President’s Message

I discovered Woodland Drives in the late 1970s when two college buddies and I rented a house on Merritt Drive.  I immediately fell in love with the neighborhood and its charm.  We ran the trails in Myers Park, played tennis and got a kick out of being neighbors with Frank Pepper, local TV personality and brother of Claude Pepper.  Denny’s and the A&P Supermarket were nearby.  We were in close proximity to FSU, downtown, and the new Governor’s Square Mall.  Evans Pond and its natural beauty also beckoned.  When I graduated FSU, I secretly wished that someday I would move back to Woodland Drives.  In 2002, my dream became a reality when my wife, Martha Weinstein, and I purchased our home on Sarasota Drive.  Soon thereafter, I joined the WDNA Board of Directors.

Woodland Drives is special and your Board of Directors works hard to preserve its character and integrity.   As we learned in 2017 with the public land dispute in Myers Park, we can never be too vigilant.  The Board regularly monitors city and county ordinances, comp plan amendments and other governmental activity that could impact our neighborhood.  WDNA is affiliated with the Alliance of Tallahassee Neighborhoods, a city-wide organization designed to protect neighborhood interests.  We also enjoy close ties to our sister neighborhoods Myers Park and Indianhead/Lehigh Acres and have forged new bonds with Hartsfield Elementary.  In 2021, thanks to your generous donations, we contributed over $3,000 to their Family Resource Center.  With three city parks in, or adjacent to our neighborhood, (Old Fort, Evans Pond, and Myers Park), we have fostered an excellent working relationship with the city’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs department.  The South City Initiative is a large city revitalization effort the Board is also closely following.

In addition to our annual picnics, we are also exploring social opportunities to enhance our sense of community.  We have formed several committees such as Beautification, Safety, Governmental Affairs, Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Communications, each designed to ensure neighborhood preservation and afford all neighbors the opportunity to become invested in keeping our neighborhood safe, beautiful and vibrant.  In this vein, we welcome your ideas, suggestions and volunteerism.

Your Board of Directors is committed to enhanced communication and transparency.  We publish quarterly newsletters, have developed a new website and also strategically placed “information boxes” throughout the neighborhood to keep everyone informed.   We will be publishing our Board Meeting schedule on the new website and invite you to participate.  Most of our meetings occur via Zoom in recognition of the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Past Board meeting minutes, historical newsletters and similar documents will also be posted on our website.  We welcome your participation and look forward to hearing from you.

Recently I had the opportunity to review all of Woodland Drives’ historic records dating back to the late 1950s.  I was struck by how many previous Board presidents, directors and countless neighbors have fought for decades to preserve and protect Woodland Drives from various intrusions.  We owe each of them a great debt of gratitude for their efforts in preserving the integrity of our neighborhood.

Lastly, I would like to recognize my immediate predecessor, Mary Frederick, for her unwavering leadership as president.  Her legacy and commitment to this neighborhood inspire me each day to do the best job I can on your behalf.

We would like to hear from you.  Please send me an email at gangreen57@comcast.net with any ideas, suggestions or concerns you might have.

Thanks for all you do to make Woodland Drives, Tallahassee’s finest in-town neighborhood.

Greg Youchock