Happy March Oakenshawe Neighbors,
This month’s Oakenshawe Improvement Association (OIA) Newsletter Update includes:
- Progressive Dinner 2023: Are you interested?
- Greenspace Mowing: Need Volunteers
- Save the Dates
- What’s that Tree? Baltimore Street Tree Inventory
- Community Updates
PROGRESSIVE DINNER: April 15?
OIA is trying to gauge whether Oakenshawe neighbors are interested in a Progressive Dinner on Saturday, April 15th. If we have enough interest, Karen will continue planning for one. If not, we’ll try again next spring. Please let Karen know by this Friday, March 10th if you are interested and can participate on April 15.
Please email Karen Stokes at karen.stokes2@gmail.com and let her know if you are:
- Interested in joining and can participate on April 15 as an attendee
- Willing to host a dinner for about 6-8 people
- Willing to be the appetizer house (where everyone goes first) or the dessert house (where everyone goes last)
What is a Progressive Dinner? A Progressive Dinner is a relaxed and easy way to get to know your neighbors. In March 2019, about 25 neighbors participated. One house hosted everyone for appetizers. Then we all received instructions to walk to our assigned dinner house (participants were split into smaller groups that were mixed up purposely so people dined with new neighbors) for entrees and a salad. Then we went on to a third house for dessert (two houses hosted desserts in 2019). In 2019 we did the event in March.
GREENSPACE MOWING: Need Volunteers
It is getting close to mowing season and the more people to help mow the better. Generally every two weeks is sufficient for mowing, but if there is a lot of rain we may need additional mows. Sign-up here to volunteer for mowing.
We will have two options for a training/orientation for new folks to learn how to use the mower etc. on the Greenspace:
- Sunday March 12th at 5pm OR
- Tuesday March 14th at 6pm
If neither of these work for you, we can arrange a time at your convenience.
Questions, suggestions, or know others who are interested in helping out, please email laurie.feinberg@gmail.com and Louisa.creamer@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATES
Below are some important dates in 2023 that you should add to your calendar.
- Saturday, March 25 at 9:30 am: EUP Task Force Community Cleanup
- Monday, April 17 at 6:30pm: OIA Quarterly Meeting
- Monday, July 17 at 6:30pm: OIA Quarterly Meeting
- Saturday, September 9: Annual Oakenshawe Block Party (aka Terrace Party)
- Monday, October 16 at 6:30pm: OIA Quarterly Meeting
WHAT’S THAT TREE? Baltimore Street Tree Inventory
“I used to think that the very large tree that towers over the corner of Calvert Street and Homewood Terrace was a sycamore tree. It has that characteristic mottled grayish bark that peels off and dangly seed balls, and it is really tall. But then I heard about the Baltimore Street Tree Inventory, and I discovered that the sycamore tree is actually a London Planetree.
The Baltimore Street Tree Inventory map is a great resource for street tree (those trees within the public city street right-of-way) identification in Baltimore City. The tree inventory data collection took two years, includes over 122,000 trees, and was completed in 2018. Trees planted since 2018 may or may not be included in the collection. The data is available for anyone to view through an online web map at Baltimore Street Tree Inventory. One can search by address or place or by scrolling around the map as one would scroll around a Google map. Clicking on a tree icon will show that tree’s common name, species, height, and address.
And that’s how I found out that the sycamore tree was actually a London Planetree, a cross between the American sycamore and the Oriental Plane Tree and thought to have come from a chance cross-pollination in a botanical garden in England or Spain in the 17th century. The Baltimore Street Tree Inventory map is a great resource and I encourage you to check it out, too!”
– Oakenshawe Opines submission by Rhonda, Calvert Street
COMMUNITY UPDATES
OIA Block Captains
OIA is setting up a Block Captain system to better communicate with neighbors about OIA events and make sure people know who to contact to get in touch with the OIA. Block Captains plan to introduce themselves to neighbors as the liaison between the block and OIA, greet & welcome new neighbors, drop off flyers ahead of quarterly OIA meetings and periodic events, seek volunteers for events, and gather contact information to keep OIA’s neighbor database up-to-date. We are hoping to finalize our block-captains in the next few weeks and hopefully you’ll be hearing from yours before our April 17 quarterly meeting.
East University Parkway Task Force Meeting, February 18, 2023
The EUP Taskforce is monitoring the following houses on East University Parkway: 300, 304, 307, 311 for student/negligence/trash issues. The EUP Taskforce is also organizing a meeting to discuss young people loitering around Greenmount/Venable behind the Giant and also suggested holding a May lunch meeting at Thai Restaurant to support the business and help create extra traffic in the area. Keep an eye out for more information. The Community Watch Task Force is looking for additional volunteers for morning drop off and afternoon dismissal at Mervo high school. Finally, the EUP Task Force meets the last weekend of the month for a community cleanup, alternating Saturday and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. The next clean up event is Saturday 3/25 at 9:30 a.m. The next EUP Task Force Meeting is Saturday March 18 at 10:00 a.m.
Boy Scout Troop 1000 Mulch Sale
If you need mulch and want to support Troop 1000, you can order a few bags or even an entire pallet for delivery. 100% of the profits help support the troop as they explore the outdoors, fish, hike, learn citizenship and go to summer camp. Orders must be received by March 21st. Learn more at: http://baltimoretroop1000.org/mulch
Councilmember Ramos Weekly Newsletter
For those who do not already subscribe, Councilmember Ramos sends out a weekly District 14 newsletter (Oakenshawe falls within Council District 14) that includes updates on legislation in City Council, events around the District and City, and more. This is a good resource to stay up to date on local news. You can sign up for her weekly newsletter on her website.
Oakenshawe Opines: Write for the Newsletter
Do you have a story about a local business, an interesting piece of neighborhood history, or a poem or picture you’d like to share? If so, consider sending it in for the monthly OIA newsletter. Submissions can be as short as a sentence or as long as 3-4 paragraphs. For longer content, please include a link to an external site. Submissions can be sent to John Hillegass at johnhillegass@gmail.com. Publication and editing decisions are at the discretion of the OIA Board.
On behalf of the OIA Board, we hope you have a wonderful March and we look forward to seeing you enjoying spring-time around the neighborhood.