Houk Stream & Africa

As I was reading Mr. Pruitt’s very negative remarks, (Oakwood Register 11/13/07) I remembered my beloved Africa and thanked God that the world leaders, humanitarians, charity organizations and citizens from all over the world did not give up on it and did not share Mr. Pruitt’s views.  Formerly private land directly next to Houk Stream, just like Africa, was neglected, fell on rough times and abused but never condemned of being not worthy.  People dedicated their lives, efforts and money to save.  Similarly, but obviously in a much smaller way, the Oakwood Rotary Club mobilized a natural area clean-up team and joined forces with the Citizen’s 2008 Oakwood Centennial Committee and many other Oakwood citizens who came with their children to carry out the task on Saturday, Nov.10.  Pictures taken on that day differ greatly from the pictures on Mr. Pruitt’s critical website. There is a huge difference between skepticism and negativity on and for everything. I am extending my invitation to Mr. Pruitt to join the rest of us who believe they can make a difference by seeing the good in things and changing the not so good.  Please join us, Mr. Pruitt, in our next stage of Houk Stream Clean up.  Generations to come will be thankful for the beautiful natural land that we have preserved and protected forever through public ownership.  Happy Thanksgiving to all, and lets not forget what the first settlers saw in this great country, an opportunity to make things better for all citizens.

Susie Seleem, Ph.D.
Oakwood

Opinion

In defense of Andy Pruitt

After publishing two letters from Ted O’Connor directed against Andy Pruitt (pre- and post election), I would like to come to Mr. Pruitt’s defense as he is not only a dedicated citizen of Oakwood, but cared enough to put himself on the ballot this past November. He didn’t get elected - but give him credit.

Pruitt is right in my opinion, in his assessment of that particular part of Houk Stream that has been stripped of old-growth trees. Over two years ago, City Manager Norbert Klopsch took me there along the gravel “access road” to give me a look. At the time, a couple had purchased apron land from the adjacent Zorniger property that extended into what makes up the Houk Stream scenic landscape. That was the 3.094 acres Oakwood has since purchased.

I was heartbroken. As a kid I had come down here countless times to explore and camp out. We would bring hot dogs and all the fixings and make a fire in the stone hearth still there (but slated for removal as well) and enjoy a picnic. Here amongst scenery of many childhood idyll’s I once enjoyed were literally dozens upon dozens of tree stumps, large and small, scattered all around the 3-odd acres. If you didn’t see them Mr. O’Connor, you were landscaping Elizabeth Gardens.  

There were massive piles of tree trunks from trees well over 300- and in a few cases, over 500-years-old (count the rings) that had been felled to make room for the driveway and building lot that took up the 3.094 acres. I protested to Mr. Klopsch and mentioned the lots along Park Road adjoining Hills and Dales Park that also are up for sale that once belonged to the Smith estate. It seems every square inch of wooded land in Oakwood is fair game for development, even if it abuts one of our treasured parks and especially if it can be spun off from a larger property.
And let’s NOT “put aside the dollar figures mentioned and the development questions.” Both are fair game. If the 3-plus acres of land was truly assessed at $116,390 and we paid $475,000 for it, something is wrong. We got took. And as for development, the couple abandoned their plans to build there because they probably discovered the upper face of the hillside is peppered with small springs and tributaries that turn the entire lower area into a soggy marsh. Believe me, such is the case. As kids we left more than one sets of Keds in that swamp. Not the best for building a foundation.

No, I wasn’t there either planting daffodils or removing weeds and non-indigenous plants while gaping at the graffitied tennis court wall that day. I just hope you covered those daffodil bulbs with chicken wire. Otherwise deer and squirrels just love them for brunch. But civic pride and fodder for fauna is not the issue.

Mr. Pruitt made a number of salient points - and they are deserving of both respect and consideration.

Lance Winkler
Editor
The Oakwood Register

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November 27, 2007
Volume 16, No. 48

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