Lazybrook Civic Club

As a volunteer for Citizens on Patrol and a regular morning walker, I often see drivers using a cell phone or texting while driving through our school zone on Ella Boulevard or crossing our school zone on Grovewood.

Google “Distracted Driving” and you will get facts, figures and stats from all kinds of sources:  TX DOT, AAA, the Federal Highway Administration, Stop Texts Stop Wrecks.  Bottom line:  using a cell phone while driving is extremely dangerous and accidents happen in a split second.

Per www.distraction.gov, “Because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.”

Using a cell phone to talk or text is especially dangerous in a school zone.  As you know, traffic in the Ella/Grovewood area is heavy in the mornings and in the afternoons and “traffic” ranges from walkers and bike riders to subcompact cars to SUVs, vans and school buses.  Children are small and hard to see.

In October, I spoke to Sinclair’s crossing guard and she told me that unfortunately it is very common to see drivers talking on cell phones and see drivers with their eyes downcast not looking ahead while driving through the school zone.  And this happens when the lights are flashing and even when she blows her whistle and raises her crossing guard sign to get children across the street!

Safety is the main concern and goal. Also, Texas has banned the use of handheld phones and texting in school zones.  So, please refrain from this dangerous practice in our school zone, and remind others to do the same, for safety sake and also to comply with Texas state law.

– By Darlene Wayt

– By Darlene Wayt, Jaycee Park

Thanks to Council Member Ellen Cohen, Silver Eagle Distributors on Washington donated $3,000 to fund a much requested amenity for Jaycee Park that was installed at the ballfield’s Grovewood/Seamist corner on December 6, just in time for the TMCC’s Winter Festival.

At the request of both the Timbergrove Manor Civic Club (TMCC) and the Super Neighborhood 14 Council (SNC-14), CM Cohen has consistently and strongly advocated for this amenity for our park for over two years with the Houston Parks & Recreation Department.

When the private renovation ended in 2012, our transformed park attracted more people who were staying longer than had been the case in decades.  The splash pad began attracting families with small children many of whom were yet to be potty trained; the City began programming the tennis courts with some lessons lasting two hours; Grovewood, Seaspray and Foxwood residents reported being bothered and inconvenienced in various ways because our park had no restroom facilities.

At the TMCC’s May 13 meeting regarding the park’s Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds, many of you spoke up and requested a restroom facility or at least porto-potty units.  Lisa Johnson, the Parks Program Manager, clearly said no to a restroom facility.  Several weeks later, CM Cohen’s office was informed that no funds could be diverted from the CIP for porto-potty units because the CIP is a finite amount and porto-potty units involve ongoing maintenance.

Refusing to take no for an answer, CM Cohen and her staff pursued another avenue, secured the private donation from Silver Eagle Distributors, asked the Timbergrove Manor Civic Club to accept the donation and obtain the two units for the park.

Because the TMCC heard a clear mandate from residents at the May 13 and the September 9 general meetings, the TMCC accepted CM Cohen’s request and contracted with Payless Porta Jons to install two units and service them one time per week.  However, this private, designated donation is ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.   The units will be removed in December 2015 unless another private donor comes forward or the TMCC receives an increase in dues to continue to provide this amenity for Jaycee Park.

Per the TMCC’s contract with Payless Porta Jons, the units will be serviced once per week, currently on Wednesdays.  If any teams, groups, event and party hosts want an extra cleaning, those arrangements and payment must be between them and Payless Porta Jons ((832) 370-4409) and will not involve the TMCC.

To thank CM Ellen Cohen, her contact info is: districtc@houstontx.gov; (832) 393-3004; City Hall Annex, 900 Bagby, First Floor, 77002.  To thank Bobbie and John Nau of Silver Eagle Distributors, email Caroline Wagner at cwagner@sedbud.com or send a note to their business headquarters at 7777 Washington Avenue, 77007.

In the upcoming months, the TMCC will need your feedback and support in deciding if, after a year:  1) we have a mandate from dues paying residents to continue to fund the units and 2) we have the funds to do so.  Direct your instructive comments to me at dwayt@comcast.net (preferred) or (713) 385-4465 (Cell) or, better yet, voice your support, concerns and questions, at our general or board meetings.

On Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., under the supervision of Trees for Houston, volunteers will be trimming the Seamist trees and the Seamist/Grovewood Crepe Myrtles.  Last year, we had
7 volunteers and finished in only 45 minutes!