2006 Belmont Hillsboro Home Tour

It must be home tour season. Belmont-Hillsboro is also having one during the first weekend in October. Theirs is a Saturday-only affair (Oct. 7) that runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $10 per person, and a total of 10 homes will be featured. Advance tickets may be purchased at Helios Artglassworks (3108 Belmont Boulevard) and Hillsboro Hardware (2204 21st Avenue South). On the day of the tour, tickets will be available at Helios Artglassworks and Belmont Heights Baptist Church at 2110 Belmont Boulevard. Tour goers can enjoy a free trolley ride that will shuttle between homes. For more information, please email [info at belmont-hillsboro.org].

All proceeds from the Belmont-Hillsboro Home Tour go to Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc. a nonprofit neighborhood association.

2006 Whitland Home Tour

The 2006 Whitland Home Tour will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 3 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m.

The home tour will cost $12 per person, $8 per child or $20 per couple. Free tours, refreshments and treats for the children are being provided at Fire Hall No. 17. Children with parental supervision are also welcome to play at the playground of Blakemore Children’s Center, located in the neighborhood. Discount tickets can also be purchased through Sept. 30 at whitland.org and at select locations around town (see below).

Here are the homes that are scheduled to be featured:

• The Home of Jeff Lynch, 3621 West End Avenue
• The McDaniel Home, 3824 Whitland Avenue
• The Home of Carole and John Sergent, 3747 Whitland Avenue
• The Home of Laura Lee and Bruce Dobie, 3815 Whitland Avenue
• The Home of Gail and Mike Wales, 200 Carden Avenue
• The Home of Jessica and Keith Deerkoski, 209 Cantrell Avenue
• The Sisk Home, 203 Cantrell Avenue
• The Wemyss Home, 9 Peach Blossom Square
• The Home of Heidi and Charles Anderson, 401 Bowling Avenue, No. 12
• Fire hall No. 17, 3911 West End Avenue
  

A portion of the proceeds will again benefit Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity. For more information about the tour, please contact Scott Holder at (615) 498-7556 or visit whitland.org.

Discounted advance home tour tickets can also be purchased through Oct. 6 at the American Artisan (4321 Harding Pike), and Davis-Kidd Booksellers (2121 Greenhill Village Drive in the Green Hills Mall).

This news release contains more information about the event. Did you know that Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island) and Dinah Shore are former Whitland residents? (I didn't.)

MTA Bus Schedule

The Metro Transportation Authority Bus Route Schedule officially changes on Sunday, October 1. This includes the following change for the modified route #13, now known as Sylvan Park (formerly called West Nashville/Croley):

Harding Road Development

The Tennessean featured a rendering of the proposed shopping complex on Harding Road near Kenner Avenue (above) in its story on Saturday updating the announcement that Publix will anchor what will be called the Hill Center at Belle Meade.

Personally speaking, I like the look of the development compared with the current structures. I especially like the plans to put the building closer to Harding Road. This New Urbanism element is part of a larger plan for the area that would dramatically change how traffic moves from White Bridge Road to Harding Road and vice versa and hopefully eliminate some of the congestion. This map from the plan document provides some perspective on where the Publix and adjacent office building fit in. From what I can tell, in the rendering above Harding Road is on the far right, and a new connector road to White Bridge road is directly in front of the Publix store.

Traffic Details

Nashville is Talking has additional information about the I-40 shutdown that begins at 7 p.m. tonight and lasts until 5 a.m. Monday. Even more information is in this TDOT news release. The main purpose of the shutdown is to make repairs to the Jefferson Street Bridge.

Definitely plan accordingly if you are headed on to I-440, I-65 or any open part of I-40 this weekend. The resulting confusion and traffic may make for delays.

Publix on Harding Road

The Tennessean has confirmed that developers are planning to build a Publix grocery store where the Belle Meade H.G. Hill store and other properties now stand. Construction, including demolition of the current buildings, is expected to start sometime in January.

This news is also part of a larger effort to upgrade the area around White Bridge Road and Harding Place through new roads, sidewalks and pedestrian trails. (I know discussions about these improvements have been somewhat controversial, but I am not aware of the current details.)

The Tennessean story reports that the H.G. Hill store on the site closed in July. (I missed that along the way.)

Lost Dog

If you've seen Desi (above) this week, please call (615) 351-5581 to let her owner know.

Desi is a female black, tan and white hound and shepherd mix who weighs about 75 pounds. She was last seen wearing a blue collar, and she is friendly. She escaped from her yard this past Saturday.

(This information was posted at Jack's Market as of Tuesday evening. If you are Desi's owner and have an update to report, please send me an email. Hope you find her soon!)

I-40 Road Closure

According to a TDOT roadside sign on display this morning, I-40 East from I-440 to downtown (designated in red on the map link) will be closed this weekend. The closure will begin at 7 p.m. Friday evening and continue until Monday, September 25.

I'm not sure if that means that this section of the interstate will be closed on Monday, but it will definitely be closed Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday. If you are headed downtown this weekend, taking Charlotte Pike or West End Avenue instead. Taking I-440 East toward Green Hills and connecting with I-65 North toward Wedgewood is another option for heading into the city.

William McDonough

Internationally renowned author William McDonough, the leading voice in the sustainable design movement, will speak at Benton Chapel on the Vanderbilt University campus next Tuesday, September 26, at 7 p.m. McDonough is co-author of the book Cradle to Cradle.

The Tennessee Fund for Sustainability is hosting this free event, which is open to the public. Benton Chapel is located at 411 21st Avenue South in the Divinity School on Vanderbilt University's main campus. Public parking for the event (not free) is available in Wesley Place which sits at the corner of 21st Ave and Scarritt Place.

Youth soccer update

Here's more information from Mekayle Houghton about the youth soccer program in Sylvan Park:

"Games are 4pm on Sundays unless there is a home Titans game. Then games are 10am on Saturday."

Feel free to contact Mekayle at (615) 210-9600 or [houghton2x4 at mac.com] if you have questions about the program.

West Nashville Expo

The West Nashville Community Council will meet next Monday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Cohn Adult Learning Center at the intersection of 48th Avenue and Park Avenue. The meeting will take place in a meeting room adjacent to Jim Polk's office. (Click the link if you need more information about this location for Mr. Polk's email address and phone number.)

The possibility of reviving a community fair or similar event, such as the West Nashville Expo in years past, will be on the agenda. This event would be intended to draw neighbors and neighborhoods together and to showcase all of the great elements that make West Nashville a wonderful place to live. If you are interested in participating or have questions, send an email to Yvonne Eaves at [Vonn10ec at aol.com]

Celebrate Nashville

Celebrate Nashville, a nine-month celebration of all the things that make Nashville a great city, will officially kick off on October 1, the 200th anniversary of Nashville's incorporation. The city's brand-new public square will also be dedicated that day as part of the kick-off event.

More details to come for this one, but mark your calendars for what promises to be a special and exciting day.

Music City Star

The Music City Star commuter rail service began operating this morning. The initial line runs from Nashville to Lebanon and vice versa, stopping at several points along the way.

While that won't help those of us who commute from Sylvan Park, in my opinion this is still an exciting day for the city. I'm curious to see how well this first of up-to seven planned routes goes because the remaining plans likely hinge on the "East Corridor's" success or failure.

If nothing else, I think it sounds like fun. I'll probably ride it once or twice for kicks.

Greenway TrailWatch

Greenways for Nashville is looking for volunteers to serve as trail watchers on the Richland Creek Greenway for its TrailWatch program.

The TrailWatch program is a partnership between Greenways of Nashville and the Metro Parks Greenways Commission. It is intended to promote the safety, security, and protection of Greenway users, park resources, and the surrounding natural areas. Participants are encouraged to keep a watchful eye on greenway trails by reporting any breach in safety, security or maintenance concerns to Parks officials.

Kip Campbell, Cherokee Park resident and co-captain of the Richland Creek Greenway TrailWatch effort, notes that the time commitment for TrailWatch is minimal for anyone who is a regular greenway user.

If you are interested in becoming a trail watcher, please review the program goals and objectives and fill out this application form. Applications can be submitted by mail or by fax to the address or fax number listed on the form.

If you have questions about the program, send a message to Kip at [kipcampbell at comcast.net]. By the way, neighbor Paul Kingsbury is Sylvan Park's co-captain for the Richland Creek Greenway. You can also direct questions about TrailWatch to Jane Laub, Greenways for Nashville Coordinator at (615) 862-8400 or [jane.laub at nashville.gov].

Youth Soccer

Neighborhood kids are playing youth soccer again this fall on the MBA playing fields on 42nd Avenue.

Kids ages 3-7 are invited to participate. A registration fee of $25 covers participation throughout the fall and includes a T-shirt. Coaches are on hand throughout the playing time.

Playing times are currently Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. and Sunday afternoons. (I'll post information on the Sunday time if anyone can send it along by email.) The program plays on Saturdays on weekends where the Titans have a home game.

Email spna at sylvanpark.org if you are interested in more information, and we'll help you track it down.

SPNA Recording Secretary

As announced at last night's meeting, SPNA will be accepting nominations for and electing a new recording secretary during the October membership meeting.

The SPNA By-Laws list the following duties for the recording secretary:

"The Recording Secretary shall take minutes at all meetings of the membership and Steering Committee; prepare a report of the minutes of said meetings for presentation at each monthly meeting; prepare a quarterly summary of activities to be distributed to the membership; and prepare S.P.N.A. correspondence as needed. The Recording Secretary shall maintain records of those members in attendance at monthly meetings for the purpose of reporting the names of members qualified (in accordance to with ARTICLE II, Section 1 of these by-laws) for election to office or to the Steering Committee. All S.P.N.A. historical documents shall be maintained by the Recording Secretary."

If you would like to make a nomination or have questions, please email Margaret Holleman or the SPNA email address. (Please be sure that your nominee is interested and willing in serving first.) Nominations may also be made at the October membership meeting.

Many, many thanks to SPNA's recent recording secretary, Janet Younts, for her hard work!

Membership meeting Monday

SPNA will hold its monthly membership meeting on Monday, September 11 (tomorrow night) at 7 p.m. in the basement of the Cohn Adult Learning Center at the intersection of 48th Avenue and Park Avenue near Richland Park. Please join in to hear the latest neighborhood news and discussion.

Recycling this Wednesday

Reminder: This Wednesday (September 13) Metro Public Works will pick up household recycling items such as cardboard, plastic bottles, mixed paper and aluminum cans deposited in your Curby recycling cart, if it's left within three feet of your street or alleyway. Here's more information.

Note: Metro Public Works does not accept glass items for recycling through the curbside program. To recycle glass, visit the convenience center on Charlotte Pike next to the Hillwood Strike & Spare Family Fun Center.

A progressive city

Columnist Gail Kerr makes a very good point that Nashville is becoming a more progressive city in her column in today's Tennessean.

I'm glad to see that our "power brokers" are opening doors to minorities and that Vanderbilt is finally facing TSU on the football field. I'm a little more cynical that there are profit motives in both instances than Gail is, but I still think both organizations realize that these decisions are, nonetheless, good things to do. That's good enough for me.

Vanderbilt's mens basketball team is playing Lipscomb this year. I think that has less to do with uniting the city and reaching out to white evangelical Christians than it does with winning basketball games. Lipscomb will be a heavy underdog, and it would be a major upset if they won.
All that said, I'm still glad to see different segments of our community interacting. In my opinion, we are definitely a more welcoming and cosmopolitan community than we were 20 years ago, and that's a good thing.

I think former councilwoman Betty Nixon, who is quoted in Kerr's column, makes a good point:

"It's like when you go to a party and you don't know some people, and you only talk with the people you came with. We need to talk with new people."

If you only talk to people you already know, you don't learn as much as you could if you have the courage to engage new people and new places. Well said, Betty (and Gail).

Symphony Center Opens

The Schermerhorn Symphony Center officially opens this weekend in SoBro downtown. The highlight of the opening weekend is a concert tonight.

If you're headed downtown tonight, keep in mind that there are several events going on that may have an impact on traffic.

Nashville West

The Tennessean has a story on the forthcoming Nashville West shopping center in today's edition. Planned stores include Costco, Target, Old Navy, Dick's Sporting Goods and Best Buy. The story doesn't say when the other stores will open, but Costco is scheduled to be up and running before the end of the year.

I'm glad to see the old shopping center replaced with new development because it was definitely an eyesore, in my opinion, but I know there are also concerns about how the new shopping center will affect nearby H.G. Hill Park. (For those who haven't noticed it while driving down Charlotte or I-40 West, the new development is gradually emerging here.)

One thing I'm a little puzzled about is why Target is opening a store in the center, only two miles away from the location it just renovated on White Bridge Road. Corporations don't toss grass in the wind to make site selection decisions, so I'm sure they've spent a lot of time thinking about this.

I also wonder if this center will wipe out Bellevue Center once and for all. It's essentially taking away the Old Navy store that was in the mall not long ago.

Celebration of Cultures

The annual Celebration of Cultures festival will be held at Centennial Park on Saturday, October 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public. The Scarritt-Bennett Center has hosted the festival for several years to give attendees a glimpse into the cultures of distant and diverse nations and to showcase the changing face of Nasvhille through music, food, art, and exhibitions. The festival features a kids area, a World Market with original arts and crafts and food from various countries around the world.

International medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (will present a special exhibit, "A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City," from October 4-8 in conjunction with the festival. This is an interactive exhibit highlighting the living conditions of 33 million people around the world who have been forced to live as refugees because of violence and persecution. Nashville is one of only four sites in the nation (New York, Brooklyn and Atlanta) hosting this very significant exhibit this fall, so don't miss it!

Scarritt Bennett and Metro Parks, which is co-hosting this year's festival, have issued a news release with more information.

Computer recycling

Dell and Vanderbilt are working together this weekend to recycle unwanted computers.

Recyclers can drop off their computers (any brand), monitors, printers and other equipment for FREE this Saturday (September 9) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Vanderbilt University's parking lot number 74 on Natchez Trace (north of Blakemore Avenue and across from the Vanderbilt track).

Many computer elements include materials that are harmful to the environment when they are improperly disposed, so this is a great opportunity to clean out your closet in a green-thinking way. Be sure to erase information on your hard drives and remove CDs and floppy disks before you recycle in order to protect your privacy. Please note that TVs, stereos and other electronics will not be accepted.

Australian Festival

The 10th annual Australian Festival will be held in Centennial Park September 15-17.

This is a huge, fun and family friendly event taking place right next door to Sylvan Park. More than 50,000 people have attended the festival since it began in 1997 to discover and celebrate Australian arts and culture. The festival features a kids area with animals, games and rides and areas concentrating on music, sports, food and several other interests.

All day passes are currently available online for adults for $5 and for children for $3. (Note: A separate music festival on Sunday featuring Colin Hay from Men at Work requires its own ticket.) Passes are discounted up to 35 percent in advance of the festival.

Did you know that Tennessee will export more than $400 million in trade to Australia this year alone? I didn't, and I also didn't know that a total of 14 Australian-owned companies employ more than 2,500 people across the state. Wow.

Police News

Three men have been apprehended in connection with last week's bank robbery on West End. They were arrested in a stolen car on I-40 in Dickson County after a police officer stopped the men for a traffic violation. Here's the complete news release from MNPD. Thanks to Doug Eckert for passing this item along.

Doug also shared this information about increased criminal activity near Sylvan Park, part of a larger MNPD news release about recent arrests:

"West Precinct detectives charged 15 persons as the result of investigations on Charlotte Avenue at 40th Avenue North, 33rd Avenue North at Albion Street, 13th Avenue South and Broadway, 14th Avenue North and Broadway, Booker Street and 28th Avenue North, the 1700 block of 17th Avenue North, the 700 block of 28th Avenue North, the 5000 block of Charlotte Avenue, the 3000 block of Park Avenue and the 700 block of Park Avenue."

MNPD also maintains a regularly updated interactive crime map with very detailed information about crime in Sylvan Park and other Nashville neighborhoods. Be sure to temporarily allow pop-up windows in your Web browser to ensure that the page loads properly. MNPD also provides detailed instructions about using the map.

Skunks

There have been a few reports of skunks in the neighborhood, especially along Nevada and Elkins Avenues west of 46th Avenue. This recent report arrived tonight in the SPNA email inbox. Does anyone have an answer?

"I have seen skunks several times in the last 2 weeks within Nevada & Elkins and 48th & 50th Ave. Last night, about 8:30pm (after dark) I was coming into my driveway in the 4800 block of
Nevada and almost hit one, scurrying from the driveway into my neighbor's yard. Then I saw my neighbor's black cat run in front of my car towards her back yard. I went into the house and stayed inside. Does anyone have a clue as to how to get rid of them? How does one capture a skunk? We have lived here 22 years and I have never seen skunks."

I know there have been some reports of rabid skunks in Davidson County, particularly in Green Hills, this summer. I'm not exactly sure what to do if you discover skunks near your home, but I sure wouldn't get anywhere near them or try to catch them.

Property tax referendum

Gail Kerr mentions Sylvan Park in her column in today's Tennessean about the property tax referendum that will appear on the November Davidson County election ballot.

She makes an important point, too: The proposed referendum, which would require a public vote prior to any property tax increase by the Metro Council, will not keep property taxes from increasing altogether. The city reappraises property every four years, and tax payment amounts would increase any time that property value increases, period, with or without a tax rate increase.

Metro Trustee Charlie Cardwell, the city's elected tax collector, is quoted in the column sayinf that Sylvan Park and Green Hills are areas where he frequently hears from long-term residents concerned about rising appraisals. Many of these residents are on fixed incomes and have trouble keeping up with what the increasing popularity of these neighborhoods means for their tax bills each year.

NES Mailing

Most folks in the neighborhood have likely received a postcard from Nashville Electric Service recently regarding upcoming tree trimming in Sylvan Park.

For those of you who haven't received the card, NES is preparing for its "second phase" of tree trimming, one that it expects to be much "less aggressive" than the first phase it conducted in the neighborhood in 2002. The goal of the trimming is to keep trees alive and healthy while ensuring that they do not interfere with electric lines.

Work planners plan to meet with individual households in person or to leave a door hanger with specific information about the work to be done on each property in the near future. NES has also dedicated a specific phone number, (615) 695-7400, for tree trimming questions. The second link above connects to NES' tree trimming Frequently Asked Questions page, too.

NES conducts its tree trimming program to reduce occurrences of power outages in the area. I know that this program is controversial and frustrating for many people, and communicating with NES in advance (as early as possible) seems to help more than anything else. If you are concerned about how this upcoming trimming may affect your property, please go ahead and contact NES now to get more information.

Blast From the Past

This incredible aerial photo of Green Hills taken around 1960 really punctuates just how much the area (and Nashville) have grown in the past 50 years. Look closely and you'll be able to see a few of the major streets highlighted on the picture. Hillsboro High is on the left if you need a landmark to get your bearings.

Green Hills Mall is nowhere to be found, as what looks like a recent (at the time) strip mall occupies its present location. I remember the current mall's grand opening in the early 80s, but I don't remember Green Hills looking so undeveloped and green (as opposed to concrete-filled). It's missing a few beloved amenities, but I bet traffic was a lot easier to navigate.

Thanks to yesterday's anonymous commenter for the link to Nashlinks.com, where I found this photo and many other historic images of the city.