Refurbished Irrigation System

When the City installed the Legacy Oak Irrigation System years ago, they decided not to use their trenching machine under the Oaks, so as to prevent damage to the tree roots. Instead, they laid the PVC piping on top of the grass and installed rebar to hold the plastic piping in place.  Two problems resulted from this '"solution."  With time and exposure to the sun, the PVC pipe became brittle and cracked. The rebar posed a tripping hazard.

The UHCA Landscape Committee decided to fix these problems by burying the PVC pipe in a very shallow hand-dug trench, burying the above ground sprinkler heads, and removing the rebar tripping hazard.  There was a further problem, in that the City had located the irrigation system water takeoff in the lowest area of the median.  As a result, the irrigation system control box would flood in heavy rainstorms. To address this problem and prevent the system controllers from being damaged by rain water, a new elevated control box was installed.

Here are some in-progress photos.  Thanks, Landscape Committee, for your good work!

The old system

The new system

With Your Dues...

Here is what we do to keep the public grounds fresh and good-looking:

• Mow the median grass
• Weed and trim all plants on the median
• Plant new flowers and maintain the front flowerbed*
• Improve the median and flowerbed irrigation systems
• Refurbish the front sign
•  Install protective bollards
• Acquire new trees and plants
• Protect and maintain our historic oak
• Clean out overgrown right-of-ways

Some of this work is hired out*; but most is done by a group of volunteers serving on the Landscaping Committee.  If you would like to help keep our neighborhood good-looking, you might want to consider joining the committee.  Bill Gallegos is its head and he is always looking for eager volunteers.  You can contact him through our Contact form.

*Our flowerbed is maintained by: Simmons Solutions, LLC, 225-279-5730, Lawnguy9627@yahoo.com.

 

Winter's Bounty

Local Action

All of us who live near Loyola Dr. know the vacant house near the Centenary intersection.  Over the years, members of the Board have asked the city to maintain the overgrown front yard. The city typically responded with a once a year mowing, at best.  Impatient neighbors sometimes cut the grass themselves.  One time, the Association, aggravated by the glacial pace of the city,  paid for a mowing.  These days the property looks quite a lot better.  Whoever is responsible, thank you!

Bollard Facelift

Thanks to Bill Gallegos, new to the neighborhood and the Board, the bollards on the median have a new look.  Bill replaced those that were rotted or missing and washed and stained all of them.  He then joined them together with a fresh, shiny chain.  Thanks, Bill and the Landscape Committee, for giving the median a face lift for the holidays.

A New, Trimmer Tulane

Earlier this year, during one of our Spring storms, the end of Tulane Drive was on fire.  A large tree limb had made contact with the overhead power lines and ignited.  When Board members went down to check, they noticed that weedy vegetation was hovering over the road bed.  Some months later, after vigorous trimming by members of our Landscape Committee, Tulane has emerged from the weeds.  More work needs to be done; but already we have a new and trimmer Tulane.

Almost finished!

Stage one of the cleanup.

Holiday Neighborhood Sign

Erick Swenson has done it again!  Our neighborhood sign now wears its Christmas suit.  Thanks, Erick for supporting the holiday spirit.