Capdeville Revitalization

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Thanks to 8 neighbors that spent an hour and a half last Thursday to divide and plant 48 gallon sized Monkey Grass, yellow lantana and purple duranta (to bring in butterflies), and ardesia crenata (Christmas berry, a shade lover).

photo below by David Armond

photos below by Brenda London
We mulched, amended soil, divided Paper Whites to replant this fall, and trimmed 5 Natchez Crape Mytles that we planted maybe a dozen years ago. $500 went quickly from 5 trips to 3 Home Depots!

Unfortunately 10 bags of soil and 6 bags of mulch disappeared into a white pickup. I had too many loads of stuff to manage in a Subaru and left it out at the park the nite before, gone at 630 am. I vented my disgust by howing weeds vigorously! Neighbors report frequent plant thefts near Broad. We replaced what we really needed, and will wait to augment soil in another phase.

So thanks to people from all over our neighborhood who worked, found their garden Zen, and had a good time:


Steve Mardon (our Desmare liason)
Brenda London (Grand Rte St John)
Deena Bedigan (Delgado-she did a perfect job separating monkey grass)
Danny Akers (worked and treated us to fresh squeezed lemonade) also involved with Café Amelie on Royal, (Crete St)
Helen Ball (rode her bike from St John’s Court)
David Armond- N Lopez
Katy Smith (new young neighbor from Jackson) Bell St

The soaking rain this weekend insures that this project is off to a great start. We have promises from Andy Romero, David Lapene and Danny Akers to keep the new plantings watered thru the summer. We can always use extras…

Future needs include a streetlight (way to dark here),repair some crumbling interior sidewalk, sprinkler system, a creative welcome to FSJ sign, sculpture. These are LONG term dreams. Very open to input and help make the connections. I do better with my hands in the dirt!!

I will be asking Parks and Parkways to remove a phoenix palm growing at the base of an oak.

Love this neighborhood!
Bobby

Bobby Wozniak
1322 North Lopez Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
Cell: 504.452.0386

Neighbor Makes News

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Tania Dall / Eyewitness News

NEW ORLEANS – They’re not hard to spot — advertisements sit next to chunks of old torn paper, cluttering utility poles.

"It’s just something that got under my skin and there didn’t seem to be any reason for it, especially in a city like New Orleans, which is so historic and beautiful," Faubourg St. John resident Steve Mardon said.

The Mid-City resident has taken down thousands of signs, in a personal battle to clean up city streets.

"Basically go down to Home Depot, get yourself a PVC pipe and put a screw through it and you can go up and yank them down."

He’s not alone. Councilwoman Stacy Head recently helped revise a city ordinance cracking down on the illegal signs that she says are spiraling out of control.

"The tax services, the free cell phones, the dental work, the tree cutting, the house leveling and raising, we really need to get rid of those," she said. Head said signs also deter potential future commercial development in certain neighborhoods.

The city is now sending a $10 removal invoice to any person or business listed on the illegal sign. If found guilty, additional fines of $25 to $50 could follow.

"The law has been very clear for a long time that these bandit signs that create lots of visual clutter, particularly in neighborhoods that have shown a lot of disinvestment in the past. They detract from the quality of life,” she said.

An epidemic is how Johnnie Young describes the illegal dumping that’s plagued his block and the Lower 9th Ward since Hurricane Katrina.

“Look on that corner. They have tires over there in the big old push, over here they’ve got a pile, over there," Young said. “People are trying to come back. Unfortunately, when they come back and drive by and see this, it’s become an eyesore, and that’s detrimental for the people who want to come back."

No dumping signs haven’t stopped offenders from off-loading their unwanted junk. But the city says it’s cracking down.

Violators caught littering or illegally dumping face fines of $150 to $5,000 per infraction – a promise Young hopes the city will keep.

"I’m like, this I’d rather see and not be satisfied to believe it.”

 

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Desmare Gets Safer for Kids

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In just one day the entrance gate to Desmare Playground was rebuilt. The group that met yesterday at Desmare Playground began making phone calls one of which was to Jean Lichtfuss. She graciously donated the fencing and Harry Worley along with his helper Johnny professionally installed the new gate and fence.

Parents can safely bring their small children to Desmare Playground and not worry that they will run out on to Esplanade Avenue.

THIS IS A FANTASTIC START BUT MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE! Please join the movement to make Desmare Playground a better place to play. Contact Steve Mardon at stevemardon@yahoo.com