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• Skipton’s main street on January 15, 2011, was part lake, part river.

LESS than three years ago Skipton was a muddy mess.

Floodwaters from the overflowing Mount Emu Creek devastated the town’s low-lying homes and businesses in September 2010 and again in January 2011.

While there are still signs of the damage today, the resilient community is fighting back.

Skipton is determined to change its reputation as a small spot on the map for people driving along the Glenelg Highway. 

It wants to cement its future as an overnight tourist stop and a commuter town for Ballarat workers.

The pub hopes to be up and running by Christmas, nearly two years after it was forced to shut when rising water from the creek rushed through the ground floor and filled the cellar. 

Corangamite Shire has also recently fielded inquiries from three businesses wanting to set up in town.

A new development plan, given the tick of approval by the council last week, has listed five priority projects the community hopes can be completed in time for the town’s 175th anniversary celebrations next year.

Further development of the Ballarat to Skipton Rail Trail, landscaping improvements, creating sites for camping or caravans and installing new entry signs are on the list.

Residents John Kavanagh and Lilla Orton have urged the council to get behind the community’s vision for Skipton. Mrs Orton said the town needed more residents and more businesses and the community plan was a start. 

“It may be baby steps, but I think that’s how you’ve got to go,” she said.

“It’s all about improving the town, not just for the tourists but the people who live there.

“We need commuters from Ballarat. We’ve got a country lifestyle (and) it’s an easy commute.”

Mr Kavanagh said the $30,000 earmarked to improve the rail trail link into town would be a big boost.

“It’s a great thing for tourism. A lot of people use it, but more funding would increase its usage.”

He said Skipton was not big enough for a large caravan park, but was well positioned for overnight stays.

“Free camping” was a growing concept for people travelling in caravans and campers with their own self-contained facilities such as toilets, showers and power, Mr Kavanagh said.

Tourists kept an eye out for spots with “RV (recreation vehicle) friendly town” signs as they travelled around Australia: “You know when you go there, you’re welcome and invited, and people appreciate that.” 

He said the 157-turbine Stockyard Hill wind farm, between Skipton and Beaufort, would soon provide a major boost to the town, with an estimated 400 jobs required in construction and 30 to 50 ongoing.

The shire’s community development officer Gary Moorfield said Skipton was the 10th town to complete a community plan as part of the Building Stronger Corangamite Communities project. He said 48 people, representing 10 per cent of the town’s population, had a chance to suggest ideas during the consultation phase, initially identifying a list of 20 suitable projects. 

“The trauma of the 2010 and 2011 Skipton flood events and the protracted and ongoing period of recovery and adjustment have left their mark upon the community,” Mr Moorfield said.

He said the community planning initiative provided an opportunity to “gather and harness community motivation” and make sure some long-held aspirations were completed. 

Cr Ruth Gstrein praised Skipton residents’ resilience. 

“When I was mayor, Skipton was one of my favourite towns because the community helped itself,” she said.

Cr Jo Beard said development of a community plan was an exciting process and showed the passion people had for their towns.

Mayor Chris O’Connor acknowledged that Skipton was the town located furthest from Corangamite’s Camperdown offices and it was only natural that its sense of “engagement and connectedness” suffered as a result.

“But we do love you, don’t worry about that,” he told the town representatives.

 “We know you’re there.”

malexander@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Carroll and Sandy Wheeldon are a gardening team.

“I am the one with all the ideas,” said Sandy. “He’s the labor.”

It works.

The Wheeldons, both retired, moved into their Shiloh home in 2001. They bought the lot partly because of a towering white oak tree in the middle of the backyard.

“It puts the house in shade by 1 in the afternoon,” said Sandy.

The white oak stood in the midst of dense woods. Before their five-bedroom brick home was built, they started reclaiming the backyard.

“It was a jungle,” Sandy said.

“I pulled a 63-foot grape vine out of that tree,” said Carroll. “I tugged and tugged. Another one, me and a guy bigger than me were swinging on. We couldn’t get it out of the tree.”

They won the battle.

The neat, deeply wooded garden along the back of their yard is a shady oasis with winding brick paths and shade-loving perennials. An arched wood bridge spans a usually dry rock creek bed. Statues add interest. Wind chimes made by Sandy’s father, hang from a sassafras tree.

“We love the whole setting,” said Carroll, “how peaceful and quiet it is back here.”

“I love to come out from 8 to 10 in the morning,” said Sandy. “Kids are in school. People are at work. All you hear is water running and birds.”

The sound of water running comes from a waterfall and pond, located on the sunny side of the yard. Goldfish filled the pond until a blue heron spotted the action. In two days, he cleaned out 35 six-inch goldfish.

The water feature became part of their yard after Sandy spotted just the right one at a St. Louis home show. With their landscaping, the backyard waterfall and pond turned out nice enough that they were invited to be on the St. Louis Water Gardening Society’s tour last year.

“The most frequently asked question on the tour was, ‘What do you have hanging back there?’ said Carroll, pointing out white blocks in the garden. “It’s Irish Spring soap. If you put it out, deer won’t bother plants.”

The Wheeldons credit Skip Soule from Lagniappe (a Cajun term that means “a little something extra”) of O’Fallon, with the landscaping around the house that includes rows of azalea bushes and rhododendron. They were put in the year they moved in. They invited him back to build their circular garden walk, and put in shade plants.

The most recent project was a pondless waterfall in the front yard.

“We just picked him out of the phone book,” said Sandy, walking along a garden path. “He knows plants really well. He’s good at picking plants that blossom at different times of year.

“These are bleeding hearts, which in the spring are gorgeous.”

Skip, a landscaper for more than 30 years, tries out new plants on his own wooded lot before introducing them to clients’ landscapes. The Wheeldons’ yard has been an ongoing project for him.

The slope of the yard called for retaining walls.

“There are 13 tons of gravel in this one,” said Carroll. “I know. I hauled it all in.”

The garden with its ferns, hostas and variety of trees continues to evolve.

“We came up with ideas from here, there and elsewhere,” said Sandy.

When grass doesn’t grow in the deep shade, they try plants. There’s not a weed in sight.

“What we do, we wait until the oak blossoms fall,” said Carroll,” then we put the mulch down. We put it down heavy and we don’t have to pull weeds the rest of the summer.”

Just beyond the pond is the Wheeldons’ vegetable garden. It was a sea of red tomatoes last week. They also grow peppers and cucumbers.

“I probably will be canning this afternoon, 50 to 100 quarts,” said Sandy. “I can whole tomatoes.”

“We don’t have to buy them for spaghetti or chili,” said Carroll.

“Because my mother canned, she taught me to can,” said Sandy. “I have never bought a can of tomatoes in my life. Now, my mother is 85. She’s not able to, so I take her tomatoes.”

Carroll is originally from Washington. Sandy is from Missouri.

“My dad grew up in central Missouri. around Fort Leonard Wood,” she said.

Sandy met Carroll met when he was stationed there.

The Wheeldons moved to the metro-east in 1988. Carroll, a U.S. Army lieutenant-colonel, retired from the service two years later, then took a computer job with Mitre Corp.

“We liked Shiloh,” said Sandy. “Everything was close that we need, but it was still country living. We liked the open area.”

“The main reason we picked this lot, it gives you the privacy. It’s gorgeous in the wintertime when you get snow.”

Both retired three years ago in July.

“I was not allowed to relax until she did,” said Carroll.

“When we’re out here, we look at each other and wonder, ‘How did we do al this and work at same time? We do not know.”

They do know they’ve slowed down in the last five or six years. For the last four, they’ve talked about selling their house.

“He was ready,” said Sandy. “It broke my heart.”

Now, they’re both ready to downsize, to move to a condo and let someone else inherit their oasis.

“We want to enjoy retirement,” she said, “and do some traveling.”

Photos by Shoshanah Siegel/Signal Tribune
Size does matter when it comes to lighting fixtures for the outside of your home. However, BB Hardware, located in Long Beach, takes it to a fun extreme.

Shoshanah Siegel
Columnist

Recently, I have had a chance to work with quite a few clients who have wanted a facelift for the outside of their homes. If you are now ready to do the same, or perhaps do so in the future, here are some items you might want to start considering. Of course, my approach is always to be aware of your budget while still getting great results. Also, know that these “curb appeal” makeovers can be done in stages.

Get a new perspective
The first thing I would suggest doing is to go across the street from your home and look at the front of your house. Take some photos. This will allow you to review what you saw or may not have seen, and will possibly give you a new perspective. Try and be as objective as you can.
Your home’s front entry should be the focal point of its curb appeal. I suggest looking at various elements such as: house numbers, front door, mailbox, lighting, doorbell and entry door lockset. All of these can add interest to your home’s exterior, but in their current state, might not be conveying the aesthetics you want. These elements need to work together, creating a harmonious look while enhancing the style of your home. You might not even need to purchase all new items, especially if all they need is a good metal polish and/or paint. So that your task at hand is not too daunting, let me break it down, step-by-step.

Shut the front door
I look at the front door as the cherry-on-top. In order to create interest and depth, I like to add a pop of color to various parts of the exterior of the home. The front door is one of these places to do just that. Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to freshen and liven up an area. Because it is so cheap and easy to do, you might even consider changing your door color with the seasons.

Is your front door working for you?
Ask yourself if the current door matches the style of your home? What other materials might you consider? First, determine your needs. Doors now come in steel, fiberglass, aluminum, vinyl and composite. How is it functioning? Do you want to let more light into your home? If the answer is yes, consider purchasing one with windows. If privacy is not an issue, you might select one that has vertical panels of glass that flank one or both sides of the door. Also, most come with various types of glass, some obscuring the view more than others. Looking from the inside out is important as well.
A recent client of mine, who has a post-modern home, found the perfect door. It has staggered square windows running vertically down the right side of the door. In keeping with the architecture, we selected a bright chartreuse color to paint the new door. Craftsman homes are often made of high-quality wood and have windows and detail moldings. Do your homework. Research and narrow down your options and then determine where might be the best selection and prices. I like looking at the Habitat For Humanity stores. You could get a great door while contributing to a great cause. Visit habitatla.org/restore/products .

This home exemplifies how great the front entrance of your home can be when all the elements are done to perfection

When one door opens…
From a practical point of view, exterior doors and their hardware need to keep occupants and property safe inside the building and also need to allow people to quickly get out in an emergency. Door hardware is considered the handshake of the home because it is one of the first things that greet a visitor. As mentioned previously, check to see what condition your hardware is in. It may just need a cleaning. Stay true to the architecture of your home. Ones for Craftsman-style homes are often made of brass with stylized shapes. Postmodern and contemporary homes might just have a single rod for the handle with a separate locking system. Once again, do your research and be creative. For color, consider other elements such as hardscape or roof colors. Be consistent. If you select brass for your hardware be sure to also select brass for other elements in the same location, such as a mailbox or lighting fixtures.

Ring my bell
Whether you have an intercom, doorknocker, or doorbell, this is a way that visitors alert you that they are at the front door. Depending on your architecture, or how you want visitors to announce their presence, why not make it fun? You are only limited by your imagination. I have seen them made of tile, metal and wood. We have a doorknocker made of wood in the shape of a woodpecker. There are many styles from which to choose. Let your tastes and interests be your guide.

Lighting the way
Outdoor lighting has three purposes. You want to create a welcoming entrance to your home as well as be able to walk safely up the steps and, from the inside, clearly identify who’s coming to visit. Since your front door is usually what most guests approach first, the front-entrance door is the place to choose to make a statement! Lighting is one very important way to create a great first impression. A pair of wall sconces or lanterns flanking the entryway can complete the look you want, whether it’s contemporary, rustic or artistic, the lighting needs to fit the style of your home.

Wall lights, lanterns, ceiling lights or pendants?
Depending on the architecture of your home, it might be possible to use wall sconces or lanterns flanking the doorway or lights mounted to or recessed into the ceiling– or a combination of both. (In a future article I will be going into more detail about lighting for porches and how to coordinate the porch lighting with lighting for the rest of your landscaping.)

Size matters!
According to Lette Birn, on her blog Form + Function, wall fixtures should be anywhere from one fourth to one third the height of the door.
She mentions that if you are using two sizes of sconces for your front door as well as your garage, you’ll want to use the larger sconces at the front door, since this is where you want to create the focal point. Also, as a rule of thumb, outdoor sconces or lanterns should be mounted with the center of the light source about 5 feet 6 inches to 6 feet from the ground and 8 to 10 feet apart.

Is your mailbox delivering the right message?
Whether it’s hanging on the front porch, the garage or the wall surrounding the home, the right mailbox is one of those details that can’t be overlooked. Once again, mailboxes can enhance the architecture of your home, and they need to coordinate with the other items near your front door and the rest of your home.
Be sure you check with your homeowners association or check with the U.S. Postal Service before you decide what kind of mailbox to purchase and where to put it.
When it comes to picking the size, there are really no rules (except for those set by the USPS). If you’re the type of person who gets larger packages and likes your accessories to make a statement, then a larger, bolder-color box is probably right for you. If you would rather your design elements blend together, then a smaller box might be just right. I find it helpful to tape off the measurements of the box to see how it would look and if the size meets your needs. If you’d prefer not to have a mailbox at all, a mail slot in your front door is always an option.
Many homeowners choose the color of their mailbox based on the color of their home and the other accessories on their porch and in their front yard. Black is one of the favorite choices for adding contrast and curb appeal. It is classic and clean, and it stands out. However, if black is too harsh of a color, you might consider copper and other metals. Your mailbox can make an artistic statement. The sky is the limit.

We’ve got your number
Selecting house numbers follows pretty much the same process as selecting the other elements previously mentioned. The selection of the fonts, materials and colors of your house numbers should enhance the curb appeal of your home and work in tandem with the style and other items selected. Check out these sites for some fun alternatives: accurateimageinc.com; Neutra numbers from homedepot.com (cheap); and Ebay.com (specify what architectural style you are looking to buy).

How to choose the right size number?
According to The House Number Lab, a manufacturer and site for purchasing house numbers, the general rule of thumb is that your number will be as wide as it is tall. So if you order a number that’s 4 inches tall, you can expect that three digits will be approximately 12 inches wide (not accounting for the space between the numbers). This is true for most numbers that are neither wide nor condensed, which would be 20 percent wider or narrower than the average number.
Some consideration:
• Distance from street. Homeowners that are far from the street may want to choose numbers a little bigger.
• Angle. If a home sits on a hill, the angle alters how someone sees the size of the number.
• Interferences. Things that block view of the numbers can affect their visibility, so make them larger.
Once you’ve got a good idea, cut a piece of paper out to size and place it in the window. Does it look right? If so, go with it. If not, try something else.

Keep a lookout for future articles in which I will be sharing ideas and advice regarding more “curb appeal,” for items such as porches, porticos, trellises, architectural elements such as moldings, shutters, window boxes, fences, hardscapes, outdoor art, seating, colors, landscaping and many more. ß
Shoshanah Siegel provides color and design consulting as well as space planning, remodeling/upgrading and staging through her firm Your Color Diva. She can be contacted at (562) 427-0440 or at Shoshanah.siegel @gmail.com . Samples of her work can be found at houzz.com .

After receiving their first look at a consulting group’s proposals and recommendations for revitalizing Prince Frederick earlier this week, the county commissioners expressed support for the ideas.

During the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, the consulting firm that conducted the Prince Frederick Town Center Charrette, The Lawrence Group, presented its report from the charrette.

“It’s real different. It’s very, very different,” Commissioner Susan Shaw (R) said. “It’s long-range and a lot of what we’ve heard about up ’til now has been what’s marketable or what’s profitable now — right now, not maybe such a long-range view.”

The hourlong report closely mirrored The Lawrence Group’s final presentation from the charrette process back in June. The charrette was a weeklong public process conducted by The Lawrence Group with the help of county staff, resulting in the firm’s recommendations and proposals. During the charrette week, there were public workshops, topical discussions and meetings at the end of each day to present the firm’s information, drawings and concepts to the public and receive feedback.

Craig Lewis, managing principal and director of planning with The Lawrence Group, told the commissioners to envision Prince Frederick in 2049 — a time when there are about 6,500 residents and more than 5,000 high-quality jobs in the town.

Included in that vision are several mixed-use townhome and apartment neighborhoods; the shopping centers have been revamped to include high-quality tenants and mixed-use infill development; there is a public square in the Historic Courthouse District; the “Hospital District” has expanded across Route 2/4, which is crossable with streetscaping and medians; and pedestrians and bicyclists have up to 6 miles worth of trails and paths to get anywhere in the town.

Overall, The Lawrence Group’s design would increase the existing 1,689 acres in the town center by 529 net acres, resulting in a 2,228-acre town center. The increase includes added land north of Calvert Memorial Hospital and to the west of the town center to include the College of Southern Maryland Prince Frederick Campus. The southern portion of the town center is proposed to be excluded from the town center boundary as well.

The consulting firm also proposed three districts for the town center: the Hospital District, a Cultural District that would encompass Calvert High School and the proposed Armory Square, and the Civic District along Main Street. In addition to the districts, the firm proposed 10 activity centers, such as CSM, the Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center, Calvert Memorial Hospital, the Calvert Library Prince Frederick, Calvert Pines Senior Center and one at each of the public schools within the town center.

The housing density in Prince Frederick, which is currently permitted at a maximum of 10 or 12 units per acre, would be about three units per acre with all of the proposed housing in the town center.

Lewis said the consulting firm is recommending to decrease the parking standard because the actual parking standards are much less than a decade ago. The extra parking that exists today, he said, is already conducive to redevelopment of outparcels in the shopping centers — which could help create more mixed-use, “walkable” communities.

The county needs to prioritize the regulations, Lewis said during Tuesday’s presentation, beginning with streetscape, then frontage, building placement, parking location, height, roof type, building design and then, finally, use.

The design also includes 11 to 15 acres of public space and 10 to 25 acres of athletic fields. Of note are the eight outdoor spaces throughout the town for sporting events, gatherings, picnics and other special events, not including neighborhood parks and playgrounds. The consulting firm also added extensive streetscaping and plant infill throughout the town along roadways, Route 2/4 and in parking lots.

The consulting firm also made its own revisions to the Prince Frederick Loop Road, such as altering starting and ending points and changing where the road would lie because of the hilly topography for which the road is currently proposed.

The heart of Prince Frederick would be Armory Square, Lewis told the commissioners.

“The key things here are to create a great place,” Lewis said. “It’s going to be a different place than you have here around the courthouse because this is off the beaten path. … The key here is to think about this area as a mixed-use space.”

Armory Square would be a walkable, mixed-use village center, according to the design. The Lawrence Group presented four options for the square. Several included an area for a large retailer, while all had a range of retailing options with entertainment and restaurants. All options retained the Armory building but repurposed it for a community need, such as a community center, a black box theater, offices or a farmers market. All four options have a 1- to 1½-acre public space with extensive landscaping stretching into the entire square.

To make this area successful, though, Lewis said there needs to be housing, connectivity, circulation, jobs, a public space, things to go do and things to buy.

To implement all these changes throughout the town center, the consulting firm also made recommendations to the Prince Frederick Town Center Zoning Ordinance, such as reforming the transferrable development rights program to offer exemptions for development in the town center or for strip/big box retail or single-story development. In addition, the consulting firm recommends placing “walkable urbanism” as a goal for the town center.

Commissioner Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark (R) said, “This is actually very different than what we’ve seen before when we’ve looked at town center master plans’ updates, rewrites and things like that. It’s truly for the future. I would venture to say that a lot of the folks that participated in the charrettes and that were there basically are seeing this as a vision that may happen when they’re not here because 35 years is a fairly long period of time.”

Clark said he would like to see what public’s reaction will be when this begins to move to public meetings and hearings.

“It’s interesting. I’m curious to see going forward with this how it shakes down in public opinion,” he concluded.

“It’s almost a bit overwhelming to picture all this in a span of a short time, which is what most people want to see,” Commissioners’ President Pat Nutter (R) said.

Commissioner Evan Slaughenhoupt (R) was one of those people.

“To me, I’m very impatient. I want to see that today. But it’s not gonna happen today, I know,” he said.

Slaughenhoupt also warned and reminded everyone, “There will be naysayers. I’m not one of them, but there will be naysayers that complain that we’re doing something different to the TDR program. In reality, I think we’re going to work to try to help improve and save the TDR program and use such to help for incentives to achieve some of these visions. You’ll hear naysayers about traffic.”

In addition to traffic and TDR concerns, he said there will also be those who will say this is The Lawrence Group’s plan for Prince Frederick.

“We need to remind them that’s not the case, that this consultant is presenting a vision as articulated by citizens at these charrettes. This is the citizens’ concept to be modified over time, sure.”

Slaughenhoupt said he supports the concept for Prince Frederick.

“I like the activity centers. I like how you took, and currently a new district — I’ll call it the New Town District — and within that one district, you subdivided five districts. … And what I liked about that was those circles showed like a five-minute walk. I think that’s very keen, very helpful to help focus energy on this concept.”

According to Lewis’ presentation, the consulting firm is preparing a presentation book for the county that will include a summary of the charrette and all the recommendations.

Moving forward, Acting Director of the Calvert County Department of Community Planning and Building Mary Beth Cook said staff plans to have the proposed amendments to the Prince Frederick Zoning Ordinance before the end of the year followed by the first public hearings taking place in the first quarter of 2014.

ascott@somdnews.com

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As Harry Knabb stands at the corner of Sixth and Trade streets in the heart of the Downtown Arts District, he takes a second to look up.

“We call this the Art Tower,” he says, pointing to a 17-foot-tall structure made of metal and concrete. “This thing is solid, man. It’s going to be here a long time.”  

Embellished with paintings and crowned by a metal fish, the Art Tower is the latest public art project brought forth by Arts for Arts Sake (The AFAS Group), a nonprofit organization that supports local artists. Knabb, who serves as president of AFAS, says the group has made public art its top priority in recent years, using a mix of grants and private funds to commission local artists for their creativity.

In just a few years, the group has colored downtown with more than a dozen murals, sculptures, and other works through its public arts initiative.

“We think it’s important to have art that’s available for everyone,” Knabb says. “People are sometimes intimidated to go in galleries to see art, but everyone has access to public art. It’s free; you don’t have to dress up nice to see it. It’s really a quality-of-life thing.”  

Studies also show that public art can create a sense of place in one’s community.

A 2012 report by The Knight Foundation surveyed nearly 50,000 people in 43 cities and found that aesthetics and social offerings (including public art) ranked extremely high in a “driver of attachment” to a place (higher than education, the economy, and public safety).

Marianne DiNapoli-Mylet has seen the community that public art can create firsthand. A local artist and muralist, DiNapoli-Mylet has painted some of the city’s most prized and prominent scenes, including a number of murals downtown. She moved to Winston-Salem in 1989 by way of New Jersey and brought the “mural-fever” with her. Not only did she paint some of the Arts District’s first murals, she also wrote the grants to fund the works.  

These days, DiNapoli-Mylet often sees others admiring her works from the windows of her Trade Street studio.

“It’s always fun when someone stops and takes a photo with something I created,” she says. “They probably don’t even know who I am or that I made it, but I’m thrilled that they’re enjoying the work.”  

She stresses community involvement with most of her murals, allowing the public to have a hand in their creation. She recently started an arts-based nonprofit called POWAR! (People of Winston-Salem Art Reclamation Program) that introduces art and mural techniques to at-risk middle- and high-school students. Among the group’s art projects are several murals downtown (including a lovable alien mural on the side of Lucky Strike Boutique). Why does she feel public art is important for the city?

“Because it’s the people’s art, and it’s something they can take pride in,” she says. “It can help distinguish Winston-Salem from all the other places in America.”

Still Not Enough?

Despite the efforts DiNapoli-Mylet and groups like AFAS, there’s still a sentiment that Winston-Salem isn’t living up to its billing as the “City of the Arts”—at least not in terms of public art. It’s something Eric Elliott has heard a lot through the years.

A local advocate for public arts, Elliott was once the head of a public-arts exploratory committee in Winston-Salem. He says that while the city has made progress in the way of public art, it still lags behind other similarly-sized cities.  

“For a city that’s blessed with an outsized amount of art institutions, Winston-Salem has been behind the curve on its commitment to public art,” Elliott says. “One problem is that we have no foundation fund for public-art purchases, even though we have great foundation support for the arts. Most of the Arts Council funding goes to local institutions (not projects). Other towns smaller than us—Cary, Hickory—have public-art commissions to help guide and get citizen input on how art can shape their place.”  

With that said, he’s quick to note the formation of Creative Corridors Coalition (CCC) has been a step in the right direction. Composed of local architects and community leaders, the nonprofit was established a few years ago with a mission of enhancing downtown roadways with creative elements. Most of its focus centers on a one-mile stretch of Business 40, which, in 2016, is set to undergo a $70 million makeover. The CCC wants to use the project as a chance to create a series of artworks that will leave an “indelible impression” for all those entering the city. Ideas have included artistic lighting, artwork, architecture, and landscaping that could cost between $5 and $10 million. CCC officials say they’ll soon begin writing grant applications and seeking private donations for the project.

Another grass-roots group has its eyes set on the historic RJR smokestacks rising over downtown. The group wants to repurpose the iconic 14-story smokestacks to create one of the world’s largest kaleidoscopes.  

The city of Winston-Salem is also on board with the idea of more public artwork, as they recently announced plans to commission a piece of public art to mark the city’s centennial. The artist selected will receive $30,000 to create the work, which will be used to highlight the city’s history. Elliott hopes projects like this will help draw attention to the dramatic effect public art can have on a place.  

“Public artwork helps reveal what a place values, what it memorializes, and how it feels about itself in the world,” he says. “It’s why so often public art comes to be place-makers as well as place markers. It’s ultimately a celebration of life itself.”  

This week there was a lot that caught my attention — from the rock/porn star formerly known as Hannah Montana, to creative breakfasts, the cost of raising a child and Max, the autistic child who was a victim of hate (read my last blog post if you missed the story).

1. I couldn’t get that letter out of my head. It is still so difficult to accept that another human being, let alone another mother, is capable of such hate and ignorance. This response, written by Max’s mom (who incidentally, has multiple sclerosis) made me feel better. I hope it does the same for you. The support of community can make such a difference — this fundraising initiative is a perfect example.

2. I wonder what Max’s mom would have to say about the report released a week ago from the Fraser Institute claiming that it’s possible to raise a child in Canada for $3,000 to $4,500 a year. An article in the Globe and Mail outlining this highly controversial topic refers to other studies that estimate the number is closer to $10,000 to $15,000 a year. I hate to admit that math has never been my strength (neither has budgeting) so I’ve never sat down to figure out the cost of raising my kids. Have you? Does measuring input require metrics on output? That could get dangerous.

3. What about sweat equity? Surely time spent with your kids is as valuable as the financial commitment — but how is that measured? I am reminded of comedian Louis C.K.’s words of encouragement to dads on spending more time with your kids: Be a dad. Don’t be ‘mom’s assistant.’ That’s depressing, just waiting for her to write you a list, walk around a store staring at it, calling her from the cereal aisle to make sure you got the right thing. Be a man. Make your own list. Fathers have skills that they never use at home. You run a landscaping business and you can’t dress and feed a four-year-old? Take it on. Spend time with your kids and have your own ideas about what they need. It won’t take away your manhood; it will give it to you. I did that. I spent more time with my kids. And I found out that I’m a pretty bad father. I make a lot of mistakes and I don’t know what I’m doing. But my kids love me. Go figure.

4. Speaking of good dads, one way to feel like a great parent is to make an awesome breakfast to start your kids’ days off right. We have some inspiring recipes in our breakfast gallery, but this one did not make the list. This sweet little rice sculpture of a teddy bear wrapped in a warm omelette with a thin slice of cheese for the pillow is weird but amazing at the same time. I can’t for the life of me imagine the return on your investment with this breakfast.

5. Maybe Hannah Montana was served this as a child when she worked for Disney? Just add Mickey ears and you’re good to go. And that is all I have to say about that young lady. I won’t even write her real name because I am tired of the discussion that has populated the Internet for the last three days, and refuse to give it any more air time. Surely we have other things to talk about.

Have a good week!

If you have ever bought or sold a home, you are probably well aware that curb appeal ­— that wow factor that makes your heart beat faster when you espy a home — is vital. But did you know that beyond creating desire, excellent front landscaping actually increases your home’s value? Yup, those blooming hydrangeas, the spiffy front door and the snazzy stone walkway you invest in can produce a solid return on your money. Carson Arthur, landscape designer and TV show maven, is the source of this wisdom, and he has solid advice about where and how to make money when you
update your home’s outdoor living space.

According to Mr. Arthur, there are three main ways to improve your outdoor experience and in doing so, add value to your home: curb appeal, decking and hardscaping. You’ll notice there is no mention of creating large perennial gardens, adding a pool or creating a water feature. There are reasons.

For one thing, and this might be shocking to many, he says that enjoyable outdoor living does not include gardening. While some of us love weeding, deadheading and watering, most want no part of that, so to them, a large perennial garden is considered an issue not an asset. That said, flowers, trees and shrubs do increase property value if they make your home more appealing, so choose a landscape design that is impressive, attractive and, very important, easy to maintain.

Curb appeal is the No. 1 place to invest, according to Mr. Arthur, as excellent landscaping will up the house’s value by 7%, or $42,000 on a $600,000 house. Some money-making ideas include a stone walkway to your front door, with a matching stone driveway, and attractive plantings (but they shouldn’t be too full as they may seem high-maintenance to a non-gardener). Also, install a gorgeous front door. An appropriately placed bench in your front yard will earn you $1,000, as will a tree. Pass GO by putting the bench under the tree!

Pools, as you’ve probably heard, do not add value to a home, but they don’t detract either. If you spend $60,000 on a pool, you will likely recover 20% to 50% of that money if you sell before the pool ages (according to Mr. Arthur, pools have a 10-year life span). Again, low maintenance is key, so don’t surround your pool with a garden that will make potential buyers think they’ll be spending time with a trowel instead of a towel.

Add a water feature if you love a gurgle and splash, but don’t expect it to make money for you. Ponds, waterfalls and streams do not provide a return on investment, unless you count personal satisfaction. Where they come closer is if the sound of water helps to mask traffic noise.

Hardscaping is the use of natural stone or concrete stones or similar to define spaces and pathways, usually patios for living and dining. Patios enjoy a return of 12% and last 35 years or more. Larger is better, he says, now that we are fully furnishing our patios as outdoor living and/or dining rooms.

Decks are also a great investment as low-to-no-maintenance options look great for 20 to 25 years and see a return of 10% to 15%, depending on the design and materials chosen. Again, go large to accommodate that sectional sofa you are eyeing. For backyard shade, consider an awning, pergola or tree — they add $2,000 to $3,000 each.

Front yards, decks and patios are all excellent investments. The caveat is that they need to be well designed

Front yards, decks and patios are all excellent investments. The caveat is that they need to be well designed, well executed and, like gardens, low maintenance. That is why a professional such as a landscape architect or landscape designer should be called in.

When it comes to design, there are many considerations. Property usage is the big one, as you need to determine how you want to enjoy your outdoor space, and how much you are willing to invest. A professional will design according to environmental factors such as light, shade and wind, and plan such structures as a pergola, garage, garden shed, deck, patio, gazebo, fence and retaining wall, as well as gardens, trees, ponds and pools. He or she can dispense advice about low maintenance decking composites; insect-repelling, natural or other wood products; concrete or natural stone; trees for shade and privacy; and appropriate flower and shrub choices. For our summers, a drainage plan is as vital as a watering scheme. Some landscape architecture firms offer turn-key services from design through installation, so you don’t even have to get your hands dirty.

Using a landscape architect (find one via oala.ca) is wise, even if you are not doing a total makeover but want to add a deck or patio, as they know bylaws and can advise about safety, standards and stability so that you invest wisely. That way, your deck has the support it needs, your retaining wall retains and your driveway of pavers does not sink under your tires over the winter. And the city is happy because your fence has a permit and is the right height. Beyond that, your property will look terrific and give you the outdoor living space you crave — and the ROI you expect.

Fall is an excellent time for landscaping, as soil is at its warmest to welcome new plants. And there is also the investment lure as professional landscaping adds more value than a kitchen or bathroom renovation and provides a recovery rate of 100% to 200%. Quick, grab a shovel and make a few bucks before the snow flies.

A largely empty parking lot is an obvious sign of the troubles at Regency Square Mall, once Jacksonville’s premier shopping center. The mall was put up for sale earlier this month.

John Burr
Editor-in-Chief- Jacksonville Business Journal

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Before the Jacksonville Jaguars came to town, and before The Avenues mall and later the St. Johns Town Center were built, Regency Square Mall was the place to shop in Northeast Florida. Now the mall is hanging on by threads, and has been put up for sale by its owners.

Where many see a 1.4 million-square-foot white elephant with bookend Sears and J.C. Penney anchor stores, we see opportunity.

The death of suburban malls has occurred across the country, for many of the same reasons that have choked off Regency: a change in the surrounding neighborhoods and stiff retail competition from newer malls in locations closer to faster-growing parts of town. There is even a website devoted to the subject, Deadmall.com, where you can read dead mall stories from around the country.

Once a mall dies, what can be done? The ideas on what to do with dying malls has varied, from splitting them into smaller retail centers, to relocating community colleges, or job training centers, or even tearing them down and planting grass and trees for a park, soccer fields and baseball diamonds.

One thing the property has going for it is location, at the intersection of Atlantic and Southside Boulevards and the Arlington Expressway. The Mathews Bridge is just down the road, and the Dames Point Bridge just a couple of miles to the north, with the Port of Jacksonville just across the river. The parcel up for sale is 110 acres, big enough for many types of uses. Logistics industry, are you paying attention here?

And speaking of location, it’s been over a year since we raised the question of what the city of Jacksonville intends to do with the site of the former Duval County Courthouse, which sits vacant except for a thriving population of rats and other vermin on the north bank of the St. Johns River, smack in the middle of Downtown. One year later and still silence from City Hall. If we wait five or six more years, we’ll have another rotting husk like the Laura Street Trio gracing our Downtown. Won’t that be fun?

Here’s an idea that won’t tax our strained city budget too badly and still allow for future development opportunities on the site: Tear down the building, spread some topsoil around, throw in a little landscaping, plant some grass and call it a park. Who knows? People might like it well enough to keep it around for a while.

People who live in the apartments or shop at the businesses at Londonderry and Teasley lanes likely give little thought to the big red rocks that line the alleys and dot the landscaping there.

The rocks look similar to the red rocks that some early Denton residents used to build sturdy homes or form the cornerstones of their foundations.

Today’s strip malls, gas stations and apartment buildings sit among those storied rocks, although their almost-forgotten tale is not like that of Rome’s ancient ruins or Egypt’s antiquities. Denton’s close call with world fame is more of the Cadillac Ranch and Corn Palace variety.

In 1907, Denton resident A.G. Lee decided the world needed another pyramid. He would build one on his farm as a monument to John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil and richest man in the world — that scandal triggered by Ida Tarbell’s muckraking book notwithstanding.

Despite amassing a 100-foot pile of boulders for a 200-foot-by-200-foot base, and an even larger pile of publicity, the pyramid was never built, though not for Lee’s lack of public relations prowess.

In addition to a passel of stories about the proposed pyramid published in newspapers around the country, including one in The Washington Post, Lee also got publicity for a spiritual center he wanted to build in the center of the continental U.S.

Local historian Mike Cochran came across the old news stories and went hunting for other information to pinpoint the likely location of the rocks. Last week, Cochran and several other local history buffs converged on the Denton neighborhood and found what was left of the pile.

Today, people might look askance at a man who wanted to build a pyramid. But back then, people thought big, Cochran said.

Busts-of-presidents-in-the-side-of-the-mountain big.

Some of those big ideas never happened, like a round-the-world train across the Bering Strait.

But Mount Rushmore did, thanks to South Dakota historian Doane Robinson and Danish-American sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum.

“They pulled that off,” Cochran said.

Peggy Riddle, director of the Denton County Office of History and Culture, was with the group when they found the remaining rocks and is watching the developments with interest. The pyramid-that-wasn’t could bring a new historical marker for the city, likely somewhere in the area of Lee’s former farm. Cochran said he plans to write and deliver a paper on the topic.

In the meantime, Denton residents can point visitors to the area’s other oddities cataloged on RoadsideAmerica.com — a giant jackalope smoker on Bolivar Street and the World’s Largest Ball of Barbed Wire, spun by the late J.C. Payne.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881 and via Twitter at @phwolfeDRC.

“No, I don’t want you to call an ambulance, YOU help me.”

 

Dear Nurse Kris: Recently my wife fell, I couldn’t get her up off of the floor. She refused to let me call the ambulance, and she told me to stand in our building’s hallway until I saw someone who could help. So I did. When my neighbour came to help the two of us couldn’t move her either. We finally did call the ambulance. Now my wife is upset with me. What should I have done?”

 – Frank S, tired caregiver of ailing wife

 

Dear Frank: I am sorry you experienced this. It sounds like you are trying hard to do the best you can and be responsive to your wife’s requests. You are in a tough predicament. You mention your wife is ailing, and with her recent fall it leads me to suspect you have been in the caregiver role for her, for at least a little while.

In health care, there is a phenomenon called “caregiver exhaustion”. This is what happens when caregivers ‘over help’. When one spouse cares for the other, it can be difficult to retain your objectivity. Being the sole care provider to your spouse, means dual roles for you: you are both husband AND caregiver.

There are a few sticking points with this dual role. You either cease being a husband, while you become your wife’s primary caregiver or, you become over-absorbed with the infinite details of your wife’s care needs and cease being a husband. Martyrdom is the next plane for you.

Being a Martyr, means you think you are the only person who can do things right for your wife and the only one who really knows how to care for her. You will know when you’ve reached this point when your friends ask you how you are doing, and you respond with, “Mary had a great BM today, wow, am I thrilled.”

Frank, the message here is that you cannot be everything, to everyone. The reason your lovely gal married you is because she likes you for the man you are. Marriage vows do not mean that you must do everything yourself for your gal. Marriage vows and partnerships mean you ensure your loved one’s needs are anticipated, met and carried through as best as you can possibly provide for.

Your goal here is to be the loving person you are and ensure your wife’s needs are properly met. You want to give the best of yourself to your wife do you not? It’s difficult if not improbable to achieve if you are also her primary and solitary provider of care.

As your wife’s needs increase you’ll need to put in place a more formal caregiving structure. When an individual can’t move about comfortably or safely or can no longer perform all of their personal care, outside services (formal care) are there to help you and your lovely gal.

In Canada, each regional health authority or equivalent, has the responsibility for assessing clients in need and determining what level of care can be provided. Interior Health authority uses an income means test to determine what level of care and the associated cost if any, can be provided to you.

Some clients bypass the Health Authority entirely to avail themselves of the services of non-government personal care agencies which have the ability to schedule staff to arrive at specific times, the ability to match caregivers to clients and keep that same caregiver for consistency in care.

For more information Frank, you should first speak to your local Interior Health Community Care office at 250-980-1400 to inquire about an assessment of your wife. Other options to explore would be any Veterans Benefits you or your spouse might have, or insurance products such as Long Term Care, Extended Health Benefits or Critical Illness Insurance which you may have been paying for all these years.

Frank, you sound like a caring spouse. Enjoy your role as a spouse more and find others to help with caregiving. I hope these suggestions help you and your wife.

Best,

Nurse Kris

 

 

Nurse Kris Stewart, RN, BScN(Gerontology), MBA, is a member of the National Association for Care Managers and is registering for a Professional Geriatric Care Manager designation. She can be reached at nursekris@AdvancedHomeCareSolutions.com or visit the website at www.AdvancedHomeCareSolutions.com.