Hidden Information
A Newsletter for the Hidden Ridge Neighborhood
Slow Down!
President John DeSpelder has asked us to include
some comments about driving speed in the
neighborhood. There have been a few reported
VERY close calls where drivers nearly hit their
neighbors. We have lots of walkers and active and
energetic kids playing in our neighborhood and it
would be horrible if someone got hurt by a careless
driver. Please remind all the drivers in your
household and your visitors to slow down.
Entrance Changes
It would be difficult to drive in the neighborhood
and not notice the improvement in the appearance
of the entry area. If you don’t remember what the
entrance looked like a year or two ago, take a look
at the photos on the association web site. Last year,
Carol LaPorte was named as chair of the Entrance
Committee of one.
In 2008, many of the shrubs and trees, as well as
utilities, were re-located to open up the area. The
drainage areas were cleaned up and a plan was
established. This season, the rock garden was
removed and the boulders were used to block
parking on the other side of East Shore Road. A
clump of birch trees replaced the rock garden and
there was a lot more trimming, seeding, and
grooming in the area.
At their July meeting, the board decided to have the
area above the beach on the East side of the road
designated as a part of the entry area, so the design
and work there can be incorporated with the area on
the west side of the road. Carol has been working
closely with John Sprenger, our landscape
maintenance and plowing vendor to get the work
done within a very tight budget. If you have
comments on the entry area, contact Carol.
Kids’ Corner
Hidden Ridge Wildlife
By Jack Conlon and Luke Battle
The Hidden Ridge neighborhood is more than a
neighborhood. It’s more like a jungle, minus the
deadly plants and animals.
The jungle that we live in has snakes, deer,
possums, foxes, skunks, cats, raccoons, frogs, and
giant carp.
First and foremost, drive slowly in the dark. Deer
don’t look both ways before they cross the street.
Second, close your windows and doors or the
animals will get into your house like the possum
that got into Battles’ garage or the raccoon that got
into Conlons’ house. Last, but not least, respect the
animals. Don’t run after them or you will get the
following side effects: being trampled, you may
stink, get bitten, or scratched. So, don’t be fooled
by the lack of trees or rivers. Our neighborhood is
truly a jungle.
If you need a
snake removed
from your
property, call
Lukas or Ike
Battle. They are
available for that.
Ike is the snake
master.
August 21, 2009
Page 1
Beach Update
The beach has been getting a lot of use this season,
after a very successful clean-up effort this spring.
Thanks to John Battle, several neighbors, and a
crew of hired help, we were able to clear the grass
from the sandy area in two Saturday mornings.
Then, with the help of Kyle Crawford, John built a
nice new fire pit. That has seen a lot of use since it
was finished, also.
Our old dock still has a personality of its own. It
has become known as the “Roller Coaster Dock.”
Our rickety friend has been useful for the past three
seasons and continues to be of interest and concern.
There is a huge cost of replacing this old
dock and our board of directors is working
on a plan to do just that. We will all hear
more on this as the plans develop.
helpful. Please let us know if we’ve left anyone out
or misspelled any names.
Battle:
Madeleine, Lukas, Isaac, Ava, Max
Conlon:
Jack, Casey, Kelly
Crawford:
Creamer:
Nicholas, Katherine
Rachel
Lipscombe:
Socks:
David, Tyler
Johnny, Leah, Rachel
The area above the beach got some
attention this season, too. Thanks to the
work of John Battle and his crew, the
wood chips were removed and the area
was cleaned-up and seeded. Later, the
board approved the new sign that was
installed there on August 15.
If anyone wants to be of help, the biggest
thing would be to pull the new grass from
the sandy area, as it pops up on our beach.
If you have any comments on the beach or
suggestions, please contact John Battle.
Annual Meeting
This is a reminder that the annual meeting of all the
Hidden Ridge owners will be held on Saturday,
October 3, at 9:30 am, at the offices of R.W. Baird
on Bay Street in Traverse City. The board of
directors will meet immediately after that meeting
to act on any business that needs to come before the
board at that time.
Who’s Who?
Are you having trouble remembering the names of
all the kids living in the neighborhood? Only the
moms and dads are listed on the roster of owners on
our web site. So, we thought this list might be
August 21, 2009
Newsletter Staff
Editors, Luke Battle and Jack Conlon
Reporter and helper, Paul LaPorte
If you would like to contribute to Hidden
Information, please contact Luke Battle or Jack
Conlon and they will see to it that your piece is
included in the next issue.
For More Information
For more information and to see both old and new
photos of the entry area, visit:
http://www.hiddenridgeassociation.org
Page 2
Peregrine Court
The staff of Hidden Information has been asked to
mention the cul de sac in Peregrine Court. The
condition of this area was discussed at the latest
board meeting. If you have any comments or
suggestions that you would like to have brought
before the board concerning what we ought to do
about this area, please pass them along to Marcia
Conlon and she can help form a plan with the board.
New Swing
The new swing, by the side of the road, above the
beach, is a gift to the neighborhood, by Carol and
Paul LaPorte, in memory of their granddaughter,
Lucy Frances Parvel. As you use the swing, please
be reminded how lucky we are to be surrounded by
all the natural beauty of our families and the view of
East Grand Traverse Bay. Carol and Paul tell us to:
“Enjoy the swing in peace.”
Foreclosure
On May 6, as President John DeSpelder earlier
announced, Citizen’s Bank bought the thirteen
unsold lots in a public sale. We are currently within
the six-month redemption period, when the previous
owner has the opportunity to redeem the property.
We will know more about the situation after this
period expires, on November 6.
August 21, 2009
Page 3
Hidden Ridge Entrance Area
Photos from 2005 and 2009
Before
After
Before
After
August 21, 2009
Page 4