Park Smart: Don’t leave your keys inside your vehicle

Sylvan Park’s most commonly reported crimes are automobile break-ins, but that doesn’t mean that neighbors are immune from the risk of having vehicles stolen. The Metro Nashville Police Department issued a reminder recently that many stolen vehicles were taken because the keys were left inside.

A review of stolen vehicle reports in Nashville from Sunday, June 15, through Saturday, June 21, shows that 44 percent of the automobiles taken (11 of 25) were easy targets because the keys were left inside or made available to thieves. The police department’s continuing PARK SMART campaign strongly urges citizens to lock their automobile doors, secure any valuables and REMOVE THE KEYS. Officers also urge citizens to SHOP SMART by not leaving purses or other valuables unattended in shopping carts, even for a very short time. An unattended purse is an easy target for a thief.

Bring your keys with you when you leave your vehicle!

Curby day tomorrow (July 2)

For Sylvan Park residents who live on or north of Idaho Avenue, this Wednesday, July 2, is recycling day. Residents south of Idaho Avenue can recycle the following Wednesday, July 9. If you’re still unsure, Metro Public Works can help you confirm the correct recycling day for your address.

Brown Dog Foundation needs volunteers

The Brown Dog Foundation, a locally established nonprofit organization supporting pets and their owners, is in need of volunteer help.

The foundation’s mission is to offer pet owners in temporary financial crisis an alternative to euthanasia when their pet faces a treatable life-threatening condition in order to restore the quality of life for pet and owner. The foundation has helped many pets and owners facing tough times and is in need of in-kind donations and other assistance. WSMV-TV aired a story about the foundation and its mission about a year ago. Founder Carol Smock created the foundation in 2006 after the loss of her own dog, Chocolate Chip.

If you’re interested in helping the cause, send Allyson Haun an email at allyhaun[at]hotmail.com.

College student scam update

Another neighbor has reported similar activity to the college student scam mentioned last week.

I had a similar situation back in March. A girl came to my house … said she (her parents) lived in Cherokee Crossing. She said her Mom was making her meet the neighbors and that she had been awarded a trip somewhere overseas but needed to raise money to offset her other expenses. There was something about books involved (I would be buying books for children or something??). Then she said that her Mom made her come and offer to wash my car or mow my lawn in exchange for helping her out. She said that her Mom would be by the next day to bring me a receipt and to make sure she was polite. The Mom never came by and I have never seen this girl again. I think the check was for $40 or so and I can’t find what it was written out to. It all seemed odd and my instinct was telling me that it wasn’t legit but I never thought much of it until reading this.

These reports sound similar enough that there may be a legitimate inspiration behind the scam. (Or it may not be a scam at all, but it sure sounds like it is.) If anyone who comes to your door sounds fishy, though, err on the cautious side, and don’t fall for it.

Traveling college student scam reported

A neighbor reported that she experienced the following scam attempt recently in the neighborhood. A young man knocked on her door and explained that he has an MTSU student who had won a trip to Rome and was selling his textbooks to pay for some of his additional expenses. He needed some help in order to be able to go on the trip, but according to the neighbor, the student’s story didn’t quite add up.

If this is true, there are social service agencies that might be able to help, or the student can enlist the help of family members and friends to lend a head and spread the word. Since we’re in an urban neighborhood, reports of tough cases such as these are common. If it sounds fishy, don’t fall for it. If it sounds criminal, report it to the police at (615) 862-8600. Drop us a note at spna[at]sylvanpark.org, too, so we can spread the word.

MNPD looking for West Nashville fondling suspect

From the Metro Nashville Police Department:

Sex Crimes detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the man (rendering above) who on June 11 gained entry into an apartment in West Nashville’s Chowning Square complex on Woodlawn Drive (near Saint Thomas Hospital) and fondled the 21-year-old resident.

The victim was in her bed asleep when she was awakened by noise at 2 a.m. She saw a man kneeling next to her bed and immediately screamed for her roommate. The man quickly fled the apartment. Moments later the victim saw the taillights of a vehicle pulling away from the front of her building. It is not known how the man got into the apartment. It is possible that the front door was accidentally left unsecured when the victim went to bed.

The suspect is described as a white man in his early 20s with average height and a slight build. He had a thin dark mustache and dark hair. Anyone recognizing the suspect or seeing him in the vicinity of Chowning Square Apartments is urged to contact the police department’s Sex Crimes Office at (615) 862-7540 or Crime Stoppers at (615) 74-CRIME.

Sylvan Park July Fourth Parade

SPNA will host its annual Fourth of July Celebration next Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Richland Park picnic shelter (near the intersection of Charlotte and 49th Avenues).

The event will include a parade, which will begin at 9:30 a.m., and kids are encouraged to bring their bikes, scooters or strollers decked out with streamers, balloons and other creative decorations. A prize will be awarded for the best decorated bike or vehicle. Cookies and lemonade will be served following the parade, which will travel around the edges of the park.

Volunteers are needed at 8a.m. to assist with decorating. Please email Katie Cour at katiecour[at]bellsouth.net.

What’s next for Richland Park?

Metro Parks has a question for you: What do you want Richland Park to look like in the future? About 30 neighbors attended a meeting hosted by Metro Parks assistant director Curt Garrigan last night at Cohn Adult Learning Center. Garrigan and members of the department’s landscape architecture firm discussed the history of Richland Park and its current composition before discussing its challenges and opportunities and asking attendees for their opinions and ideas. It was interesting to think about a public space that has so much potential with an open mind.

The meeting was the first of a series to develop a master plan for Richland Park. The next gathering will occur in about six to eight weeks. Here are some ideas that were shared:

• The park has abundant shade available because of its many very old and beautiful trees. Should there be some seating within the shaded area provided by this canopy?
• The 46th Avenue exit from the parking area on the library side is not up to current standards, and it can be hazardous. Should it be closed off, rerouted or otherwise improved?
• How should the open space at the south end of the park near 50th Avenue be used: as a ball field (perhaps with lines and bases, which aren’t present on the existing field), as a green space, as multipurpose or youth soccer fields, or for something else?
• Richland Park once had a bandshell or amphitheater. Would it be a good idea to build a new one?
• Pedestrian access around the park via sidewalks is very good, except for the 50th Avenue side. Would walking trails within the park itself be a good idea? Should environmentally friendly permeable pavement be used for all future walkways?
• Should the main Charlotte Avenue entrance to the library be moved to the intersection with 49th Avenue, which has a red light?
• Should better lighting be provided for the pathways, so that students leaving Cohn in the dark after classes can safely reach the Charlotte bus stop? If so, should these be “Old-Timey” lights to make them more attractive?
• Should the playground be better connected with the library via a walkway?
• Should the tennis courts be repaved? Should a backstop be added for players who want to practice alone?
• The park has lost many trees over the years. Should more be planted to replace them?
• Should public art, perhaps in the form of a community project like the dragon at Fannie Mae Dees park near Hillsboro Village, be considered? If so, what should it be?
• Could a dog area be added?
• Could more trash cans be provided, and could they be emptied more often?

As part of this process, Metro Parks will develop a master plan that will guide decisions made about the park for at least the next several years. It is likely that the existing outdoor swimming pool will be removed because it will be replaced by an indoor pool at the new McCabe Community Center when it is complete. Parks staff and some attendees both expressed a desire to address unhealthy trees on the park property and to replace trees that have been lost over the years. The presentation displayed at the meeting is expected to be posted online soon.

Do you have an idea for Richland Park? If so, send an email to Curt Garrigan at curt.garrigan[at]nashville.gov.

Eco Home and Garden Tour Features Neighborhood Homes This Sunday (June 29)

The First Unitarian-Universalist Church of Nashville’s Third Annual Eco Home and Garden Tour will take place this Sunday, June 29, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

The homes of Sylvan Park neighbors Lisa Dordal and Laurie Samuels (124 38th Avenue North) and John Miglietta and Elizabeth Dackowski (4018 Nebraska Avenue) are featured on the tour. Here are more details from FUUN:

This year’s tour will feature several vegetable gardens, including an “edible schoolyard” and the George Washington Carver Food Park; other highlights will include a dual-flush toilet and an eco-friendly floor finish. Bring your questions about composting, cleaning products, or anything else or just show up and enjoy an afternoon visiting with neighbors. For more information, please contact lisa[at]dordal.org.

Richland Park Planning Meeting June 25

Metro Parks will hold a public meeting to solicit comments and ideas for the future of Richland Park on Wednesday, June 25, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the basement of the Cohn Adult Learning Center (4805 Park Avenue). Public feedback will be incorporated into a master plan that is being developed for the park. Please make plans to attend!