Fellow Grove Park Homeowners,
As we start off this new year in 2020, Grove Park is now approaching its 24th year mark and we have some exciting updates and changes we would like to share with the homeowners for this upcoming year.
Throughout the course of the year, there will be multiple small projects and general maintenance items that will be occurring, but we are very excited about the two major projects that are currently underway.
The first major project is the replacement of the street trees that were damaged due to Hurricane Michael. A large majority of the trees that were blown down during the storm happen to be on Orchard Circle. As stated in a previous letter to the homeowners last year, the proposed time to replant these trees was at the end of 2019 into the first part of 2020. During the interim, the damaged trees and stumps were removed in preparation for replacement. We’ve received multiple bids and are working out the final details now with the proposed contractors. The planting of the trees will begin very soon and will continue over the course of the next 90 days.
The board will do its best to ensure that everyone has at least one tree replanted; however it cannot guaranteed as there are many considerations in the planting process. There has been much effort put into ensuring that the replanting is uniform and that the new trees do not interfere with driveways, street lights, sprinklers, etc. The current white flags around the neighborhood were only used as a guideline and are not the final planting areas. The final areas will be marked with new flags very soon. Currently, the plan is to replant over 60 trees throughout the neighborhood. Once these trees are planted, we ask that the homeowners please help to maintain the trees with proper watering and care. The board will release a memo on tips to help these trees thrive and with time they will grow to full maturity.
The second major project will be a to improve the appearance and functionality of the main park. As mentioned previously, Hurricane Michael brought quite a bit of damage to one corner of the park and we lost some large oaks. Over the years, there has been a great deal of erosion that has left the roots of many trees above the ground and is not only an eyesore but a hazard as well. In the proposed first phase of the project, the following items will be implemented at the park:
- Removal of aluminum fence around the playground equipment (completed)
- Addition of 12 new Crepe Myrtles on opposite ends of the park
- New park bench areas for seating in the corners and surrounding the playground area
- Removal of wood mulch and replaced with improved rubberized mulch for a safer playing environment
- Removal of worn landscape timbers
- Addition of two wooden ramps into playground area for easier accessibility
- Addition of timbers at the front of the parking area to control erosion
- Asiatic jasmine added in areas to control erosion and improve aesthetics
This project has been in the planning phases for a few months now with a design consultant and will be completed in the first quarter of this year. We believe that these additions will be a great addition to our main park and can be enjoyed by all families.
Other items underway are:
- LED light conversion – The initial replacement has already been completed at the main entrance and is continuing down Grove Park Lane and all parks. The LED’s are brighter, more efficient and have a longer life span than the previous bulb. We will continue to replace bulbs throughout the neighborhood with the LED bulb as needed.
- Street tree pruning – Schedule currently being developed by landscaping company to properly prune trees to appropriate height and will be completed on a defined schedule throughout the year
- Repainting of street lines – All faded street lines coming into Grove Park along with 4 way stops will be painted during the first half of the year by the City of Dothan. We do not have a definite timeline, but we are on the schedule.
- Weekly inspections by Regency – Over the past 6 weeks, Regency has been doing weekly inspections on our neighborhood to report violations and to meet with our landscaping team to address areas that need attention. Previously, inspections only occurred every few weeks. This has been increased to help encourage homeowners to follow our covenants closely.
- Pressure washing – Toddler park equipment and park signage will be cleaned in the next few weeks.
- Weed treatment plan for parks – Bidding will begin next week for weed treatment planning for the 2 main parks to help eliminate weeds and to promote turf health in the spring and summer
Our annual homeowners meeting will also be held in the next 12-14 weeks at the Terrace @ Grove Park. As soon as we have a date set, we will send out a notification via mail to all homeowners.
In closing, we want all homeowners to be aware that we are working very diligently to maintain our neighborhood and ensure that it will continue to be one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Dothan.
Thank you!
Grove Park Association Board