Home President's 2005
Annual Report About TRC Grounds Report Community Events Membership Use Regulations Dog Registration Rosedale's History Contact

December, 2005

It has been another busy year for The Rosedale Conservancy, Cleveland Park's village green.  In 2005 we continued our hard work to restore the health of Rosedale's historic landscape, while also continuing to welcome our dog-walking friends and sponsoring community events to broaden the base of those who use and enjoy the park.

The Rosedale Conservancy's 2005 Activities:

Maintenance and restoration of Rosedale's landscape.  As is wonderfully apparent on any visit to Rosedale these days, the Conservancy's efforts have returned the property to very good health.  The lawns are lush and green and our trees well cared for.  Here is some of what goes into keeping Rosedale beautiful:

• Regular Mowings.  Rosedale's three-plus acres must be mowed weekly during the growing season in order to keep the lawns under control.
• Spring and Fall Clean-up and Lawn Maintenance.  Major work is required each spring and fall, including leaf clean-ups, clearing weeds and vines from the boxwoods, and fertilizing, seeding and aerating the lawns.
• Reclaiming and Restoring the Landscape.  This year we trimmed back the large magnolia in front of the farmhouse, exposing a beautiful portion of the historic "ramp" that was used 200 years ago by horse-drawn carriages coming to the house.  We also cleared the area on the hillside just west of the big magnolia, so that the stone stairway there is now visible.
• New Irrigation System.  This was our first full year using the irrigation system, and we had to "learn by doing."  We are gradually getting the system in place to make sure we are not too wet or too dry.  But overall, the system has been integral to our efforts to restore Rosedale's splendor.
• Maintaining our Trees.  We conducted major pruning of our trees this year and added a beautiful new willow in the swampy area near the Newark Street fence.  The best tree news of the year was that the large, picturesque oak above the pedestrian entrance survived the attack of the cicadas.
• The Fence.  We are about to begin another restoration project on Rosedale's rustic fencing along Newark Street.

Use of the Property.  Rosedale continues to be actively used by a wide variety of Cleveland Parkers.  Every day our many dog walkers congregate at Rosedale for dog-ercise and village green socializing.  Rosedale also plays host for touch football games, sledding on snowy days, picnics and sunbathing.  With the goal in mind of attracting new users to Rosedale, we also added some great new events this year.

• 2005 Events.  In June, the Conservancy hosted its first annual community barbeque for the entire neighborhood.  We provided live bluegrass music, barbeques, grillables and drinks, an organizer of children's games, and lots of picnic space; over 250 folks showed up to enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon of neighborhood fun.  Then, in late July, the Conservancy and the Washington Revels co-hosted a community sing-along.  More than 100 neighbors turned out for medieval songs, dance and summer evening picnics.  On October 29th, we had our fourth annual Pumpkin Carving Party, which was attended by more than 30 families.  It was an inspiring sight to see Rosedale overrun with dozens of kids, carving pumpkins, climbing trees, playing hide-and-go-seek in the boxwoods and generally loving the park.
• Dog Walking at Rosedale.  We have had another year of very active use of Rosedale by our dog-walking friends, both members and those who pay only for dog registration.  A special vote of thanks goes to Judy Ain, chair of our Dog Committee.  By and large, compliance with Rosedale's various dog rules has been very good - but there have been some complaints sent our way.  Remember, Rosedale is for everyone.  If you bring your dog to Rosedale, please ensure that you leash your dog when required, and do not tolerate loud, aggressive, or destructive dog behavior.  Thank you.

Building an Organization.  A mountain of work -- all volunteer -- continues to be needed to establish and maintain the community-based land trust that finances and manages Rosedale for Cleveland Park's enjoyment.  Here are some of the important developments from this past year.

• Making and Meeting an Annual Budget.  We prepared and implemented our second annual budget this year.  We budgeted approximately $29,500 for 2005 annual operating costs for Rosedale; with one month left to go in 2005, it looks like we will finish the year very close to that mark.
• Building the Membership.  Support for Rosedale has been solid, but much work remains to be done to ensure that Rosedale-lovers make The Rosedale Conservancy part of their annual charitable giving.  Each year we need to raise our annual operating costs, fund any one-time capital expenditures (e.g., we had more than $10,000 in tree work in 2005), and build a reasonable reserve.
• Long-Term Financial Planning.  The Board continued efforts to meet its five-year goal of establishing a fiscal reserve that will generate enough income to support half of the Rosedale's annual operating costs.  Such a reserve will provide financial stability and reduce the annual fundraising pressure on the Conservancy.
• Dog Licensing.  This year, we renewed dog licenses for the first time, distributing our distinctive new green tags to dog owners who purchased a license for their dog to use Rosedale.  We now have close to 150 neighborhood residents who have licensed their canines to use the park.
• Governance.  The Board, which enters the second year of its two-year term this November, meets regularly to conduct Conservancy business.  Much thanks to members Ann Hamilton (Treasurer), Danna McCormick (Secretary), Ross Ain (Vice-Chair and chair of the Grounds Committee), Jonathan Abram, Peter Espenschied, Jill Hall, Peggy Hamburg, Nancy MacWood, Karen Marcou, Rick Nash, Molly Teas and Bob von Pentz for all their hard work.
• RosedaleConservancy.org  Thanks to the creative efforts of Danna McCormick, we now have a beautiful website where anyone can go to get information about Rosedale, as well as to download a membership form or a dog licensing application.

In sum, in the three years since the purchase of the Rosedale lawns and the establishment of The Rosedale Conservancy, a tremendous amount has been accomplished.  Rosedale's landscape has rebounded beautifully from its many years of neglect and the organizational framework needed to support Rosedale for the future has been set in place.  Please remember, however, that, while we have moved successfully through the dramatic early stages, broad neighborhood support for Rosedale remains an absolute necessity year after year to keep Rosedale on a sound footing.

With thanks in advance of your continued support,
Roger Pollak