They didn't pass Go and they didn't collect $200, but the neighbors who landed at Linda and Roy Dean's Oriental Avenue home earlier this month enjoyed an evening filled with food, friendship and laughter.
The annual Wine and Cheese night is just one of numerous events planned throughout the year for the Park Place neighborhood, better known as the"Monopoly Streets."Residents in the quiet North Arlington neighborhood, whose streets features names such as Marvin Gardens, Ventnor and Boardwalk, participate in activities such as monthly quiz nights and coffee gatherings, a weekly bridge club, National Night Out, and even a Christmas cookie exchange.
"I think that's why the neighborhood gets along so well. We learn about each other, we like each other and we look out for each other,"Linda Dean said.
The City of Arlington is proud to feature Park Place in this month's episode of Meet the Neighbors, a regularly scheduled web and video program that spotlights neighborhoods large and small across The American Dream City.
Park Place, which has 176 homes, is located east of Collins Street and north of Lamar Boulevard. Residents keep an eye on each other's homes through an active community watch, stay in touch through newsletters and social media, and enjoy catching up with each other during regularly scheduled activities that range from golfing to book club meetings.
"We have a core of people who work real hard to preserve what we have,"said Ray Warren, who has lived in Park Place with his wife Kay since 1991.
Long-time residents, such as the Deans and the Warrens, say it's been nice to see younger families move in and become involved in neighborhood activities.
Hunter and Emily Hendrickson bought their first home in the neighborhood in 2015. Besides the sense of community that they feel at Park Place, the young couple say they love how close they live to Arlington's Entertainment District and to city amenities such as the Crystal Canyon Natural Area, Clarence Thomson Park and the new Texas Rangers Golf Club.
"It's just this hidden little gem. Not everybody has heard of Park Place but if they have they are like, 'You live in the Monopoly neighborhood?' I'm like 'Oh yeah we do. We live on Ventnor, we're a yellow property!"Hunter Hendrickson joked."It's been a blast living here."
The Hendricksons love their neighborhood so much that they recruited their best friends, Brandon and Suzanne Taylor, to move across the street from them. The Taylors say their fellow neighbors have truly given them and their infant daughter, Kate, a warm welcome.
"We have a very active and involved neighborhood. Everybody is very interested in taking care of each other,"Suzanne Taylor said."Kate is loved by so many neighbors. She has lots of adopted grandparents, lots of babysitters in our neighborhoods. It's a treat."
Residents have fun with their ties to the iconic family board game. When setting up an account recently on the Nextdoor neighborhood website, Community Watch Co-coordinator Linda Dean found that Park Place and most other variations of that name were already taken.
"Everybody knows us 'Monopoly Streets' so that is what we are on Nextdoor,"Linda Dean said."We just don't have a jail,"quipped her husband, who is also Community Watch Co-coordinator.
Neighborhoods wanting to learn more about City services available for neighborhood projects should register for the Neighborhood Network at https://arlington.hosted.civiclive.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=14481146&pageId=14984139 or send questions to [email protected].
The City's Office of Communication develops programming for MyArlingtonTV. Viewers can find MyArlingtonTV programs on the following cable systems: Spectrum Channel 16 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99, and streaming capabilities at https://arlington.hosted.civiclive.com.
All episodes are also available on the City's YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter account.
MyArlingtonTV Links:
Champion Great Neighborhoods, Meet the Neighbors
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