October 25, 2013

The Way it Was on Aster Avenue in the 1930s

Oakhurst resident Beverly Sharp Germany recently shared some memories of growing up at 2313 Aster Avenue in the 1930s and 1940s.  Her parents, Ruby and W.E. Sharp, built their house in 1928 as newlyweds.  Here’s a photo of Beverly and her best friend, Nancy Moses, in front of her Oakhurst house in the early 1930s getting ready to go swimming.


Beverly remembered a lot about 1930s life in the neighborhood: "We had an iceman, Mr. Winn, who delivered ice to our houses.  Few if any had refrigerators until up into the 1940s.  Each house had a large cardboard square that had either a 25, 50, 75. or 100 on each side.  The homeowner put the number of the amount of ice needed up in the front window.  Mr. Winn would turn back the heavy tarp that helped keep his ice cool, chop off the amount ordered and hoist it up on his shoulder.  He wore a thick leather apron to keep him dry.  He’d come to the back door, knock, call out "Iceman!", come in and deposit the ice in the icebox.  He was a friend and would stop to fix a toy or pick a child up with a skinned knee from a fall while skating.  He had a number of children himself.  Mother would send freshly-made cookies or jelly home with him from time to time."

"We would also stop by the ice plant on Sylvania and buy ice.  It was near where Lucas Funeral Home is today.  The man would put it on the front bumper of our Model A Ford car and then we’d need to hurry home before the ice melted.  Sometimes my dad would stop at the Ashburn’s ice cream place and get a quart of ice cream for dessert.  He’d set it on top of the chunk of ice in our ice box until dinner time.  We had to eat it all at one meal because it didn’t keep.  Many times Mother would say, "Bill, can you finish up the ice cream left in the carton?""

This story, authored by Libby Willis, originally appeared in the October 2013 edition of the Oak Leaflet.

Halloween Weather Contingency Plans

ONA Halloween in the Park is scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday, October 26) from 3-5pm, and we hope you are planning to attend!


However, the weather report has called for possible rain storms.  At the moment, we plan to proceed with the event as scheduled.  If we find that we need to postpone the event due to inclement weather, we will notify everyone by email and this website.  If that happens, we will reschedule the event for next Saturday, November 2, and call it our Fall Costume Contest and Games!

October 22, 2013

Reminder: ONA Events this Week!

Thursday, October 24th

This Thursday, ONA will hold its fall general membership meeting.  Please plan to attend this neighborhood-wide event!  This is the perfect opportunity to catch up with your neighbors, hear from our guest speakers, and renew your membership for the coming year.  See full details at http://oakhurstfw.blogspot.com/2013/10/save-date-ona-fall-general-membership.html.

Please note that the venue has changed!  We'll be moving nextdoor to Calvary Cathedral in lieu of the school for this meeting.

ONA Fall General Membership Meeting
Thursday, October 24, 7pm
Calvary Cathedral International

Saturday, October 26th

Join us this Saturday, October 26, for some kid-friendly fun!  Volunteers and donations are also needed.  View full details at http://oakhurstfw.blogspot.com/2013/10/save-date-ona-halloween-in-park.html.  We look forward to seeing you there!

ONA Halloween in the Park
Saturday, October 26, 3pm
Oakhurst Park

October 8, 2013

This Saturday: City of Fort Worth District 9 Bond Package Public Input Meeting

In his recent visit with ONA, Councilman Burns shared information about the upcoming 2014 Bond Program and encouraged us to, "...keep speaking up for central city needs."  He also posted a reminder about our District 9 meetings on his website.

This is your opportunity to be heard!  Meeting details are as follows:

District 9 Bond Package Public Input Meeting
Saturday, October 12, 9-11am
Greenbriar Community Center
5200 Hemphill Street

Also check out the bond presentation on YouTube:


For more information, visit the City of Fort Worth's 2014 Bond Program website.

October 7, 2013

Save the Date: ONA Halloween in the Park

Save the date for ONA's annual Halloween in the Park!


Join us on Saturday, October 26, for some kid-friendly fun!

3:00pm:  Event kickoff with games and Halloweenie roast
3:30pm:  Costume contest for all ages (and dogs)


Volunteers are needed to work games, help with activities, judge the costume contest, and server refreshments.  Donations are also appreciated:  individually-wrapped candy, juice boxes, cans of soda, and bottled water.  Please contact Glenda at 817.975.4653 or glendahartsell@att.net.  You may also drop donations off at 1924 Bluebird Ave.  Your participation is the key to our success!

ONA Halloween in the Park
Saturday, October 26, 3pm
Oakhurst Park
 

October 4, 2013

Save the Date: ONA Fall General Membership Meeting

On Thursday, October 24th, ONA will hold its fall general membership meeting.  Please plan to attend this neighborhood-wide event!  This is the perfect opportunity to catch up with your neighbors, hear from our guest speakers (see below), and renew your membership for the coming year.

FWISD trustees Ashley Paz and Jacinto Ramos, Jr.
Newly-elected Fort Worth ISD Trustees Ashley Paz (District 9) and Jacinto Ramos, Jr. (District 1) will speak at the meeting.  The district is putting forward a bond election on November 5.  Paz represents District 9, which includes all of Riverside’s elementary, middle and high schools.  Ramos represents District 1, a generally Northside District, which includes the Oakhurst precinct.  The main focus of the bond issue in Riverside is improvements to Amon Carter Riverside High School, including new permanent classrooms, as well as improvements to the kitchen, cafeteria, and restrooms.  The school, built in 1936 to house about 900 students, now has 1,200 enrolled.  Come hear from our new trustees on this important topic!

Lt. Alan McLain of the Fort Worth Fire Department will also speak at the fall meeting.  Following the recent house fire on Bluebird, some residents have asked for a presentation addressing precautions which can be taken in a heavily-wooded neighborhood like Oakhurst, where a fire threat is particularly acute in periods of drought.  So Lt. McLain has been kind enough to tackle this issue for us.

The annual fall social will follow the meeting...yet another reason to join us that evening!

ONA Fall General Membership Meeting
Thursday, October 24, 7pm
Calvary Christian Academy