TISKETS, TASKETS, BRING YOUR Easter BASKETS
Children, bring your parents and your baskets, and hop on over to our annual Fisher Park children's Egg Hunt, Saturday, March 15, at 10 a.m., at the east Fisher Park playground. The Easter Bunny has Fisher Park high on its list! (Rain date is Sunday, March 16 at 1 p.m. In case of poor weather, please call Rachel Cannon-Percival 336-273-3365 to confirm an alternate location.)
Welcome New Board Members
Your Fisher Park Neighborhood Association (FPNA) Board is composed of 15 neighbors, a third of whom are new to the Board every year, bringing fresh insight and representation.
Contact information is on the back of every Fisher Parker newsletter. Welcome to our most recent five board volunteers:
• Sally Atwood (802 Simpson Street) has lived in the neighborhood for more than 25 years, observing significant changes over time. Sally sensed it was her time to step up to help protect features important to our neighborhood’s character.
• Gregory Grieve (225 Florence Street) has lived in Fisher Park since 2002. He teaches in UNCG’s Religious Studies Department. You may catch him working in his garden or chasing after his son or dog.
• Jane Jackson (115 North Park Drive) looks out onto the park, which fostered her Park Committee volunteerism and then lead to Board participation.
• Sonya Lowe (710 Magnolia Street) is a Block Captain and our Neighborhood Watch coordinator, which fits hand-in-hand with her Board participation. “This is a great neighborhood, and I enjoy meeting neighbors through volunteerism.”
• Connie Usry (908 Magnolia Street) is a Block Captain and lives in a home which originally belonged to her in-laws. Connie volunteers with News for the Blind and Make A Wish Foundation. FEBRUARY 2008
CALENDAR
Fisher Park Children’s Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, March 15, 10:00 am (Rain date: Sunday, March 16, 1 p.m.)
East Fisher Park Playground
336-273-3365
Greensboro Bicentennial Torch Relay Tuesday–Wednesday, March 25–28, 2008
336-272-7661
Park Work Day “Great American Cleanup”
Saturday, April 5, 8:30–noon
Location TBA 336-274-3420
Fisher Park Walking Tour
Meet at Temple Emanuel
Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m.; 336-272-5003
Park Work Day Saturday, May 10, 8:30–noon Location TBA. 336-274-3420
Green Hill Cemetery Tour
Sunday, May 11, 2 p.m.
South Entrance, 336-370-0457
National Night Out Ice Cream Social
Tuesday, August 5, 7 p.m., 336-389-9689
Park Work Day Saturday, September 20, 8:30-Noon
Location TBA. 336-274-3420
Dog Show-Off
Saturday, September 27, 11 a.m. 336-272-3499
East Fisher Park
Fall Picnic
West Fisher Park
Sunday, September 28, 5 p.m., 336-273-3365
Halloween Parade & Party
Temple Emanuel
Saturday, October 25, 4 p.m., 336-273-3365
Park Work Day
Saturday, October 28 8:30-noon.
Location TBA 336-274-3420
FPNA Annual Meeting
Sunday, November 16, 4 p.m.
Holy Trinity Church, 336-274-3420
Luminaria Display Sunday, December 14, Dusk
(Rain date Sunday, December 21) YOUNG FISHER PARKERS PLAYGROU
E
meet at the east Fisher Park playground. In case o
Children’s Museum instead. Our neighborhood is once again brimming with young children, and the playgroup offers an opportunity for neighborhood children to enjoy a lifetime of genuine neighborhood friendships. Questions? Contact Rebecca Woell at 336-404-0898. Greensboro’s Bicentennial
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elebrations are on tap throughout 2008 www.fisherparknc.org/news.html and city-
bicentennialevents.htm. Plan to attend It’s All About Greensboro: Evolution of a City, a free program about thedevelopment of Greensboro's early neighborhoods, including Fisher Park, March 16, 2:30 p.m. at thGreensboro Historical Museum. 336-373-2811. The brief history lesson is paired with the introduction of Grove Vineyard’s bicentennial wine, Major General Nathaniel Greene merlot! Neighbors who enjoy whistory lessons will especially want to join free “Walking Wednesdays” neighborhood walking tours. Most events begin at 7 p.m. and are sponsored by Preservation Greensboro, Inc. (please see list below). Call 336-272-5003 for details and starting points. • April 30 Fisher Park walking tour • May 17 City Bicentennial parade • May 7 Westerwood walking t
• May 11 Green Hill Cemetery walk
• May 28 Aycock walking tour
• May 14 Old Greensboro walking to
• June 4 College Hill walking tour
DOWNTOWN GREENWAY
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pedestrians to connect neighborhoods
greenway will connect many existing parks, and it will include public art and provide opportunities to recognize historic residential neighborhoods. Planning for the greenway is a collaborative effort of Action Greensboro, the City of Greensboro, and the Bicentennial Commission. Interested in h
where the Downtown Greenway touches our neighborhood? You’re invited to ouGreenway meeting Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. in the Garrison Room of First Presbyterian Church. Enter the Smith Building from Greene Street (at the door justbehind the sanctuary) and walk to the end of the hall to the large room on the leIf you live on Fisher Avenue, you’'ll be especially interested in this meeting! CALL FOR GREETINGS Odeliver to you helpful neighborh
newsletters, ensuring that newcomers feel right at home. Greeters are listed on the back of each newsletter. Ifyou were drawn to Fisher Park by its unique old houses, walkable sidewalks, and gracious tree canopy, oneighborhood’s activities and friendships help make it even more special. STREETS, SIDEWALKS & SIGN TOPPERS
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toppers. “Fisher Park Neighborhood” signs will be p
Initially the City allows us to order 20 toppers. Neighbors Mary Lane Smith, Marti Digby, and John McLendon evaluated and recommended locations for the first 20 toppers, primarily along our outer boundarie
Fisher Park Established 1903 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places – www.fisherparknc.org
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and mid-line. Toppers cost $75 each, so please consider a donation to FPNA to sponsor a sign. We expect ours will initiate a city-wide trend to identify and promote cohesive neighborhoods. Greg Grieve, 336-402-6443, volunteers to lead a new Fisher Park Streets and Sid
seeks your input about problems and opportunities for neighborhood pedestrians and traffic.
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The sewer replacement project now being cond
completed by early April 2008, according to Water Resources engineer Robbie Bald. Bald said that instanew lines is necessary because of extensive cracks and root intrusion in the old pipes. These defects have been allowing stormwater to leak into and overload the old sewer collection lines, resulting in system overflows in Latham Park. According to Mike Mabe, GDOT, severely “patchworked” streets will receive priority for repaving, but the patches need one year for the bases and asphalt to settle before such projects can begin. Repaving in Fisher Park may not occur until 2009 or 2010. Fisher Park Established 1903 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places – www.fisherparknc.org
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Don Cato, owner of the Howard Apartmen
recently received a Historic District Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA)make significant improvements, making these historic 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments in the heart of our neighborhood more appealinever. Upgraded electrical and plumbing, and repair of original windows, moldings, and floors will generate historic preservation tax credits for Catowhile retaining visual continuity for apartment residents and their neighbors. This circa-1917 building’s original owner was C.W. GoInsurance Company. The U.S. 2000 census indicates that our neighborhood area is more than 46% rental properties, so we are especially appreciative when apartment owners invest in preservation efforts.
of the Jefferson Standard life
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Anticipating springtime, we begin envisioning exterior improvements to our home
If you live in the Fisher Park Historic District, it’s a perfect time to plan and submit your request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA) from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Many repairminor changes do not require a CoA, but to be sure please review the Historic District Guidelines Manual to determine if a Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA) is required. A City staff person at 336-373-2349 is happyto provide a copy of the Guidelines Manual, answer your questions, and even visit your property if desired. As a bonus, an all volunteer Design Review Committee of professional architects, designers, and landscapers offersto visit your property and provide free design advice to insure your application is consistent with local Historic District Guidelines! In October 2007, every Historic District property owner in Greensboro received a postcard with this reminder. Make it easy on yourself by planning now to apply for and receive your Coto exterior changes. Questions? Call 336-373-2349.
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Whenever opportunities arise, ask folks
who’ve lived long in our neighborhood about their early experiences here. Throughout 2008, Greensboro’s Bicentennial year, we’ll share tidbliving in Baker Place condos on Fisher Park Circle. Kit grew up at 106 Fisher Park Circle during and after World War II in a family of five and their dog named “58.” Here are treasured snippets of Kit’s shared recollections (in her words): • Wartime: Fisher Park had virtually no plantings and one could see everywhere from our front porch.
(We
• Playtime for Children: Our main play venue was the Park – after school all year, and after dinner once
ng the
y
• Schools: Some of us attended Simpson Street Primary School, located where the School Administration
the
• Miscellaneous: Telephone numbers were five digits long. Many people had party lines, especially in the
Kit closes her recollections with a phrase we hope all Fisher Park children can repeat: “I always felt grateful
that
don s.
osing your own Home History notebook are
In 1941, soldiers arrived in Greensboro from Ft. Bragg for training at the Basic Training Center (BTCNo. 10) off Summit Avenue. Fisher Park became a locale for soldiers and their dates on Sunday afternoons. My own mother was a lady of great enthusiasm and early on drove downtown on a Saturday and brought home a couple of soldiers she picked up on Elm Street or from the USO. later heard these GIs weren’t exactly sure what she had in mind!) Mother developed a list of eligible young women and arranged dates for these boys on Saturday evenings, and she and Dad often took them out dancing, or they rolled up the rugs in the house and turned on the record player.
summer came. We rode bikes, climbed trees, roller skated and played endless games of cops and robbers, football, “Mother, May I?”, jump rope, marbles, and dodge ball. We spent hours exploricreek and jumping across the rocks which assumed the imagined shapes of castles, mountains and even the body of the Troll who had been kicked from here to Kingdom Come and Back by Big Billy Goat Gruff! (FYI, the troll lived under the bridge near the then new First Presbyterian Church.) Our dogs accompanied us everywhere and older siblings looked after younger ones. My younger brother regularlfell into the creek, and I was always held responsible. We had creek-jumping contests and we explored the subterranean culverts under Fisher Park Circle at No. 110 and under Parkway.
Building is now. Others started out at Aycock which spanned 1st through 9th grades. Most of us walked to school, picking up schoolmates along the way. Our route took us over the RR tracks onoriginal Hendrix Street Bridge, which then carried both cars and pedestrians. In high school, we took the bus or rode bicycles, as we did for most destinations too far to walk.
“country.” Wesley Long Hospital was located downtown. The Central Library was located at Lindsay and Summit, which now houses the Greensboro Historical Museum.
I grew up in Fisher Park.” Thank you, Kit, for sharing still-vibrant memories! If many of us capture these stories, or pen our own for the next generation, what a socially valuable archive collection we’ll create! The family of Mary Lee Copeland, one of our neighborhood Association founders, graciously offers to
ate her multi-year collection of Fisher Park related clippings and documents as the basis for our ArchiveAnn Stringfield 336-370-0457 has agreed to organize the information as The Mary Lee Copeland Fisher ParkArchives and hopes to initiate a grant to support the processing. You’re encouraged to supply information, photos, documents, and your energies as our archives take shape. Interested in your own home’s history? Helpful tips for comp
available at http://www.fisherparknc.org/files/How_to_Create_a_Home_History_Book.pdf.
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City Historic District senior staff Mike Cowhig (who also resides on M
audio-taped interviews with several Fisher Park residents from times past. Interviews were each over an hourfull of unique neighborhood recollections. Those interviewed included Mr. Lina Porter, Mrs. Fielding Fry, MArmfield, Mr. Bill Stern, Mr. Carl Carlson, Mr. Ed Broadhurst, and Mr. King. If you can listen to these tapes and transcribe what you hear onto paper (or better yet into a computer file) please contact Mike Cowhig at 336-373-2755. Consider participating in this rewarding experience during Greensboro's bicentennial year! Fisher Park Established 1903 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places – www.fisherparknc.org
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Communicating With Neighborhood Churches and Temple
The three churches and temple in Fisher Park are a significant part of our neighborhood and Historic District. Temple Emanuel, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, and First Presbyterian Church are some of the most beautiful historic buildings in North Carolina. Anderson Grove Baptist Church occupies a much newer building, also a very important part of our neighborhood. Many congregation members live within our neighborhood.
A primary mission of our Neighborhood Association is preservation of the historic and residential character of the Fisher Park neighborhood. To support Historic District Guidelines, we often speak at meetings of the Greensboro Historic Preservation Commission. Understandably, there can be differences of opinion between neighborhood residents and neighborhood religious organization’s missions. Good communication can reduce and even resolve such differences.
First Presbyterian Church recently formed a neighborhood relations committee to encourage dialogue, improve communication, address different perspectives, and work together on projects of mutual interest. A staff representative of First Presbyterian has begun attending neighborhood Board meetings and offers to recruit Park Work Day helpers and supply welcomed coffee and snacks.
These are simple ways we can work together for the good of everyone who lives or worships in Fisher Park. We hope to continue these communications and bring all neighborhood churches and the temple into this discussion. Please contact any Neighborhood Board member to participate and share your thoughts.
365 DAYS TO SAVE THE HOLLEMAN HOUSE
Fisher Park Established 1903 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places – www.fisherparknc.org
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In January, First Presbyterian Church representatives applied for and received a City of Greensboro Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA) to demolish the Holleman House, the large white house at the corner of Fisher Avenue and Greene Street. Under North Carolina law and City ordinances an application for demolition cannot be denied, but the HPC can and did delay the demolition for 365 days. Our Neighborhood Association and Preservation Greensboro will use this precious time to negotiate with the Church to explore alternatives to demolition.
This prominent and architecturally significant structure, built between 1905 and 1910, is one of the oldest houses in Fisher Park. During the 365 days, First Presbyterian Church offers the Holleman House to anyone who will move it to another location, as was done with the McAlister house and 620 N. Elm house. Moving a historic house should be a last resort alternative to demolition. The house needs significant work yet building experts confirm that renovation is feasible.
Our Neighborhood Association encourages the church to consider restoration of the Holleman House in its existing location, and we offer to work with the church to obtain significant financial resources. If demolition becomes inevitable, we would seek someone to relocate the house. Contact neighborhood President John McLendon with any ideas and suggestions for funding sources.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH PLANS
In December 2007, Holy Trinity Church representatives presented to the FPNA Board plans that could remove four home structures on south Simpson Street and Smith Street, add parking spaces, and the potential of a large new building on Simpson Street for church activities. None of the four structures are in the Fisher Park Historic District, so none are protected. Church planners also received rezoning to Planned Unit Development Infill. Again, we ask all neighbors to encourage Holy Trinity members to envision alternatives that retain neighborhood housing stock and residential character while evaluating their missions.
Holy Trinity already has three successful examples of historic houses on Greene and Fisher retained, refurbished, and repurposed to meet its congregation’s goals with positive neighborhood impact. We encourage all Fisher Park neighbors to proactively participate in facilitating innumerable positive opportunities for our community. Fisher Park Neighborhood Association — P. O. Box 2004, Greensboro, NC 27402
CONTACTS – February 2008
Board of Directors
Position (term ends)
Name
Address
Phone
President (2009)
McLendon, John
2 Magnolia Court
545-5543
Vice President (2008)
Saunders, Vicky Vanstory
400-A Fisher Park Circle
272-7661
Secretary (2009)
Graham, Lutie
204 Leftwich Street
706-1335
Treasurer (2009)
Pope, Robert
803 Simpson Street
638-7706
Board (2008)
Atwood, Sally
802 Simpson Street
273-8286
Board (2008)
Myatt, Wanda
213 N. Park Drive
272-0999
Board (2008)
Rhyne, Dick
110 Fisher Park Circle
230-1887
Board (2008)
Rubin, Steve
224 South Park Drive
271-8086
Board (2009)
Cannon-Percival, Rachel
912 North Eugene St.
273-3365
Board (2009)
Luebke, Rick
1115 Virginia Street
273-5080
Board (2010)
Craft, David
605 North Church St.
274-3420
Board (2010)
Grieve, Greg
225 Florence Street
402-6443
Board (2010)
Jackson, Jane
115 North Park Drive
271-6705
Board (2010)
Lowe, Sonya
710 Magnolia Street
389-9686
Board (2010)
Usry, Connie
908 Magnolia Street
279-8383
Other Contacts
Ann Stringfield
370-0457
infocrofters@triad.rr.com
Newsletter
Liz Urquhart
373-1250
liz.urquhart@ugcorp.com
Webmaster
Ann Stringfield
370-0457
infocrofters@triad.rr.com
Park Committee
David Craft
274-3420
chsyhkr@gmail.com
Northeast Greeter
Sonya Lowe
389-9686
lowesonya@gmail.com
Southeast Greeter
Janet and David Craft
274-3420
chsyhkr@gmail.com
Southwest Greeter
Janet Craft
Northwest Greeter
Rebecca Woell
404-0898
woelljr@earthlink.net
Neighborhood Watch
Sonya Lowe
389-9686
lowesonya@gmail.com
Playgroup
Rebecca Woell
404-0898
woelljr@earthlink.net
Social Committee
Rachel Cannon-Percival
373-3365
purplepercival@yahoo.com
Streets & Sidewalks
Greg Grieve
402-6443
Block Captain Coordinators
Southern Area
Cheryl Poole
274-0333
cherylpoole@triad.rr.com
Northern Area
Jim Willis
275-5092
City Council Rep.
Goldie Wells
375-4123
wdistmissy@aol.com
County Commissioner Rep.
Kay Cashion
274-6272
kcashion@co.guilford.nc.us
Board Meeting Schedule
Board meetings are usually the Monday before the last Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church education building, Haywood Duke Room. 2008 Board meetings are: January 28, February 25, March 24, April 28, May 27 (Tuesday), June 23, July 28, August 25, September 22, October 27, (November 16 FPNA neighborhood ANNUAL meeting), and November 24. December meeting is usually cancelled due to holidays.
Fisher Park Neighborhood Association Mission Statement
To preserve the historic and residential character of the Fisher Park neighborhood, and to work with the City of Greensboro to help maintain the scenic park for the benefit of the general public.
City of Greensboro and Other Contacts
Department/Company
Purpose
Phone
City Customer Contact Center
Directs citizen calls to appropriate City departments.
373-2489 (373-CITY)
City Historic District Staff
Historic district guidelines, application for certificate of appropriateness, free advice.
373-2349
Zoning Enforcement
Parking in front yards, historic district guidelines enforcement.
373-2630
Ordinance Enforcement
Housing inspections, abandoned vehicles, lot cleanup.
373-2111
Duke Power
Streetlight outage.
378-9451
Police Central Division
Help for emergencies and non-emergencies/ enforcement.
Emergency: 911 Non-Emergency: 373-2222
Police Central Division–Community Resource Officer
Officer Melanie Daniel
373-4645 mailto:melanie.daniel@ greensboro-nc.gov
Fisher Park ListServ
Subscribe: mailto:fisherpark-subscribe@yahoo.com
Submit e-mail: fisherpark@ yahoogroups.com Fisher Park Established 1903 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places – www.fisherparknc.org
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