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Latest News
December 9, 2003:
The Friends met on November 3, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available. The Friends are scheduled to meet again in early February 2004. More details to come.
November 3, 2003:
The Friends met on October 6, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available. The Friends are scheduled to meet again on Monday November 3, 2003, from 7:00-8:30 at Dicken Elementary.
October 29, 2003:
The Friends met on September 8, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available. The Friends are scheduled to meet again on Monday November 3, 2003, from 7:00-8:30 at Dicken Elementary.
October 24, 2003:
Opponents of
Proposal B (the Parks and Greenbelt Millage) are making inaccurate and
inflammatory arguments about Dicken Woods, to scare voters into
rejecting Proposal B. Read more.
October 8, 2003
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT!
The Ann Arbor City Council voted to purchase Dicken Woods on Tuesday
October 8, 2003! The resolution required 8 votes (out of 11), and got
9. Mayor Hieftje, and Councilmembers Teall, Woods, Johnson, Higgins,
Herrell, Carlberg, Easthope and Lowenstein all voted for the purchase.
Mayor Hieftje, as well as Margie Teall, Wendy Woods, Robert Johnson, and
Marcia Higgins all spoke strongly in support of the purchase and of the
efforts of the Friends of Dicken Woods. Councilmembers Woods and
Johnson reaffirmed that the Park Advisory Commission had not succumbed
to any pressure, but rather had a made a well-reasoned decision after a
thorough analysis and was very much in support of the preservation of
Dicken Woods.
September 10, 2003
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT!
The City of Ann Arbor and the Catholic Diocese of Lansing have signed a
purchase agreement for Dicken Woods to become part of the Ann Arbor
Parks system! Read more.
August 25, 2003:
The Friends met on August 4, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available. The Friends are scheduled to meet again on Monday September 8, 2003, from 7:00-8:30 at Dicken Elementary.
July 17, 2003
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT!
The Park Advisory Commission voted on July 15, 2003 to begin
negotiations with the Diocese for the purchase of Dicken Woods! We need
your support NOW. Read more.
July 16, 2003:
The Friends met on July 14, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available.
July 1, 2003:
The Friends second press release was sent out, regarding the benefit concert at the Ark on August 21. See more info on the concert.
July 1, 2003:
Notice: Please plan
to attend the July 15th meeting of the Ann Arbor Park Advisory
Commission, 4:00-6:00pm at City Hall, Council Chambers (2nd floor), 100
N. Fifth Ave. After this open meeting, PAC will review (in closed door
session) the appraisal of Dicken Woods.
June 27, 2003:
The Friends submitted a "Plan of Action to Preserve Dicken Woods"
to the Catholic Diocese of Lansing, including letters of support from
environmental organizations, the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and state
Representative Chris Kolb, and a timeline for consideration by the City
of Ann Arbor.
June 12, 2003:
The Friends submitted a request
to the Ann Arbor Park Advisory Commission (PAC) to consider carefully
how the preservation of Dicken Woods fits well with the Ann Arbor Master
Plan, the Allen Creek Management Plan, the Malletts Creek Restoration
Plan, and the Park Advisory Commission's own Park, Recreation and Open
Space (PROS) Plan. Following their June 17 meeting, the PAC has decided
to order an appraisal of Dicken Woods!
June 6, 2003:
The Friends met on June 4, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available.
May 29, 2003:
Dicken Woods Clean-up Day scheduled for Saturday, May 31, 9:00-11:00.
Meet at 9am at the Dicken School parking lot. The Ann Arbor News will
be there to cover the event!
Also, the Steering Committee has met twice in the last two weeks. See the minutes for the meetings on May 22 and May 29.
Meanwhile, the next full meeting of the Friends is scheduled for Weds.
June 4, 7:00-9:00pm at the Dicken Elementary Media Center.
May 16, 2003:
Major Development! As of May 16, Crosswinds
has backed out of their purchase agreement! The Friends have met with
the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and they have encouraged us to put
together a viable plan for the purchase of Dicken Woods. We are now
working on that plan and will be meeting with various city and other
non-profit organizations. Stay tuned for more!
The Friends of Dicken Woods next meeting is scheduled for Weds. June
4, from 7:00-9:00pm at the Dicken Elementary Media Center. All are
welcome! Please join, even if you can only stay for part of the
meeting. There are no further obligations (though any help is
welcome!), just come along, meet your neighbors and other concerned
citizens, and stay informed!
May 7, 2003:
The Friends of Dicken Woods met most recently on Monday May 5, 2003. The meeting minutes are now available.
Neighborhood Garage Sale:
Being coordinated by Naela Jenkins and Stephanie Hunter, tentatively scheduled for June 27/28. More information.
April 14, 2003:
The Friends met on Monday, 4/14/03 from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Dicken Elementary Media Center. The meeting minutes are now available.
March 17, 2003:
The Friends met on Monday, 3/17/03 from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Dicken Elementary Media Center. See the meeting minutes for an update on progress and next steps.
February 19, 2003:
The Friends met at Dicken Elementary, 7pm. A general update was
provided to all and next steps were identified and outlined. The
meeting minutes are available.
February 4, 2003:
The Ann Arbor Planning Commission votes 5-4 to table, for a second time,
Crosswinds' petition to annex and rezone Dicken Woods. Once again,
scores of neighbors packed the meeting room, and made impressive
arguments against Crosswind's proposal. The meeting minutes are now available.
November 19, 2002:
The Ann Arbor Planning Commission votes to table Crosswinds first
petition to annex and rezone Dicken Woods. Scores of neighbors showed
up at the Planning Commission meeting and made passionate and
intelligent arguments against the rezoning petition. Detailed
information about the presentations and the Commissioners discussions
are available in the meeting minutes (a PDF file).
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