NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS- MARCH, '24

                   UP THE CREEK

      Florida Park's Newsletter- March, 2024

Hello Neighbors,

  It's SPRINGTIME in Gainesville.  The azaleas are so bright you gotta wear sunglasses.

I haven't banged out a newsletter in a spell so here's my latest.

 

PICNIC

Our Spring picnic is coming up in a month. 

We will gather on Sunday, April 14th,  in Parker Park (NE 5 Ave at 20 St) from 3-6 p.m.  It's always fun and I hope you can join us.

It is sponsored by our University Park Neighborhood Association ("UPNA").  You need not be a member to attend (membership is just 20 bucks a year. You can join at www.upnagnv.org).  

We have two big picnics and one Halloween parade

Mr. Bones and friends leading the procession last October.

 (plus a few street parties) every year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BIT OF HISTORY

   A neighbor did some research and told me 

-The oldest house in Gainesville ("The Bailey House") is just 7 blocks east of us. It is now  Persimmon School at NW 6 St and 11th Ave. The Bailey Plantation consisted of many structures and hundreds of acres tended by enslaved people. Many of their descendants still live here.

-Florida Park (8th to 16th Aves, 13th to 22d Sts.) was one big farm in the early 1900's. In the 30's the UF swimming team would practice in pond north of 9th Street (It was clear and spring-fed before we messed it up).

-In the 1920's a religious group bought the farm to turn it into Dixieland Bible College which never came to be. 

-Rainbow Bridge (in Rattlesnake Woods)

was built by the guys who ride their bikes madly across it at night, 20 years ago.

Every two years helpful neighbors volunteer to re-paint it. "Yellow" and "Orange" were just restored.  

 

ANOTHER PARADE

Last December many Florida Park people

The Dancing Dinosaurs from Melrose

participated in Gainesville's new event, "The Flying Pig Parade".  

   It says great things about our 'hood when so many residents jumped into this fun-filled procession. 

  *Fabric artist Teri Hamill flew her home-made pig.  Lee and Gina had them flying from bamboo sticks. 

*Bobby and his grand kids led the procession.

 

*Eddie and his band, "Ramos Pinta" got the crowds dancing,

*Ward created the Runaway Ballot Box that would not  let anyone vote,

 

* Megan supplied a golf cart for the Star Theater group.  *Kevin was a parade marshal and *Francesca wrangled the groups at the parade's start. *Carol and David were puppeteers operating Mr. Bones!

 *Tina and Shirley

pranced and danced with "Girls Who Just Wanna Have Fun" and  *Pam and Carol led the spectacular Banned Book Brigade.

What an incredible showing from the talented residents of Florida Park!

Start planning your performance when the pig flies again on December 28th!

The Queen of Creativity, Savannah Elliot

UPNA MEETING

Subdivision with 400 s.f. houses in Austin, Texas

    UPNA has monthly online board meetings that anyone can attend. At the most recent, UF professor Peggy Carr shared her views on how our city commissioner, Bryan Eastman's proposed zoning changes to increase residential building density, will affect our city.  The next meeting is tonight (3-12) at 7.

 SAVING ENERGY

 I volunteer with the Community Weatherization Coalition. We do free home energy "tune-ups" for local residents. Last week my CWC partner and I visited the home of Suzetta Riggs on NW 4 St.  In our effort to reduce her GRU bill we, among other things, installed energy-saving light bulbs, a low-flow shower head, and connected her with a non-profit that can help her with insulation and roofing problems.  If you'd like CWC to help reduce you energy bills contact them at info@communityweatherization.org.

NEW NEIGHBORS

We've got new "creekers", folks that have purchased  houses on the amazing creeks in Florida Park. 

Sita, Romain, and their kids moved into the brick house on the west end of 14th Ave last month.

 

 

Brian, Jaclyne, and their children move from their lake house in Melrose to be closer to everything that

Gainesville offers. The family loves their new place on 10 Ave.  

We welcome them all; its great to have more families with kids living on the west side of 18th.

EATING THE PAPER'S HUMBLE PIE

   I have enjoyed the luxury of the morning paper landing in my driveway all my life. I didn't know it was luxury until deliveries stopped last month. "Too few readers", I was told. Reading newspapers online to me is like watching a movie on a phone.               It ain't right.

MOVING ON

Why do obituaries get buried in the news? Many of the departed led remarkable lives. Our neighbor, Geoff Pietsch, left us Christmas Eve. The retired history teacher/long-distance running coach was much loved by his high school students. Former ones visited him often. Over the years you probably enjoyed his many thoughtful letters in the Gainesville Sun.

While Doug Massey lived in Duckpond he always enjoyed marching in Florida Park's Halloween parades. The retired  educator loved world travel too. Last year he and his wive, Anna, spent two weeks in Tajikistan (it's just SW of Kyrgystan). That's Doug was wearing one of that trip's purchases as he holds up Mr. Bones' right hand in October's parade (see photo at the top). Doug, who was the "Silenced Professor' in December's pig parade, died during a Shands operation on 2-21-24.

I'd like to also say "so long" to the hundreds of sandhill cranes who left for North Dakota last month.
Their annual high-flying formations

with warbling song are one more  North Florida delight.

They will return and and so will I with more neighborhood news.

That's it from NW 12th Road.

May the good news be yours.

Your faithful scribe,

Glenn

 

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