Val Jean Park Planting Event - Sat. May 12, 9am

There has been a lot of activity around Victor Gardens common areas and parks lately.  Residents, the City of Hugo's crews and Goetz Landscape have all been taking advantage of the good spring weather. 

Val Jean Park Planting Event

Saturday Morning, May 12, 2012 

9:00 am

Next Saturday morning, volunteers will renovate the landscaping around Val Jean Park's picnic pavilion/gazebo.  We'll remove the old plants, amend the soil, install new plants and mulch following a landscape design approved by VG's ARC and the City of Hugo.

If you're interested in volunteering for this Saturday event, there's still room for you.  Please email Mark for more info. Bring along some gloves, rakes, shovels, trowels.  

Scouts Collected More Than 1500 lbs of Food!

Despite Saturday morning's cold & rainy weather, Hugo's Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts collected over 1500 pounds of food, plus cash & check donations for Hugo's Good Neighbor Food Shelf.  This year's "Scouting for Food" exceeded last year's donations by more than 300 pounds.

Thank you everyone for serving your community with such generosity!

Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts Food Shelf Collection Drive Saturday Morning

Victor Gardens Single Family Village will be visited tomorrow, Saturday morning by Hugo's Cub Scout Pack 151 to collect non-perishable food items and cash donations for Hugo's Good Neighbor Food Shelf.

My son (and his Girl Scout sisters) placed a yellow door hanger on your front door.  It describes what the Scouts would like to collect: Canned meats, canned fish, soup, chili, pasta, rice cereal, canned fruit, baby formula, food, diapers, etc.  For every full bag collected Gold'n Plump will donate one pound of chicken.  Also, look for your Gold'n Plump coupon on the back.  

If you'd like to give money instead, donate $10 by texting "BITE" to 85944. 

If you don't live in the VG's Single Family Village but would like to donate please leave your donations on your porch Saturday morning and email mark@victorgardensnews.org with your address and unit number.  We'll make sure to pick up your donations and deliver them to the food shelf. 

Thanks!

- Mark

Single Family Village Election Results

At last night's Annual Meeting of the VG Single Family Village Homeowner's Association , Terry Forbord and Josh Berger were unanimously elected. Following the Annual Meeting, the Board appointed Josh and Mark as representatives to VG's Master Board.

More information will be posted about the meeting in the days ahead. 

Annual Meeting of VG's Single Family Village HOA

It's that time of year again for the Victor Gardens Single Family Village (SFV) annual Homeowners Association meeting. 

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 7:00 PM at Hugo City Hall’s Oneka Room, 14669 Fitzgerald Ave. N., Hugo, MN 55038. It is our goal to keep the meeting informative and brief as possible.

Last year’s Annual Meeting was poorly attended.  In order for your Homeowner’s Association to operate, residents must attend the Annual Meetings or send in their proxies.  Your cooperation is very appreciated.

Especially important is the Election. Two Directors will be elected to the SFV Board.  These Directors represent your interests in our neighborhood.  After the election, two of our SFV Directors will be appointed to represent our Association on the Master Board and Master Architectural Review Committee.

Meet your neighbors and learn more about what's happening in your neighborhood including:

• New home construciton updates
• New Pool & Activity Center info
• Lots of new Social Events
• Landscaping upgrades and Park info

We've included links to some of the important documents you've already received in the mail.   For your convenience, you may download, print, and fax/email/send your proxies to Kari Miller. :

• Proxy
• Nomination and Proxy Ballot

This year the Board of Directors will update Homeowners on neighborhood news as it relates both to the Single Family Village and the Master Associations. We truly believe that providing Homeowners with this information during the meeting is beneficial to everyone. We will also leave ample time at the end of the meeting for new business and a Homeowner Forum.  This will give Homeowners an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to them.  We want to hear from you and welcome this type of involvement from our community.

Please check victorgardensnews.org the day before the meeting in case of a time/location change or for any important announcements.  In the interim, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact any of your Single Family Village Board members.

We hope everyone can attend the meeting.  See you on April 24th.

Sincerely,

Victor Gardens Single Family Village Homeowners Association Board of Directors

Arbre Park Basketball Court Will Be Refurbished

According to Hugo's Public Works Director, Scott Anderson, the basketball court in Arbre Park will be refurbished sometime this summer.

Arts Garden Movie Event a Big Success

Last Saturday, our friend, neighbor, and founder of Arts Garden, Jill Birk put on an amazing and unique experience. She hosted a dog-themed movie event which included screening of a Charlie Chaplin silent film accompanied by live musicians! There were lots of great crafts, art projects and activities for everyone to participate in and bring home.

If my wife and kids' enthusiasm was any indication- Jill, and her Arts Garden performers and crew are on the right track. If you're interested in learning more about Hugo's (and Victor Gardens) most creative opportunities, be sure to check out Arts Gardens' website : artsgarden.org

- Mark

Beavers Return

A resident reported new property damage caused by beavers. A few more have been spotted on the large pond near the Neighborhood Activity Center & Pool. Kari Miller has taken action on this, including informing the City of Hugo and the Rice Creek Watershed District.

Arbre Park Volleyball Court Renovation

I've received questions about the condition of the sand volleyball court in Arbre Park.  I asked Hugo's Public Works Director, Scott Anderson about it and he informed me of the City's plan to renovate the area this year.  

According to Mr. Anderson, "Yes, the volleyball court will be re-vamped this year.  We will be removing the sand and replacing it with sod.  This will be a grass court like someone might put up in their backyard for a party.  The posts will be replaced and anchored better.  The grass is irrigated and will give a much improved appearance over the weedy sand." 

Scott Anderson and Hugo's Public Works crews do a great job for our City and our neighborhood.  VG's Master Association has a positive working relationship with them.  There are many examples of successful public/private cooperation in Victor Gardens including the maintenance and care of our Parks.

Events Survey

Please take 5 minutes to complete a survey about neighborhood events.  One lucky person will win a $25 Blue Heron Gift Card (winner to be selected June 1).  The survey can be found at: http://www.surveybuilder.com/s/KSbC9msGgAA.  Thank you for your time!

Landscaping - Another Phase in the Master Association's Planning

Over the last few years, the Master Board has been implementing a phased approach to the Master Association's landscape.  A number of "primary" high-traffic areas, such as VG's main entrances were addressed back then.  Major irrigation and fountain repairs were also undertaken at that time.  In subsequent years, the focus shifted to "secondary" projects and areas such as the Pool & Activity Center landscaping, pond maintenance, Provence Green, Grantaire Green, and Flora Greens (to name a few). Recently, the Master Board approved another year's projects in keeping with the "next" phase of maintenance, repairs and improvements:

Goetz Landscape has worked with the Board to develop a cohesive plan for many areas. The plants and mulch choices fit well within existing areas within the Master Association.  In the next few weeks and months, residents can expect to see work in a number of areas throughout Victor Gardens including:

• Neighborhood wide, Common Areas and Parks:
• Tree, shrub, and perennial plant replacement (as needed).
• Plant new annuals
• Lawn maintenance program including
• fertilizer & weed control 
• tine rake and bag clippings in spring
• core aerate parks in the fall
• edge concrete sidewalks – 2 times annually 
  
• Clock Tower: 
• Renovate shrub and perennial plantings around retaining walls
• Add new planters for annuals
• Add irrigation to new planters
• Plant new annuals
• North Entrance at Frenchman Rd. and Victor Hugo Blvd.: Plant new annuals
• Main  Entrance at Frenchman Rd. and Victor Hugo Blvd.: Plant new annuals
• Entrance at Frenchman Rd. and Everton and areas nearby:
• Plant new annuals
• Install two Firefall Maple trees on blvd
• Add plants in between trees along entrance island
• Cut down volunteer Willows and Cottonwood trees up to orange silt fence
• Entrance at Cedar St. and Jardin Ave.:
• Plant new annuals
• Thin out  trees and cut back Willows.
• Redo irrigation in center island switching all over to drip - save water
• Victor Square Park:
• Plant new annuals on NW and SW corners.
• Add new plants around pond to fill in empty pockets
• New mulch around pond, four corners of the park and blvd. trees
• New perennial and annual plantings in the two raised planters.
• Lawn maintenance program
•  Arbre Park:
• Mulch tree rings on blvd. trees around perimeter of park.
• Lawn maintenance program
• Grantaire Green:
• Top dress landscape beds with new mulch & thin elm trees
• Jardin Fountain:
• Renovate current landscape beds.
• Val Jean Park:
• New mulch tree rings on blvd. trees around perimeter of park.
• Mulch tree rings on ornamental trees within in side of park.
• Plant materials, soil ammendments and mulch around picnic structure/ gazebo.
• Lawn maintenance program
• Activity Center & Victor Hugo Blvd Streetscapes: 
• Cut down volunteer Willows and Cottonwood trees
• Reconnect lawn irrigation along blvd. between A.C. and the Villas
• Lawn maintenance program
  

Friends of Val Jean Park - A Spruce-Up Event

VG's Master Board recently approved a landscape plan designed by Goetz Landscape to renovate the plantings around the picnic shelter/gazebo in Val Jean Park.

Existing landscaping
click to enlarge

This is a pilot project and a partnership between the Association, the City of Hugo, and neighborhood volunteers. These volunteers will remove the old plants, ammend the soil, arrange and plant the new plants, mulch and water the new plants. Goetz will supply the plants, soil amemdments and mulch. If you're interested in volunteering for this Saturday event, please email Mark. The exact date isn't determined yet, but we'll likely do this one Saturday in May. Bring some gloves, rakes, shovels and some elbow grease! Event details will be posted later.

Approved landscape plan for Val Jean Park's picnic structure
click to enlarge