The year in Rosewood, 2018

Hi folks, I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and looking forward to the New Year. I thought I’d take a minute to recap 2018 in Rosewood and provide a glimpse into what we might expect in 2019. The renovation of Memorial Stadium is 99 percent complete, and it looks absolutely great. The upgrades were direly needed, and the plan was a good one. However, we had some parking issues during a couple games at the end of the season. The reconfigured parking lot has taken away some parking spaces, and neighbors on surrounding streets were inconvenienced by overflow parking. District One and the police department are aware of the problem and are working towards a solution. Also, when the press box construction is completed, the new public address system will be installed, and we’ve been informed that it will be integrated into the scoreboard. That means it will be loud and pointed towards homes in Rosewood. We will be vigilant in monitoring the situation and informing District One of excessive noise if that occurs.

Traffic calming is still an issue in Rosewood, and while it’s a frustratingly complex problem, we will be pursuing possible remedies in 2019. The “Welcome to Rosewood” sign was reinstalled on S. Holly across from the Publix entrance, and it looks great. A special thanks to Tim Malson and the Rosewood Rangers for making that happen. The hard work and generosity of the Rangers continues to be a shining testament to Rosewood’s gregarious character.  Rosewood Park has seen some improvements, and after a bit of excitement, a “Welcome to Rosewood Community” sign was successfully erected at the corner of Montgomery and S. Holly.

A cool holiday social/fundraiser was held recently at Cock ‘n’ Bull pub, and we hope to have another such event in 2019. The Hunter-Gatherer Hangar and City Roots Farm have become busy, fun-filled destinations not only for Rosewood folks but also for lots of people from other downtown neighborhoods. The Rosewood Public Orchard is still going strong, and a hearty thanks to all the people helping to maintain it. Owens Field Park is one of Rosewood’s most vibrant assets, and we’ve begun the formation of a “Friends of Owens Field Park” group to preserve and manage the park and its unique urban forest. We received a $2K grant from Richland County Conservation Commission to reintroduce native species of plants into the park, and we will continue those efforts with more plantings in 2019.

OK, whew. It seems like there’s never a dull moment in The Wood. Quarterly meetings of Rosewood Community Council have been scheduled for 2019, and they will take place in the large conference room at Owens Field Airport on the third Thursday in January, April, July, and October. This will be the second year of my second term as president, so I’ll be stepping down at the end of 2019. Treasurer Cyndy Storm will end her tenure as well. We’ve had wonderful support from Vice-president Mike Ely and Secretary Julie McCaulley the past two years. Nominations for officers will take place in July, and voting will be done in October. I’ve had a blast and will do my best in 2019 to make sure Rosewood remains the coolest neighborhood in Columbia. Happy New Year, everyone, from the Rosewood Community Council!

Mike Miller

President, Rosewood Community Council