ImprovementsFor the Greater Good

By: Noah Dela Rosa and Adam Yi

The Positive Things in our Community

Our community now has many excellent things already for example the government has funded a building project in Adam’s neighborhood for a new gazebo. In my neighborhood there have been new projects for landscaping. Also, they are building a new road to connect Holland Road and Princess Anne Road.

New Gazebos

My neighborhood used to have an old deck that had no use and was a waste of space. So, the Homeowners Association of Christopher Farms Phase 3 decided to remove the old deck and replace it with a new gazebo. Right after they removed the deck they began building a new gazebo. In only a couple months they finished construction of the gazebo. They also installed a charcoal grill, working lights, electrical outlets, chairs, and tables. They also hired a landscaper to renew the landscape by planting new trees and flowers.

Landscaping

In Augusta Village the courts had small islands of bare land that were in disrepair and needed improvement. As a result, the Homeowners Association hired a landscaping company to improve it’s appearance. The new islands are far better than what it used to be because it attracts more people to live in the neighborhood. Also, the Homeowners Association improved the sign in the front of our neighborhood. They planted many colorful flowers and bushes. These many improvements provided color and life to our neighborhood.

New Roads

Right now there is a new road being built to connect Princess Anne Road and Holland Road to reduce traffic and will be part of Nimmo parkway. This road is being built by the Virginia Beach City who hired Branscome. This project is supposed to be finished by September 2014. This project is predicted to cost 21 million dollars and may increase. Also, this project has influenced more projects like sound barriers for Curry Comb Court and a 1500-foot bridge over West Neck Creek and adjacent wetlands.

Things we can change in our Community

In Christopher Farms Phase Three there are dangerous snapping turtles that can cause injuries. Also, the sidewalks are uneven and have bumps that are visually unpleasing and are hazardous to kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. In Augusta Village there is a large expanse of land that could be used to build a playground for children.

Dangerous Turtles

In Christopher Farms Phase Three our pond has had an overwhelming increase in the snapping turtle populations. Some of these turtles can grow up to two feet. Many people in our neighborhood like to fish in the pond and sometimes they snag a snapping turtle which are hazardous and can cause serious injuries. But, it’s against the law to kill these turtles sometimes leave the pond and find themselves in people’s backyards. To remove them it is also dangerous because you have to pick them up.

Uneven Sidewalks

In our neighborhood the sidewalk has bumps and cracks which are caused by the earth’s plates moving. They are also caused by roots of tree near the sidewalk. These bumps and cracks have increased in size over the years and is dangerous to people riding their bike, or vehicles if they are not looking to carefully and riding to fast. If they hit one of these bumps or cracks they may fall off and hurt themselves. The cracks and bump are expensive to fix and time consuming. Also after its fixed after a while other spot will probably crack and have to fixed again.

Empty Space

• Our neighborhood had a small plot that was going to have a playground built on it. Though due to lack of fund and the urgency to build it it was never built. The plot now has cover over in grass and is open to the public, but there is nothing inside. The empty spot sits and sticks out in-between the houses. We feel something should be put there to fill the space instead of just grass. It would be nice to have some benches at least so people can sit and rest.

Action Plan

• The problem we chose to change was the empty lot that was unappealing to the eye. We choose it because the crack would come back so it would waste money and the turtles would of course have to stay. We choose to build a garden of sorts with a path that would cover about half the land. In short term it would cost about $20,000 for it to be built and about $4,000 upkeep annually. The Homeowners Association has now $85,519.19 and probably a lot more. This is a expensive build and would probably take a little more than one month. In long term the neighborhood now has a place to gather and communicate and the neighborhood is a more beautiful place to live.

Credits• Anonymous, Anonymous. "Projects and Studies." VDOT. 8 May 2012. Web.

23 Sept. 2012. http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/hamptonroads/nimmo_parkway.asp

• Anonymous, Anonymous. "HOA Cost Management." HOA Cost Management. 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2012.