Say hello to Gail & Gordon Rodwan!
In
the heart of Sherwood Forest, Gail and Gordon Rodwan have made a
significant impact since moving to the neighborhood in 1970. Their
dedication to community and improvement has helped shape the area,
reflecting a deep commitment that spans over five decades. Their story
is one of connection – to each other, their family, and the neighborhood
they’ve worked to enhance.
Gail
and Gordon’s journey began in January 1970, when they moved from Royal
Oak to Sherwood Forest, spurred by the need for more space after the
birth of their second child, as well as a search for a more diverse
neighborhood. “We didn’t even know it existed,” Gail recalled,
reflecting on their introduction to the neighborhood. An invitation from
a colleague led them to a party, where they were captivated by the
beauty and affordability of the homes in the area. The couple saw
potential amidst a time of uncertainty, shortly after the civil unrest
of 1967 that had left many neighborhoods in Detroit grappling with fear
and economic hardship.
When
Gail and Gordon moved into their house on Shrewsbury, they noted it was
well cared for and didn’t require much work to make it home. They
pulled up the carpeting and refinished the floors, painted, and did what
they could to bring more light into the rooms. “We didn’t do a big gut
renovation of the kitchen like a lot of people do,” said Gail, noting
they still have the original kitchen cupboards.
The Rodwans quickly became entrenched
in community affairs, with Gail serving more
than 30 years on the neighborhood board
and as editor of The Tattler.
“I never would have dreamed at the time that
I'd be on the board for so long. I might have
the longevity award,” she quipped.
In
2017, as part of Sherwood Forest’s centennial celebration, there was a
big neighborhood picnic and former residents were invited to see their
old homes. “After we’d been living here for years, the daughters (of the
former homeowners) visited,” Gail said.
“The
day they were coming, we opened the front door and there was a line of
people down the street – the girls, their spouses, their children and
other various relatives had come to see the house. You could just tell
that they loved going through everything; it brought back good
memories.”
Gail
and Gordon have a strong partnership that extends to their community
involvement. Gordon created the first website and neighborhood database
18 years ago, and frequently supported neighborhood projects through his
photography, which he picked up after retiring from IBM in 1994.
“Gail
gave me a camera and I took an introductory class from a teacher who
was so enthused about photography that it was kind of contagious. He
recommended joining a camera club, so I did,” said Gordon, whose work
focuses on urban sceneries. His love of photography became a family
affair with a book published in partnership with his son, John. “Our son
had written an essay and poems about Detroit, and said ‘Maybe we should
put some photos with this’ – so it was a joint project,” he said.
Gail
also became a published author with her 100-year history of Sherwood
Forest, which was created to celebrate the centennial anniversary. After
retiring from her career as a lawyer and law professor, she agreed to
take on putting together the book in her newly-acquired free time.
Having done a lot of writing in her work, she was a natural candidate to
take it on.
The
work was time consuming, but Gail remained dedicated during the six
months it took to write, thinking it would get a good response and raise
a little money for the association. The book covered a lot of
territory, even a look into the Pewabic pottery featured in homes
throughout the neighborhood, much of which Gordon photographed. But
interest in the book ended up greatly surpassing expectations, with
libraries, the Detroit Historic Museum, and even Pewabic Pottery
reaching out to see if Gail would give a talk at their locations.
“I felt like people were interested even if
they had no real ties to SF – there were people
who were interested in reaching out to a Detroit
neighborhood that seemed to work and had
been a viable place to live for 100 years,”said
Gail, mentioning the North Rosedale Park
community followed suit, publishing
a history of their own soon after.
The
Rodwans have led numerous initiatives aimed at improving Sherwood
Forest. During the economic downturn of the early 2000s, they became
concerned about vacant homes threatening the neighborhood's stability.
“We knew we were in a temporary situation and we didn’t want the homes
to deteriorate,” Gail said. They made it their mission to identify
vacant properties and reach out to owners, organizing efforts to
maintain these homes and prevent deterioration.
“We
found people to ‘adopt’ houses who would look for things that needed
repairs, and mow the lawn, rake the leaves,” Gail said, highlighting the
impressive response from neighbors who recognized their shared stake in
the community’s future.
The
Rodwans noted their work with the Light the Way campaign as another
major achievement. This initiative, led by Mayor Mike Duggan, aimed to
replace non-functional or non-existent street lights in various
neighborhoods. Concerned about the historic nature of Sherwood Forest, a
group of neighbors sought funding to install lights that reflected the
neighborhood’s character. Despite the city’s tight deadline of one
month, they proposed a donation system that allowed contributors to
place a personalized plaque on the new light posts. Gordon even agreed
that if someone donated a certain amount, he’d create a photo sketch of
their house. “I ended up doing over 30, so it was a busy time,” he
joked. “I ended up putting up all the plaques on the light posts, too.”
Initially
met with skepticism, the campaign ultimately succeeded, with community
members rallying to support it. Two donations stood out: There was a
neighbor who had just lost their job, and another who had just been
diagnosed with cancer, and both noted how important this was, still
choosing to donate despite the challenges they faced in their personal
lives.
“When the city installed the lights, we had a street
party and the mayor came,” Gail said.
“I felt like people were saying: This city, this
neighborhood, these people have a future.”
After
years of both of their children moving around – to Washington, New
York, Portland and more – the Rodwans’ family is close together again.
Their daughter, Laura, and grandson, Jarod, 9, live right down the
street from them on Shrewsbury. Their son, John, and his wife, Nancy,
live a stone’s throw away in University District.
When
asked what’s changed in Sherwood Forest over the years and what’s
remained the same, Gail credited an improvement in education options as a
reason why younger families are drawn here and stay.
“When
we moved in, people with preschool children worried a lot about where
their kids would go to school. We had several friends move north once
their kids got to kindergarten age,” she said. “I don’t sense that
that’s so true today – parents have more options, and Sherwood Forest
parents always sent their kids to a variety of schools. When people see
good educational options, they seem to stick around longer. It’s growing
and improving.”
Reflecting
on the evolution of the neighborhood, Gordon noted, “When we first
moved here, there were lots of children the same age as ours. Now we’re
seeing young residents coming back and having children, reminding us of
how it was before.”
