A reminder that the VAT annual meeting has been scheduled. All homeowners are encouraged to attend.
Details for this meeting were included in the annual assessment packet and can be found below as well.
Date: Sunday, February 5, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Westland Area Library – 4740 W Broad St
We look forward to seeing everyone.
Have you noticed an especially charming holiday home in the neighborhood? Passed by a winter wonderland while walking the dog? Mention that address you’re loving in the comments below! Inspire your neighbors to take a look! Then vote for it! Voting will take place December 17-21. The grand-prize winner will be announced December 22! Everyone take a stroll or a drive through our winter-wonderful neighborhood anytime between December 17 and 21 to search for your favorite home. Make a note of the address YOU think should win best Home of the Holidays. Then you can cast your vote by paper in the ballot box at the front door of the gate house, or you can vote by email to [email protected]. One vote per household, please and thank you! 
Hello Neighbors,
Well just as quickly as October arrived it is almost November! A few reminders as we progress into fall and the temperature (and leaves) drop.
Beggars Night/Trick or Treat
Our community follows the city of Columbus date/time set by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. This year Beggars Night/Trick or Treat will fall on Monday, October 31st from 6-8PM.
Please use caution while driving through our community and watch out for ghosts, princesses, witches, Paw Patrol pups, and all the other fun costumed folks you may see!
Reminder: Neighbors with wheelchairs or strollers can struggle with passing around parked vehicles that block sidewalks. Vehicles should be parked to not block sidewalks – please utilize on street parking when able.
(Side note: Many folks wonder why Columbus doesn’t always hand out candy on Halloween – check out this article for some local history.)
Reminder: Leaves
Our neighborhood has beautiful fall foliage – sadly it becomes a fall mess rather quickly. A few reminders when it comes to fall(ing) leaves:
All leaves should be bagged and stored until the next scheduled recycling/yard waste pickup. Our community’s next recycling/yard waste pickup is Monday, October 31st.
Getting ready for the holidays
We know, we know – Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet and already we are looking ahead to Christmas. You know the holidays can get very busy! With that said…
We are hoping to have photos with Santa make a return this year – if anyone would like to volunteer to participate in our holiday event please email the Board ([email protected]) and put “ATTN: Social Committee” in the subject with your name and contact information. Also, if anyone has access to large thermoses (that can be used to keep beverages warm) – please let us know. The sooner we have volunteers/equipment the faster we can make plans and get this scheduled.
Finally, just a quick note to say that this year we are holding a “Christmas Vacation” Challenge to the VAT neighborhood!
Many of our neighbors already put on excellent holiday light displays and we know that those lights often start getting hung in the milder weather of November. This year the Board is hoping to get folks excited to channel their inner Clark Griswold and put up some truly excellent light displays. Neighbors could then vote on the household whose display they liked the best.
Currently we are trying to gauge interest for this event. Neighbors that wish to participate should let the Board know via email ([email protected]) and put “ATTN: Christmas Vacation Challenge” in the subject with their name and contact information. The board will need to know no later than December 1st if your household wishes to be included – displays would need to be up no later than December 16th. More details to come!
We hope this message finds everyone well and enjoying all that fall in Ohio has to offer. Wishing everyone a happy and safe Halloween!
Hello everyone,
We hope you have had a great weekend and are looking forward to National Night Out this Tuesday at the VAT park!
As a reminder this family friendly event is open to all of the Thornapple community as a way to foster relationships within our community as well as with our local fire and police services.
Our plans for this event include:
Dan & Paul Acoustic – 6-9PM
Kona Ice – 6:30-8PM
Kona Ice will be donating a % of their sales to the VAT Social Committee so please come with your sweet tooth! As a reminder Social Committee funds are dependent on the generosity of neighbors, no funding is provided by VAT annual dues. The Social Committee will also have bottled water and other non-alcoholic beverages available for sale.
Columbus Fire Department – Fire Truck Visit – 7-8PM
Plus sidewalk chalk, cornhole, lawn bowling, a visit from the Columbus Police Department (hopefully!) , and other outdoor fun!
We kindly ask that folks DO NOT park on the Aldengate street side directly in front of the park on Tuesday to leave room for both the Kona Ice and CFD Trucks.
This area is a tight fit with these large vehicles and we are anticipating a fair amount of foot traffic, we highly suggest walking to the park or parking nearby and not directly in this area.
This is a family friendly event and all rules of the park will be in effect (ie, No Alcohol/Illegal Substances, No Smoking, Pets must be leashed at all times, etc). Please help do your part to keep the park looking great by removing any trash upon leaving.
In thanks to the CPD & CFD for all they do we will have some posters available for folks to sign if they wish, thanking them for their service to our community. Please stop by and add your message to these boards!
So grab the lawn chairs and blankets, bring the bubbles and games for the kids, and come join us for an evening of community, fun, and thanks.
See you there!
2022 VAT Board
Hello Neighbors,
We hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying the sunny weather!
In the past 12 months there have been lots of new faces joining our community – and with all the construction projects – lots of activity in the surrounding area.
For the first time our community has opted to participate in National Night Out. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. This event is open to all members of the VAT community.
Our hope is that participating this year will give everyone an opportunity to meet one another, learn more about each other, and learn more about how our community is run.
Plans are still in the works but this is a family friendly event. Neighbors can expect live music, outdoor games and fun, a visit from the Columbus Fire Department for the kids to get an up-close look at a firetruck from 7-8PM, frozen treats for sale benefitting our Social Committee and Columbus Police will (hopefully!) be making a stop as well.
So grab a lawn chair, bring the bubbles and sidewalk chalk and join us for a community night out. The VAT Board hopes your family can make it out and that this will be the first of additional annual events for the community!
National Night Out – August 2nd, 6 – 9PM
VAT Park
Please note: In the event of severe weather or lightning this event would be cancelled. A blog post will be created to update the event status.
We hope to see you there,