It is nearly impossible to think about the warmer seasons in Woodruff Place without evoking images of sparkling fountains and lush greenery.
Debbie Pidgeon recently shared some relevant information that came as a surprise to me. It turns out I have unintentionally committed offences against our fountains numerous times. Despite my embarrassment I thought I would share a few “fun facts” about two of the most treasured characteristics of Summer in Woodruff Place.
FOUNTAINS
“A team of neighbors keep the fountains operational and put a lot of effort into making them beautiful for all to see. The fountains are not treated or protected areas for swimming or playing, and it’s against the law to get into the fountains. Unfortunately, broken glass has been found in fountains before.”
Whether you have been tempted to wade into the fountains or encouraged a little one to do so, you can now rest assured that such activity is, in fact, illegal and potentially dangerous. All the more reason to make friends with certain neighbors who have pools.
TREES
While we are all aware that the beautiful state of our neighborhood is no accident, I thought it would be interesting to share these facts about our trees and the expensive and laborious efforts made to ensure the lushness lives on.
Planting
According to Debbie Pidgeon, 146 trees were planted in Woodruff Place between 2007-2010 in collaboration with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
2007: 40 on Cross Drive
2008: 31 on Middle Drive
2009: 21 on East Drive and 27 on West Drive
2010: 27 on East Drive alley/Tecumseh St.
Ash tree treatment
“In 2013 the Historic Woodruff Place Foundation and the Civic League Board launched a years-long effort to protect the neighborhood’s large Ash Trees from the Emerald Ash Borer – an aggressive invasive insect that has decimated Ash Tree populations throughout the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada. To date 52 trees in the common areas of Woodruff Place have been saved but their survival depends from a continued commitment to retreat them every two years for the next 8 to 10 years. The cost of the most recent treatment cycle (2017) was nearly $8,500.”
There you have it – a few more examples of the intention behind the timeless Woodruff Aesthetic we all love. For more information about how you can contribute to the endless beautification efforts take a look at Woodruffplace.org.