Hope at dawn

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December is here, it's hard to believe we are at the end of 2022! This season often leads to a time of reflection, a time to pause and look back at the past year. As the daylight hours are shorter, the season invites us to slow down and go inward seeking a path to peace and the Light within all of us. During this time we may move through special prayers for the season, maybe the lighting of candles, or playing special music.

Mine is trying to catch the sunrises. The space between night and dawn is what the Celtic traditions would call a thin place. It’s still, it's quiet, the soundtrack of the creatures stirring is coming to life, the Divine is close.  Recently, as part of the newly formed Southside Neighborhood watch, I decided to walk over to Grailville. As the sun was just coming up, this milkweed caught my eye. 

I love the metaphors that nature gives us in our life. Among what seems dead, and brown, something is breaking open. Like the milkweed in this picture, what could break open and be possible for each of us in the next year? Where might there be a flicker of light, where it looks dead? Is what Hope looks like? What have we experienced over this last year that might be preparing us for what is to come? I look out at the land and ask Mother Earth, What is possible for you on this Southside of Grailville in 2023? What does She desire to become? 

Taking a look back at the year, the Grailville Land Preservation Group (GPLG) has done a lot! Sharon Scovanner helped me put together a year in review.  It all began with a question shared on the Nextdoor site in Jan 2022. Take a look below at how the community rallied and came together to share why we believed the Southside needed to be protected. Amazingly, our prayers were answered and the Drees' development was stopped!  This is still incredible to think about!

As we close 2022, and look ahead to 2023, the GLPG continues to work with like minded partners to steward the land into the future in a way that preserves it for the benefit of all.  One conversation at a time, one day at a time. We appreciate your continued support and interest in trying to preserve this sacred natural space.

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GLPG 2022 Year in Review:

January 11, 2022 -  Loveland annexed 97 acres of the Grail property into Loveland

End of January - Sharon Scovanner posted on Nextdoor informing neighbors that Drees had submitted a proposal to build 209 houses on the Grail Land which would require a zoning change from R-LD (residential low density) to SPD (special planning district).

Late January and continues - A grass roots group of citizens was formed to work to protect the Grail land from development, and specifically the Drees proposal.  This group became the GLPG (Grailville Land Preservation Group)

March 17 - Planning & Zoning held a meeting to discuss the  proposal regarding the Drees development.  Many citizens spoke, standing room only.

Letters were written to Loveland Magazine by concerned citizens including:

Jeff Mullins, Kevin and Laurie Kiley, Trina Paulus, Deborah Jordan, Elizabeth Murphy, Karen Arnett  Click on the name to read the article.

May 4 - Local citizen rally outside city hall, Planning & Zoning meeting voted 3-1 to deny Drees the SPD

Mid May - City council accepted the vote of planning and zoning to deny the zoning change.  No vote was required by city council.

June 1 - Cincinnati Enquirer wrote a front page, top fold article about Grailville 

June 9 - Sharon Scovanner wrote a short op-Ed to the Cincinnati Enquirer 

June 12 - Lauren Enda wrote a short op-Ed to the Cincinnati Enquirer

June 16 - Tom Scovanner wrote a longer op-Ed to the Cincinnati Enquirer on behalf of the GLPG

Mid June - The Grail declined to extend the deal they had with Drees.  

Since then, GLPG members cleaned a farmers garbage pit on the Grail Northside, started a neighborhood watch of the Grail Southside buildings and property, and toured the land and buildings with Terrie Puckett and land conservation groups. 

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