Editor's Note: Summertime in Warson Woods is filled with overflowing parking lots down by the pool and pavilion, smells of grilling and the sounds of kids playing outside and neighbors laughing over driveway conversations and deck dinners. It is the season where the streets come alive with life and laughter at Food Truck Nights and where the pool provides us with a wonderful seasonal third place to gather with neighbors and rekindle or form strong relationships with neighbors. This summer, we also have the opening of Vangel's (soft opening happened this past week!) to celebrate as a neighborhood gathering spot.

Our social media communities like the In the Woods group on Facebook and WW NextDoor provide us with gathering space throughout the year with 24/7 availability and a spirit of inclusion as anyone can be engaged in neighborhood conversations, even if you aren't a Facebook user.

One of my personal mantras is to think of the online gathering spaces in the same way that I think about our physical gathering spaces in terms of how I communicate. I try to be respectful, civil, and remember that our youngest citizens are always watching. I've noticed a few teenagers joining In the Woods lately and it is our collective responsibility to demonstrate civility and a spirit of graciousness and generosity to our neighbors, whether we are on the patio at Silver Pancake enjoying a cup of coffee, poolside with a drink, or engaging with one another in a Facebook group. The same principles apply and our neighborhood can only be strengthened through the democratic process of disagreeing without being disagreeable and arguing without personal attacks. 

May this be a season of joy, health, and civility for us all.

Fourth of July Parades in Warson Woods

Warson Woods has two neighborhood parades for the Fourth of July and all residents are welcome to join.

10am - Meet at Mark and Rue Renee for the Ward 4 parade with a Glendale Firetruck! There will be prizes for the best-decorated bike/trike/stroller, food, snow cones, a photo booth and fun games for all ages! Special thanks to Lisa Ackroyd for coordinating this tradition.

10:30am - Meet at the corner of Forest View and Timberlane where veterans and service members will be honored. Decorate your bikes, strollers and wagons and then the parade will take off following the Glendale firetruck and walk up to North Drive and down to Dreher Park for games. Special thanks to the Middendorf family for coordinating this tradition.

Reminder: Flag Etiquette

With the 4th of July right around the corner, now is the perfect time to showcase Old Glory. Here are a few reminders for proper and respectful flag etiquette: 

-When the flag is hung vertically on a wall, window of door, the Union (blue section) should be to the observer's left. 

-The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement. 

-Only display the flag from sunrise to sunset, however, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. 

-In the US, no other flag should be placed above the American flag or, if they are to be placed on the same level, to the right of the American flag. 

-Never use the flag for decoration. 

-Do not let the flag touch the ground. 

-Do not fasten or tie the flag back. Always allow it to fall free. 

-When your flag becomes worn and no longer suited for public display, the U.S. flag code requires it to be disposed of respectfully, preferably by burning. Many local VFW posts and American Legions hold ceremonies to retire flags if you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself.

Youth Tennis Lessons at Royal Oak Park

Join us in welcoming our new youth instructor, tennis pro Matthew Birchmeier! It's not too late to join lessons - every Monday - Friday, ending July 15.

8 and under 9:45 - 10:45
9 and over 10:45 - 12:00

The cost is $10 per day per child and payments may be made in person or via Venmo: @mbirchmeier20. Registration is not required, just drop in when you can! All skill levels welcome. Contact Matt with any questions via email: [email protected].

WW City Ordinance on Fireworks: Reminder

Reminder: All fireworks are illegal in the City of Warson Woods and anyone caught in possession of or shooting fireworks risks the chance of being issued a court summons and having the fireworks seized. If convicted in the Municipal Court, a fine could range anywhere from $1.00 to $300.00

Bike Safety Event at Royal Oak Park

All children are welcome to join Sargeant Tisius on Tuesday, June 21 at 9:45am at the WW Pool Pavilion/Entrance for a bike safety class. Help us keep the neighborhood kids safe.

Swim Team Schedule: It's Hurricane Season!

Warson Woods Swim Meet Schedule: 

The meets begin at 5:30pm and neighbors are welcome to come watch and cheer on the team!

-June 20 - Big Bend Woods at WWSC (Note Pool Schedule Impacted)

-June 27 - WW at Brentwood

-July 6 - Lindgate at WWSC (Note Pool Schedule Impacted)

-July 11 - Crestwood at WWSC (Note Pool Schedule Impacted)

-July 15 - Last Day of Practices and Pre-Swim

-July 16 - Conference at Rockwood Summit High School Indoor Pool & Gym

-July 17 - Banquet

Save the Date: June Food Truck -  Tuesday, June 21

We're excited to launch another year of the Warson Woods Food Truck Series this Tuesday. Mark your calendar and join your neighbors at the Royal Oak Pavilion for food, music & fun:

Tuesday, June 21 from 5:00-7:00pm
Royal Oak Pavilion

Featuring these Food Trucks:
Pi on the Spot (info)
S'more Shack (menu)
Lily's Cafe (info)

Music by:
The Retro Band (featuring our very own Officer Gene)

Welcome to the Neighborhood, Vangels!

We were delighted to see activity last week at the Vangel's building as they completed their soft opening. Drop by this week to check out their wonderful drinks and food. Seeing that patio alive again makes a Warson Woods heart happy.

One way we can support this local restaurant (or any of our local restaurants) is by leaving them a review after a visit. You can do so on Facebook or on Google.

Warson Woods Spotlight - Three Mayors

Serving as an elected official is a sacred responsibility in a democracy at any level of government. In Warson Woods, our elected mayor and board of alderman do the work of running our city day in and day out at city hall (along with our wonderful city clerk Kathy Mahany!), in our parks and in various committee projects. The hours of work they put in every month are often invisible to our citizens, so it is important to draw attention to their work and express our appreciation. 

Mayor Sean Fitzgerald has stepped into the role of mayor in Warson Woods this summer after almost 12 years of service as mayor by Larry Howe. We are grateful to both of these individuals for stepping forward to lead our city.

Did you also know that there is another former mayor, Mayor William Bergfeld, who served as mayor for 20 years before Mayor Howe and who still lives on North Drive right here in Warson Woods? The name may sound familiar since there is a park named after him across from the entrance to Royal Oak Park. See photo below. 

Thank you to each of these citizens for stepping forward to serve in the role of mayor. We have a brief Q&A with each of the three past and present mayors of Warson Woods below to help draw attention to their work and service to our community.

-What encouraged you to run for mayor of Warson Woods? I was influenced to run for mayor because of all of the people that have come before me who served on the Board of Alderpeople and also the mayors. These people have given so much to our wonderful city and it seemed like it was my time to step up and help keep our city be such a wonderful place to live. Additionally, my friends who also became more involved in the city helped me understand that I could help the city.   

-What is the thing you are most looking forward to during your service?  The thing that I am most looking forward to is seeing more people step up on an ad hoc basis to help the city. We are really just a community of great and talented people who all want to protect Warson Woods and keep it as the amazing family town that it has always been. There are so many people who have reached out to express interest in lending their service. It is really such a wonderful thing to see all these people offer their amazing talents for the good of the community.  

-What is your favorite memory from your years of living in Warson Woods? I am not sure that I have a specific memory from my 22 years in Warson Woods. There are far to many wonderful experiences and memories to narrow it down to a single event. I think that the best example of the neighborhood and how we all come together is the 4th of July parade. Friends and families all gather to celebrate our county and share a wonderful day. It is like a Norman Rockwell image every year. That stands out as a great representation of our neighborhood and community.

-What is your favorite thing about the community of Warson Woods? Raising my children here and opening the door and just letting them run around and play with their friends all day is certainly something that I hold up as a great thing about our neighborhood. They would come home for meals and be ready to run back out to their friends. It was truly amazing to have that for my children - it doesn't happen like that in too many places  Warson Woods is a safe and welcoming place to raise a family.  Today, I enjoy seeing new young families move in and start the cycle just like I did 22 years ago. It is just a wonderful place to live and call home.  

-Tell us about your family/household.  My family is all boys. I have three sons: John Michael (24), Jameson (21) and Connor (16). Oh and our best dog Herschel (11). Everyone is getting older now but there is always our anchor point here on Andrew Dr. Even as they boys grow and move onto their own lives the house on Andrew Drive is our core and our Home.

Former Mayor Laurence (Larry) Howe
(Served 2010-2022)

-What is the thing you are most proud of about your service? Being able to work collaboratively with different Boards and Professional Staff (legal, accounting) to ensure the outcome of any issue or project was always singularly guided by what was in the best interests of the City and its’ residents.  Additionally, being able to build on the legacy of Warson Woods and leaving it in better shape (physically and financially) is an accomplishment all Boards with whom I served and I can be proud of as our shared legacy.

-What is your favorite memory from your years of service? Having played a small part in the creation of the Warson Woods Fall Festival and being able to enjoy it with our grandchildren.  The renovation of Royal Oak Park and the addition of the Pavilion being a close second.

-What is your favorite thing about Warson Woods? As some will attest, I have always referred to Warson Woods as a neighborhood. While technically a Fourth Class City in the eyes of the State, we are truly a neighborhood. Kind of like Cheers where everybody knows your name or at least the names of your dogs.

-Tell us about your family/household. Married for 39 years, 32 years in the neighborhood, 3 children and 6 grandchildren with hopefully more on the way!

Former Mayor E. William Bergfeld, Jr.
(Served 1990-2010; Still a resident on North Drive!)

-What is the thing you are most proud of about your service? First, getting Dierberg’s into shopping center without giving them a tax subsidy and second: Getting rid of one stop sign (was on WW Drive).

-What is your favorite memory from your years of service? Overall it was 20 years of enjoyment and there was not one specific thing that was more enjoyable, but I did enjoy recognizing kids at board meetings who had done something well.

-What is your favorite thing about Warson Woods? It’s a small town within a big city.

-Tell us about your family/household. It was nice raising a family in the city of Warson Woods.

-Editor's Note: See Bergfeld Park photo above and look for the deer in the background! Photo by Hannah Mayer

Sights from the Neighborhood

Warson Woods resident Lexie Neimann, along with junior counselors Caroline Roth and Abby Zwart, hosted a backyard summer camp recently and Officer Gene stopped by to engage with the neighborhood kids.