Southmoor Gardens Neighborhood Association

September 2006

Sep 13, 2006

SOUTHMOOR GARDEN'S FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD STREET PARTY !

Date: Saturday, September 16th
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Place: 68th & Broadmoor

Rain Date: Sunday, September 17th same time

We'll be serving brats, sausages, hot dogs, chili, chips, pop, and water. If you'd like a beverage other than pop or water, please feel free to bring your own cooler. The suggested donation for the dinner is $2.50 for adults, $1.25 for kids, and includes plates, tableware, and napkins. All donations go to the Southmoor Gardens' treasury.

This will be a fun-filled evening for the whole family. We'll have the always-exciting "Moonwalk" and a fire truck (if there are no fires). We have also invited lots of elected officials and candidates to stop by and say hi.

Extra kids (and grandktds) are definitely welcome. Bring a neighbor who might not otherwise attend. Please bring a dessert if you wish.

B.Y.O.C. [Bring Your Own Chair]

Please call Linda Hanson at 677-0430 with questions.

LOOKING AHEAD

As has been our custom, our November meeting will be a potluck supper. We will be asking for a donation of $2.00 from adults to cover the cost of meat and beverages (a green bean casserole is nice, and so is chocolate cake, but you'd probably want something a little more substantial for the main course, say brisket).

This will be held in our regular meeting room (Room 206), but on Tuesday,
November 14, rather than on Thursday of that week.

SOMETHING TO BE THINKING ABOUT

There has been some interest expressed in changing our neighborhood designation from "Southmoor Gardens" to just "Southmoor".

Here are some thoughts in support of each of the designations:

(1) Jim Conrad, our previous chairman, explains the inclusion of the word "Gardens" in the name of our neighborhood at the time it was organized as being inspired by the number of gardens in the area in earlier times. Myrtle Vincent, whose family owned land all the way to 71 st St. in the early days, recalls the landowner at 69th and Walmer as raising asparagus and selling it at the market, but she says that, like her own family, most of the home-owners in the neighborhood who had a garden were raising things for their own use.

(2) Linda Hanson, who has done considerable research on our neighborhood in connection with establishing its historic nature, favors dropping the word "Gardens" from our name and explains her choice of just "Southmoor": "Southmoor Friends and Neighbors, I began researching the history of our Southmoor neighborhood in late October, 2005. I discovered that Southmoor was platted and developed in 1909 by Wm B. Strang, founder of Overland Park. Mr. Strang envisioned Southmoor as his premier upscale subdivision, complementing a number of his other subdivisions along the Strang Electric Car Line. This past May 20th, the City of Overland Park celebrated its centennial and dedicated a statue of Wm. B. Strang to commemorate the founding of Overland Park. To reflect our history and pay homage to Wm B. Strang's legacy, I believe that our neighborhood conservation organization should adopt 'Southmoor' as its governing name."

Sometime down the line, perhaps in our November newsletter, we plan to include a return-mail ballot so that the residents of our neighborhood can indicate their preference with regard to our name. That timing would permit us to announce the results in our mailing at the first of the year. In the meantime, if you would like to express an opinion on the subject, you can do so by e-mail to: hwagstaff@earthlink.net -- or by posting on our neighborhood website: www.neighborhoodlink.com/overlndprk/southmoorgarden.

NEWS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Another Tiny New Resident:

Kristi and Dave Swob, on Broadmoor, let us know about the arrival of their daughter, Jadyn Marie, on February 6th. Welcome to the neighborhood, Jadyn Marie!

Anything of interest from your street? Give us a call, at 722-4693, or e-mail the information to hwagstaff@earthlink.net

THIS AND THAT

?• Don't forget Downtown Overland Park's Fall Festival, Saturday, September 30th.

?• Town Hall Meeting: "Why Redevelopment?" The leaders of Cherokee Hills, Glenwood Estates, Grantioch, and the Oak Park Homes Association invite you to a public meeting entitled "Why Redevelopment?" The meeting will be at 7 p.m., Sept. 28 at the New Haven Seventh Day Adventist Church. The church is on the southwest corner of 87th and Antioch (just south of the Price Chopper). The meeting will be in the chapel, and seating is limited to 100 people. For more information go to http://home.kc.rr.com/grantioch2/townhall.doc

SOUTHMOOR GARDENS CO-CHAIRMEN

Joan Wagstaff (hwagstaff@earthlink.net) Steve Langton ( sflangtonl@yahoo.com)

Regular Meetings: Third Thursday of every other month Overland Park Community Center, 87th and Lamar 7 p.m.

Homer's Coffeehouse Get-Together:
80th St., between Metcalf and Floyd - Second Tuesday of the month (about 9 a.m.)

SEPTEMBER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

September 21, 2006 - 7 p.m.
Overland Park Community Center
87th and Lamar
Room 208