The date for SPINN 2008 has been tentatively set for Saturday, June 7, with a rain date of Sunday, June 8. However we are still looking for one or two neighbors to chair the event. By this time last year, plans were already underway and a format fairly well established. We need your help! Several people have volunteered to help, but we need a leader NOW! Lots of notes and boxes of supplies are available from past years to jump-start the planning process. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Dave Smith (704.987.1472) or any other member of the Council of Stewards.
The neighborhood celebrates SPINN (Spring Party in New Neighborhood) in Faulkner Square in early-June. This is an annually budgeted event supported by the Neighborhood Association. However, it does require organization and communication in order to occur and be a success. This is a great way to celebrate New Neighborhood each spring and to meet both old and new neighbors. Let’s not let a great tradition die in 2008!
In the Know in Our Neighborhood“In the Know in Our Neighborhood” is intended to provide important, useful, or interesting information that might not be known by all neighbors. If you have ideas, call Dave Smith (704.987.1472) or e-mail davidbsmith@bellsouth.net. This month there are two events of special interest. Both have New Neighborhood contacts that can provide additional information if you are interested. |
* * Loch Norman Highland Games * *Beginning Friday, April 18, and extending through Sunday, April 20, answer the call of the Scottish clans as the Catawba Valley Scottish Society celebrates the Loch Norman Highland Games at Rural Hill. Events begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Highland Games, filled with the tradition, color and pageantry of an international family reunion, are a feast for the senses and a hands-on experience you will not soon forget. Individual participation is a distinctive feature of Highland Games and you do not have to be Scottish to have a good time. Competitions are available for men, for women, for kids and for all comers. Events include Amateur Heavy athletics, long bow, the kilted mile, battle axe competition, Highland wrestling, the climbing wall, and the heavy stones. Register the kids for the children’s field competition and the eighth and quarter mile kilted races. Experience the moving performance of the massed pipe bands; admire the precision of the Highland Dancers; and feel the passion in the haunting melodies of the Scottish harp and fiddle. Enjoy the fun, food, and Celtic music. For those that may be unfamiliar with the location, Rural Hill is a 265 acre historical site in Huntersville that was the original homestead of Major John Davidson and his family. It is a restoration in progress and includes plantation ruins and a one-room 1890’s schoolhouse. The Catawba Valley Scottish Society (CVSS) is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to educate people about the culture, heritage and contributions of the Scots and Scots-Irish and to provide venues for recognizing and celebrating their rich heritage. Other events sponsored by CVSS at Rural Hill include The Spirit of the Hornet’s Nest (May 17-18, 2008), The Amazing Maize Maze (August 25 – October 21, 2008), and the rural Hill Sheep Dog Trials (November 2-4, 2008). For further information about Rural Hill and these events, call 704.875.3113 or visit www.ruralhill.net. You can also contact our neighbor Ed McLean, Executive Director for CVSS, at 704.895.0940 for information about the upcoming events or the Society. |
Russell B. Knox Memorial Golf TournamentThe Cornelius/Lake Norman, North Charlotte, Davidson, and Huntersville Lions Clubs will sponsor the Russell B. Knox Memorial Golf Tournament on Monday, April 28, at River Run Country Club. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with registration and lunch followed by a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start. Prize drawings and an awards ceremony will follow play. The tournament features a Captain’s Choice format. Individual participant fees are $110 ($400 for a foursome). There is a Seniors Division open to players 60 years and over. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best team net in both categories. Don’t miss a chance to win a boat or car with a hole-in-one. The Golf Benefit is an amateur golf tournament to benefit the programs and services of the participating Lions Clubs and to act as a Memorial to the late Russell B. Knox, former mayor and Davidson community leader. Russell Knox had a profound influence on Davidson and its community. Serving for 20 years as a Town Board Commissioner and Mayor provided him with an opportunity to contribute the best he had to offer for citizens, friends, and family. He worked with Davidson College to locate the public library on the Town Village Green and to restore the historic property known as “Beaver Dam.” He also helped to preserve the historic nature of the Town of Davidson. Russell Knox was an avid supporter of Davidson College and a twenty year underwriter of radio station WDAV. He was on the initial Board of Directors that planned The Pines Retirement Center. Russell was a member of the Davidson Lions Club for many years and in 1998 was recognized for his contributions to Lions programs with the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. The International Association of Lions Clubs is the largest and most active service club organization in the world. For more information about the golf tournament, call 704.892.0276. You may also contact your neighbor Norm Reid at 704.894.9213 for information about the golf tournament or the Davidson Lions Club. |
Following the March newsletter article highlighting problems reported with air conditioning units and wood trim in homes built by David Weekly, the Association received a call from Tom Ingram, President of the Charlotte Division of David Weekly Homes. He was most interested in understanding the nature of the complaints and in being sure that his organization had an opportunity to investigate and take actions if applicable.
The conversation with Mr. Ingram was constructive and helpful. He addressed the two specific problems directly and honestly. He pointed out that troubles with the Carrier A/C coils are an industry-wide problem and these coils and methods of installation are no longer used. As to the deterioration of some trim constructed with the press-board composite, Mr. Ingram cautioned that owners should routinely inspect these areas for caulking and paint wear. These are common building materials, but do require good sealing and priming/ painting to avoid moisture absorption. Similar materials originally used in Cunnane homes are also showing some problems when exposed to moisture. Better materials appear on the market each year and builders change standards accordingly. As maintenance is required in townhomes, these materials are being replaced with fiber-cement board as a standard.
If you are experiencing these problems in a David Weekly home, please call Customer Care and Central Warranty at 704.972.4240 and report your concerns. If no one answers, leave a message and a representative will usually return your call within two hours. Based on the problem, David Weekly Homes would like the opportunity to inspect the problem and make corrections or suggestions. Inspectors will be looking for patterns and potential design flaws. Please understand that this does not provide a guarantee that all reported problems will be corrected by the builder. However, if design flaws are found, David Weekly Homes will make good on the construction.
The Association thanks Tom Ingram and David Weekly Homes for taking the time to respond to these issues and for providing as much help as possible. The March newsletter article was published to increase awareness of the problems experienced by some residents and to help all residents avoid similar troubles in the future. David Weekly homes are quality-built units and the builder wants to maintain that reputation by working with our neighbors in any way possible.
The Town of Davidson has announced plans to install an Olympic-size pool on the east end of Faulkner Square. Construction is expected to start as early as late-summer, with completion expected by the beginning of the summer season in 2009. Funding for the project is reported to have come from an anonymous source. However, it is rumored that a former Olympic swimming champion, newly relocated to Davidson, has supplied the money. Although New Neighborhood will have special membership privileges, the pool will be managed and operated entirely by the Aquatic & Athletics Activities (AAA) Department of Davidson Parks & Recreation. This presents an exciting opportunity for our neighborhood to enjoy the fun and relaxation of a pool during the hot summer months.
Complete details of the pool features are not available at this point, but the Town has expressed a desire to include a three-meter board and a ten-meter platform at one end to provide the opportunity for Davidson to host the 2010 North Carolina High Diving Championships. Watt R. Parks, chairman of the AAA, was quoted as saying, “With a pool this size, Davidson can become a center for competitive swimming. The Wildcats have brought our town recognition. Swimming may give us an Olympic gold-medalist!”
Several residents along North and South Faulkner Ways were contacted for comment. Obviously there are concerns, particularly with respect to the potential for noisy crowds and limited parking. The Town of Davidson has not reached a final decision, but has offered to covert the flat area adjacent to Ashby Park for parking. For large events, spectators are expected to be brought in by shuttle bus from the town.
The pool area will be surrounded by a ten foot walled enclosure that will be landscaped to “blend” with the square. The outer wall areas are also expected to display public art frescos by some of the nation’s top artists. The Town Board has unanimously agreed that the entire project may become a model for melding public facilities with residential living.
The Council of Stewards has negotiated several perks to encourage the neighborhood to embrace the project. Although the pool will be open to the public for membership, New Neighborhood residents will be granted first rights to membership and at half price. Mondays will be used for maintenance, but will open to senior residents who are 60 and over – Senior Dip Day.
The Association is also negotiating with the AAA to receive a percentage of all membership fees and event charges. This is a great opportunity to lower assessments and benefit from a real recreational asset.
If you would like further information and be included on the newly created New Neighborhood Aquatics Club (NNAC) e-mail list, call 555.APR.FOOL.
It’s that time of year again! Yard-of-the-Month judging begins at the end of April for the month of May and will continue through October. Winners are selected among single-family homes. The home will be selected one or two weeks prior to the month of the award and will be featured in the newsletter and posted on the website. Be a winner of the “Star of Excellence” in 2008!
The criteria established by the Selection Committee (representatives from the neighborhood) are listed below. The total exterior appearance of the yard, including the planting strip between the sidewalk and the street, should be one of neatness and visually appealing as evidenced by:
If you have questions or suggestions regarding this plan, or if you are willing to volunteer as a judge, please call Judy McLean, at 704.895.0940.
Questions regarding garbage and recycling schedules and guidelines are frequently asked, particularly by new residents. The Town of Davidson contracts garbage, yard debris, and recycling pick-up through Allied, an outside service. To obtain a roll-out garbage cart or recycling bin or to report service problems, call 704.393.6900. Neighborhood experience has been positive in regard to response to service calls.
Curbside pick-up of garbage: Fridays (early!)
Curbside pick-up of recycle materials: Wednesday
[NOTE: Cardboard must be cut into pieces no larger than three feet square.]
Curbside pick-up of yard debris: Wednesday
[NOTE: No piece can be longer than 6 feet in length or greater than 6 inches in diameter.
Please stack neatly in small piles so debris can be picked-up by one man.]
It is against the Town of Davidson’s water quality ordinance to blow grass clippings and lawn debris into the street and storm drainage system. Neighborhood Canons prohibit blowing grass clippings, leaves, and yard debris into the street. Please notify your lawn maintenance contractor if this is being done.
There always seems to be confusion regarding what actually happens during a holiday week. Allied recognizes six holidays during the year: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If a holiday falls on a weekday, pick-up will occur one day later if the actual holiday occurs prior to collection time. For example, Christmas 2008 falls on a Thursday. Wednesday pick-up for recycling and yard waste will occur as usual that week. However, Friday garbage pick-up will occur on Saturday, December 27. (Yes, Allied actually does make up the holiday by working on Saturday.)
In response to complaints about standing water in yards and poor drainage by Charleston home owners along O. Henry Avenue (four homes), Landscape Solutions has been contracted to upgrade the drainage field that runs behind these homes along a path between individual property lines and the Clemens Place Garden Common Area. The work will include addition of 4-inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch plastic drain piping along with a French drain along the entire length. Additional 12-inch square drains will feed these pipes and some downspout drains from the O. Henry homes will be tied into these same lines. No changes will be made beyond the existing large storm drain that now carries runoff from this same area.
Work is expected to begin in four to six weeks and should not take long to complete. Owners of the Charleston homes along O. Henry will be contacted by Judy McLean, chairperson of the Landscape & Grounds Committee, in order to present a sketch of the proposed work and to answer questions. All landscaping and yard areas should be returned to normal and, since construction may spatter dirt and mud along the fence line, plans are being made to include repainting of the fence as part of the painting project this summer.
Residents in townhomes on O. Henry and in single-family homes along Clemens Place should request their children to stay away from this area while the work is being done. Your cooperation is appreciated.
If you will be out-of-town for extended periods and would like
the newsletter mailed instead of delivered to your door, please write to
Abbott Enterprises, Inc., Attention: Vera Victorino (5970 Fairview Rd., Suite
710, Charlotte, NC 28210) requesting the change. Please give effective dates
if door delivery is expected to restart. Association information and newsletters
are automatically mailed to all non-resident owners.
Thanks go to all of our delivery volunteers! Several new folks will also be added to our list in the coming months. Our March crew included Adria & Woody Appleby, Barbara & Tom Doster, Tom Fischer, Sherman Kahn, Norm Reid, Dave Smith, Norma Stewart, and John & Marcia Williamson.
If you wish to volunteer, please call Dave Smith at 704.987.1472
(e-mail at davidbsmith@bellsouth.net).
| NOTE: The Council of Stewards meets regularly on the fourth Wednesday of every other month in St. Alban’s Church classroom (lower level) at 7:00 p.m. Special meetings are called as needed. Meetings are open to residents. The next regular COS meeting is scheduled on April 23, 2008. |