They had to catch the school bus at the little store on Monarch and Manchaca. The younger children attended Cunningham, the junior high children attended Bedicek and the older ones attended Crockett. Castlewood was heaven for us back then, especially the children. They would play outside after breakfast until dinner, ending the evening sitting out talking into the night. The kids could freely roam around and the boys would take their BB gun seeking adventure in the fields west of Queenswood.

In my immediate area, there are five families who built their homes after ours that are still living here, one on Castlewood, one on Heatherwood, two on Crownspoint Circle and one on Queenswood. However, the four who already lived here when we built are no longer here, making us the oldest members of our neighborhood.

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