The big Averill Woods  clean-up is this Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  It’s happening in the three acre woods just north of Averill School on Lansing’s southwest side.

More than 100 Michigan State University (MSU) students and Averill Woods neighbors are joining together to clear-out the woods which has the potential to be a recreational destination for individuals and families looking a forested space.  It will also serve as a teaching tool for Averill School.

The goal is to more clearly define paths and then cover them with wood chips and to cutback unwanted growth of invasive plants.

Planning has been going on for several weeks to assemble tools, feed the students and organizing of the to-do list for the clean-up.

You’re invited to stop by or honk if you’re driving down Averill past the school.

Averill Woods on Lansing’s southwest side actually has three acres of forest next to an elementary school and a city playground.  And 300 neighbors and MSU students are teaming up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14 to make it more usable to individuals, families and schoolkids.

It’s a giant-sized effort with the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association  quarterbacking the event where the forest will be trimmed up, paths cleaned and filled with wood chips and generally prettied up to showcase its beauty for city residents.

This space will contain information for participants, neighbors and others who are interested in this special project.

These are short video clips of Averill Woods to help participants and interested parties.

The Grand Opening for the Southside Community Center is from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29. It’s located at the old Hill Vocational Center on the city of Lansing’s (MI) southwest side.

A mailing from the city and from the Lansing School District states that the event will be a celebration with bands, performances, tours, open swim and refreshment and that everybody is welcome.

In a note on the mailer, Mayor Virg Bernero says, “This historic occasion marks the first community center toopen in Lansing in 25 years–and will be the first on the southside.”

The new center features a game room, swimming pool, gymnasium, an auditorium for performances and meeting room.

The opening has been much anticipated.  If you go to the Grand Opening or some other events at the center, leave a comment.  Has it been worth the wait?  Do you see yourself or your family making use of it?

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Averill Woods will have a neighborhood bike ride this Sunday led by Sandy Barringer.  Her are the details:

The bike ride starts at 2 PM. Starting point is the Averill School parking lot.  Al types of bikes are welcome:  Clunkers, MTBs, road, hybrids, trikes, what have you.

This is a casual, get acquainted ride of about 6 to 7 miles around the neighborhoods.  Will not be crossing any high traffic streets.  Roads must be clear and dry.  This is an all temperature ride.

Helmets are highly suggested.

Please remember to bring you signed waiver, or you can sign when you arrive at the ride start.  You will be given cue/route  sheets to follow.

On this initial ride, I’d like to find out how far and   how long you would prefer to ride, what destinations, if any,  you would like,   to see what mix of riders we will have and plan future rides according to this mix.

Show up.  It’ll be fun.  (That’s the idea!)

AGENDA
Public Safety
Tenth Floor Council Conference Room, City Hall
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 – 11:30 a.m.

Councilmember Sandy Allen, Chair
Councilmember Carol Wood, Vice Chair
Councilmember Eric Hewitt, Member

I. Call To Order

II. Roll Call

III. Approval of Minutes

• September 16, 2009

IV. Public Comment

V. Discussion/Action:

1. Make Safe or Demolish Orders

• 1912 N. High Street

2. Noise Ordinance

3. Fireworks Ordinance

4. Update on LPD Overtime

5. Reverse 911 System

6. Request for Stop Sign on Muskegon at the Corner of Glenrose

7. Request for Stop Sign on Walsh Avenue Between Holmes Street and Pennsylvania Ave.

8. Update on Pending Traffic Calming Requests

9. Budget Policies and Priorities

4. Receipt of Communications

5. Other

6. Adjourn

7. Pending
i. Discussion on Club Venue

ii. Discussion on Traffic Calming for Prospect Street – Stop Signs

The Averill Wood’s Neighborhood on Lansing’s southwest side is getting ready for a Saturday, Nov. 14 invasion of MSU students.

The community-minded students will join residents for a clean-up of the woods adjacent to the Averill Elementary School and which abuts homes on Sunderland Street.  Invasive vegetation has grown in the woods and needs to be cleaned for the enjoyment of the school students and the neighborhoods.

Last Saturday, Oct. 3, the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association held a planning meeting at the Biggbys on Waverly to get ready for the cleanup.  Details will be posted on this blog in the near future.

Averill Woods Neighborhood Association plans for Nov 14 woods cleanup

The Averill Woods Neighborhood Association on the southwest side of Lansing has tentatively scheduled a bike ride for 2 p.m., this Sunday, Oct. 11 depending on weather and dry roads.  Details about the starting point, the route and length of ride will be posted when they are available.

(This is from Melissa Quon-Huber, president of the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association.)

Dear Averill Neighbors and Friends,

You know how hard we have all been working to develop and implement short and long range plans for the woods clean-up, lighting, etc. for the Averill School and Park.   We’ve made HUGE progress with the help of so many city and school partners.

But there has been so much more to do, but not enough help to get it all done.  So you better be sitting down when you read this.

You are not going to believe this.

Take a deep breath.

Michigan State University has invited us to be a location for their fall “Into the Streets” project.

We may have up to 200 MSU students here on November 14th!!!

The can help us implement our long range plans for the woods clean-up, the landscape plan at the school, the soccer goals, bridges in the woods, etc.

I think we can really leverage this work day if we combine the student effort with the Averill neighbors, including adults and youth; the entire Averill elementary community including students, parents, teachers; the Trinity community; our City services folks; and the volunteer group council member Carol Wood found for us.

We’re gonna kick some butt on these projects!!!! But we need to get organized quickly.

If you can, please join me this Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m., location TBA at the Biggby’s on Waverly just south of the Flap Jack (of course after the MSU-UM game at noon).

We’ll to start putting together the game plan and organizing into work teams. If you can’t come you can contact me about any areas you might like to work on (e.g. fundraising, getting donations of materials and supplies, leading a student work team, helping with publicity/newsletters, organizing food for all the volunteers, etc.)

Still doing the happy dance,
Melissa 394-3996

GOOD NEWS — Thankfully the school just called to report that the missing child has just been found, moments before they were about to issue an Amber Alert. She had gone home with another child as they hoped had been the case.

THANK YOU — Thank you to everyone for your eyes and ears. Thanks to LPD for bringing out the K9 unit to assist in this search.

NOT SO GOOD NEWS — However, in this process I discovered that our reverse 9-1-1 system is not currently operational.

The reverse 9-1-1 system is an emergency notification system that sends automatic telephone calls to alert residents of an emergency situation. When operational, it can target all residents or just those residents in a specific area affected.  It should also allow residents to register their cell phone number in the system to be alerted by text message.

If our police, fire, or other public safety office needed to let citizens across the city or in a specific area of the city know about an Amber alert or emergency situation (e.g. police chase in the neighborhood, gas main break, chemical spill, emergency evacuation etc.) they would not currently be able to do this.

Most cities have these emergency infrastructures in place.

Our city is dependent upon Ingham County for these operations. I am uncertain about why the system has not yet been up and running but will seek to learn more and share that information with you.

In the meantime, if you have concerns about this situation I would urge you to contact your Ingham County Commissioner and your City Council Representatives.

Thank you
Melissa S. Quon Huber, Ph.D.
Averill Woods Neighborhood Association
Sept 30, 2009 5:50 p.m.

MISSING CHILD-Wednesday afternoon, Sep. 30, 2009

Averill Elementary School (Lansing, MI) called to say they have a missing child:

Description:       Petite, black 5 year old female

Wearing:           Tan jacket with fur collar
Pink striped shirt
Pink cast on her arm

Today was her first day at kindergarten. No reason to suspect foul play but it has been an hour since school let out. They hope she took a wrong bus but haven’t been able to locate her.

Please contact Linda Fuller at Averill 930-5750 or LPD immediately if you locate her.

Thank you
Melissa S. Quon Huber, Ph.D.
Averill Woods Neighborhood Association
Sept 30, 2009 4:20 p.m.