WEINLAND PARK

COMMUNITY

CIVIC

ASSOCIATION

Newsletter | August 2014

www.weinlandparkcivic.org

Laura Bidwa and Rory Krupp relax on their porch

A painting by Laura Bidwa

On a pleasant, July evening, Laura Bidwa relaxes at

home alongside Rory Krupp. Lately, she has been
collecting signatures from residents and artists featured
in the Weinland Park Story Book. Weinland Park has
been her home since 2006, and she cannot decide what
makes it better: the nice neighbors or all the large, old
trees.

picture. Sometimes I paint live scenes, other times,

I take a photo and study it for a long time. Using oil
paint on wood panels, over the years her paintings have
grown more abstract.

Meet Your Neighbor: Laura Bidwa

Laura is a writer and editor at the Columbus College

of Art and Design. Her job supports her second career
and passion, painting landscapes. I work for a long
time on the same picture, I let the movements and
changes of the landscape outside integrate into the

While she doesnt call herself prolific, many people

would disagreejust look at her exhibitions: more
than 20, from 1997 through 2013 at the Rebecca Ibel
Gallery, Lindsay Gallery, and the Pizzuti Collection in
Columbus. She doesnt catch a breath!
See some recent work at her website, laurabidwa.com.
You can also see samples of Rory Krupps work there.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT &

WEINLAND PARK FESTIVAL

Meet us at the Shelter House on Tuesday, August 5 to take part in National

Night Out, a day when communities across the country unite against crime.
We will hold a flashlight vigil with hot dogs and ice cream beginning at 5 p.m.
The annual neighborhood festival will happen Saturday, August 16 from
12-4 p.m. We still need volunteers and working with your neighbors is the
best way to build camaraderie. This year, the bounce house and DJ Buzz will
be back, along performances from our Girl Scout Troop, the R.I.S.E Boys and
Girls Club, the Harmony Project, plus much more.

There will also be food trucks for the first time this year, and every resident can stop by to pick up your free 18-month calendar featuring the art of
local residents, graciously compiled by the Wexner Center for the Arts Jean
Pitman. Be sure to bring some money to buy food for the whole family!

Campus Partners
proposes plan for
development south of
Gateway
Campus Partners is redeveloping 7.2 acres of land
fronting High Street immediately south of the South
Campus Gateway. The area spans from East Ninth to
East Eighth avenues and east to Section Alley, just west
of Indianola Avenue.
Their intention is to work with a private developer to
construct a mix of retail and office buildings along High
Street, with apartments above and extending east into
the neighborhood.
Amanda Hoffsis, president of Campus Partners, and
Keith Myers, Ohio States Associate Vice President for
Physical Planning and Real Estate, attended the
WPCCA Housing Committee meeting on July 8. A
dozen residents of Euclid Avenue were in attendance,
voicing concerns about the proposed housing
density (up to 525 apartments), as well as the setback
and height of the buildings.
The University Area Commission will vote later this
summer on whether to support the necessary rezoning
as a commercial planned development before the
proposal moves on to City Council.

Project Study Area

Located directly south of the recently constructed South Campus Gateway,
the project study area bridges the gap between The Ohio State University
and the Short North. The project study area totals 7.26 acres and is generally
bound by High Street to the west, E. 9th Ave. north, Section Alley east, and
Euclid Ave. to the south.

Got some thoughts about this project? Omar

Elhagmusa, chair of the WPCCA Housing Committee,
and Rory Krupp are leading a working group of
residents who are studying the rezoning proposal
in more depth. Contact Omar by phone at (614) 2084261 or by email at omar.elhagmusa@gmail.com to
get involved.

Window Boxes Help Beautify Neighborhood

The Columbus Foundation has awarded a grant
to Community Properties of Ohio (CPO) to install
self-watering window flower boxes on more of its
buildings in Weinland Park.
CPO added a number of these planters along
Summit and North Fourth streets last year. Since
the colorful flowers added so much to the beauty of
the neighborhood, CPO sought to put up more this
summer.
Initially undertaken as a pilot project, the window
boxes were installed on seven buildings in the
neighborhood in order to improve their appearance
for Community Properties of Ohios 10th anniversary celebration. The window boxes were met with
rave reviews from residents and the broader neighborhood. They are 49 inches long and use an irrigation system that collects rain water from the roof
and are planted with delightful hanging flowers that
last throughout the summer and into the fall.

Photo credit: Kay Bea Jones

Food District Breaks Ground

at the Godman Guild
On June 26, the Godman Guild
Association held a ribboncutting ceremony to mark the
official launch of the Food
District @ Weinland Park.
The celebration also recognized Blue Bowtie Vending for
installing two new vending
machines offering healthier
food choices at the Guild.

Weinland Park Story

Book Released

Photo credit: Katherine D. Sprengler

Top row: Emily-Kitturah Westenhouser (artist), Nancy Kangas (artist), Josiah
Clements (teen artist), Bryan Moss (artist). Middle row: Jean Pitman (Wex,
artist), Jasmine McCloskey (teen artist), Julian Dassai (artist), Mary Jo Bole
(artist), Joyce Hughes (WPCCA), Brandyn McElroy (WPCCA). Lower row: Amin
Ebady (teen artist, WP), Cayla Weston (WP youth story-teller).

In celebration of the publication of the

Weinland Park Story Book, a graphic anthology
based on short stories and anecdotes from the
neighborhood, the Wexner Center and our
community hosted a family-friendly artists
reception on Sunday, June 29 at the Godman
Guild. Attendees enjoyed a free scoop of Jenis
Splendid Ice Cream after they viewed the original
artworks, which have found a permanent home at
the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.
Weinland Park residents and contributing artists
were able to pick up a free copy of the book as
well.
The books genesis can be traced back to an
open-ended request from neighborhood leaders
Joyce Hughes (then-president of the Weinland
Park Community Civic association) and Diane
Dixon (then vice president of the civic association)
to the centers education team for a community
art project that would document Weinland Parks
past and present through the eyes of residents.

Among the speakers at the

groundbreaking were a few
familiar faces: our own neighbor, Michael Wilkos of The
Columbus Foundation; Ellen
Williams, president and CEO
of Godman Guild; and City
Council Member, Priscilla
Tyson.

Keep WP Beautiful:
Bulk Pick-up!

OSU student move-in is under way. Every year, during

this time, the City sets up bulk drop-off locations. Need
to get rid of appliances, carpets, unsalvageable
furniture, or other large items that dont fit in the
dumpsters? Now through Sunday, August 17, take it
to one of the many sites in and around WP:
o Rear of 100 Chittenden
o Side of 31 Chittenden Avenue next to Pearl Alley
o Rear of 107-109 East 11th Avenue
o Rear of 175 West 9th Avenue
o Vacant lot NE Corner of High & East 8th
Got furniture that might be useful to a family in need?
Contact the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio at (614)
272-9544 or furniturebankcoh.org to schedule pick-up!
And dont forget those old electronics! Community
Computer Alliance in partnership with the University District Organization will be nearby at 1301 N.
High St. on Sat., August 2, from 11am-4pm to recycle
e-waste.
If you notice an item that might have been missed by
the Citys clean-up crews, is blocking an alley, or blocking a dumpster, please contact Matt Hansen at (614)
294-5113 or matt@universitydistrict.org.

AUGUST CALENDAR Free unless otherwise noted

When

Event

Location

Every Mon. Thurs. 3:30 6:30 p.m.

Homework Help Center, grades K-12, *begins Aug. 18*
Every Fri.
3 6:30 p.m.

Northside Library

Every Sat.

10 a.m.

Zumba, Latin-inspired dance fitness, $3/class

Godman Guild

Fri., Aug. 1

2:30 p.m.

Reading Buddies, grades K3

Northside Library

5 - 8 p.m.

Malcolm Js Unsung Art Reception, Short North Alliance 21 E. 5th Ave., Room 103

Sat., July 26

10 a.m.noon

Litter Clean-Up and Newsletter Distribution with coffee, Shelter house at the park
donuts, and fruit

Tues., Aug. 5

5 7 p.m.

National Night Out

Shelter house at the park

Wed., Aug. 6

6 p.m.

Red Circle, arts & crafts, all ages

Shelter house at the park

Sat. Aug. 9

7 a.m.

African-American Male Wellness Walk, free screenings

740 Livingston Ave.

Mon., Aug. 11

6:30 p.m.

Civic Association Communications Committee

Godman Guild

Tues., Aug. 12

5:30 p.m.

Civic Association Housing Committee

Godman Guild

Wed., Aug. 13

6:00 p.m.

Civic Association Steering Committee

Godman Guild

68 p.m.

Neighborhood Network Gathering

Godman Guild

Thurs., Aug. 14

8 p.m.

Wex Summer Drive-In, featuring Mars Attacks!

Wexner Center

Sat., Aug. 16

12 4 p.m.

Weinland Park Neighborhood Festival

Weinland Park

1 5 p.m.

The Long March: Civil Rights in Cartoons & Comics, Billy 1815 N. High Street
Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, Sullivant Hall

Mon., Aug. 18

6 p.m.

Civic Association Food & Wellness Committee

Godman Guild

Wed., Aug. 20

6:30 p.m.

University Area Commission, Northwood & High Building, room 100

2231 N. High

Thurs., Aug. 21

6 p.m.

Civic Association Safety & Mobility Committee

Pride Center

6:30 p.m.

University Area Review Board, Northwood & High

Building, room 101

2231 N. High

WEINLAND PARK

COMMUNITY CIVIC ASSOCIATION

STORY IDEAS
If you have any story ideas for the newsletter, please
email us at: communications@
weinlandparkcivic.org
Ideas for next months edition are due by the second
Monday of the month.

MEETINGS
4th Weds. of the month
6:308 p.m.
Schoenbaum Family Center
175 E. 7th Ave.
Next to Weinland Park
Elementary School
Free dinner provided!

FREE TREES!
The City of Columbus will
deliver and plant a tree in
the public right of way for
property owners and for
renters who have
written permission from
their landlordand its all
free.
Just call (614) 645-3111 or
visit www.311.columbus.
gov to submit a request.

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