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WHAT A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD WE LIVE IN!

Baldwin Park’s humble beginnings DENNY O’NEIL FORMER BALDWIN PARK RESIDENTIAL OWNERS

So, it is 2003, and I’m on a Besides being numbered, lots n Close to major highway ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT weekend trip to Orlando were different colors. That was transportation network and from my temporary resi- important, because you could airport: Check. watched our home come up out dence in a little cabin on a lake only build your desired home on of the ground. in Richmond Hill, Georgia. I had a certain size lot which the col- What’s to want? Seemed When our home was finally come down so my wife — who ors identified. Various builders perfect to me. finished, I took two weeks of was staying in an Orlando motel owned the lots, and on a given My wife didn’t like Baldwin vacation from my job at Fort — and I could look for a home in street, there were a number of Park much as she couldn’t Stewart, Georgia, and came Orlando where she had taken a different builders who owned picture the neighborhood in down to paint some interior job. Our daughter had lived here lots. her mind. After all, at that rooms, hang ceiling fans and for a while, and she and her A number of salespeople at time, there really wasn’t a drapes, and finally move in our husband were our tour guides. the sales center answered ques- neighborhood. I’m good at furniture. After several weekends of this tions. I asked mostly about the spatial relations, so based on There were homes under had not resulted in any good Village Center but also about the layout I could imagine what construction on my and neighprospects, we opted to look at the projected school and the completed Baldwin Park would boring streets, and with that a neighborhood just opened for abundance of parks. look like and how it would construction came lots of flat home construction — Baldwin work. Until I was 10 years old, I tires caused by the many nails Park. n Having only lived in a gated could walk to stores and movie in the streets and alleys, con-

At the time, Baldwin Park community in Vietnam, I did theaters in my hometown of Oil struction workers everywhere, was a great big sandbox with not want to live in one here, nor City, Pennsylvania. From age food-item trash left all over some wet spots (two lakes) did I want a neighborhood with 10 on, no matter where I lived by the construction workers, that had an apartment building only one entrance/exit: Check all over the world, I generally instances of yet-to-be installed (still there) on the southeast — 26 neighborhood entrances, had to ride in a car to go from appliances stolen, landscaping corner of newly built New no wall, no gates. my residence to businesses. I installed that day was stolen Broad Street and Bennett Road, liked the Baldwin Park self-con- that night, construction and a home-sales trailer with a n Close to a grocery store (pro- tained neighborhood concept. workers’ tools stolen off their small asphalt parking lot on the jected), drug store (projected), After a lot of discussion, we vehicle by other construction northeast corner (now a park). restaurants (projected), bars decided to purchase in Baldwin workers, etc. Those were exThere were a couple of homes (projected): Check, check, Park. We began the process citing times! And they inspired that had been were started in check and check. of choosing a style of home. I me to say that I would be the Unit 1 — basically the area from first liked the Charleston Single Neighborhood Watch Block southeast part of Baldwin Park n Fitness centers, swimming model home. Two of them had Captain for my block. to Common Way Road. That pools, parks, trails, tennis just been completed on Anson Next time: When is the Vilwas it. courts: Check, check, check, Road. I liked the hallways with lage Center going to be built?

We entered the sales trailer, check — sort of. Tennis courts rooms to both sides, like I was When can we drive to Winter and in the center of it, we saw a are available when the middle used to in Pennsylvania. Then, Park on Lakemont Avenue? table on which was a layout of school is closed. the next weekend I came down The golf driving range that Baldwin Park that showed all to Orlando, my wife and my became a school. Why is there of the streets — some finished n Close to mall (Fashion Square daughter told me I needed a traffic circle on Lakemont and some projected; the types – not much a mall anymore), to look at the just-completed Avenue at Lower Park Road? of lots — there were a total of Home Depot (or Lowes or Ace Coastal Brahams model home. Where is the submarine buried six different types — along each Hardware), theater, Walmart: I did and loved it. One story in Baldwin Park? street; the projected parks; the Check, check, check — sort of. and open. Nice. That was our projected amenities; and a pro- The dollar theater on Colonial, choice. jected place called the Village check. So, as I visited Baldwin Park Center. every weekend for 15 months, I

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

BECCA SCHMIDT BALDWIN PARK RESIDENT

Becca Schmidt, Baldwin Park resident since 2005, writes about lifestyle in this beautiful neighborhood. For the pulse on neighborhood social gatherings, check out the Groups and Gatherings section of the Baldwin Park Network to see a list of Baldwin Park-based groups.

This neighborhood is made for walking!

Baldwin Park expands more than 1,000 acres. How many of those acres have you seen on foot? If you aren’t out there walking, you’re missing some of the best jewels of our beautiful neighborhood.

One thing I’ve loved about being lifestyle director is all the walking around I’ve done to learn the streets, to meet people, to take photos and to discover all the amazing nooks and crannies of Baldwin Park.

Because it’s February, let’s talk about all the places people love to walk in Baldwin Park and why. Your walking preferences will depend on your life stage — whether or not you have a dog or kids, a camera, or a need for speed in your walking shoes.

Got a dog? Go where the other dogs go! You can’t be lonely in Baldwin Park if you have a dog, because dogs offer the best opportunity to strike up conversation with a complete stranger who also has a dog. Where do the “dog people” go? A popular destination is the expansive loop around Blue Jacket Park, which includes a big, noisy fountain at one end and Lake Baldwin on the other. People also like the green spaces of Enders Park, Corrine Commons, High Park, New Broad Street Park and of course, the dog park off Lakemont.

Got kids? All three of Baldwin Park’s playgrounds include ancillary space for parents or grandparents to grab hold of a little hand and walk mindfully, making quiet memories together. For parents with strollers or tots, I love the pathway that runs along Lincroft Avenue, around the playground to Dorrell. The pathway is set off from the road and feels distant from the one-way traffic. This pathway sometimes gets a little crowded at sunset when area families are walking off their dinner calories, but it is beautiful!

Got a camera? Did you know that Lake Baldwin is a designated nature preserve? The photo opportunities are endless — from the tiniest dew-covered flowers to the osprey and hawk nests above. New Broad Street Park (which splits New Broad Street) is also a popular place for photographers. Most people carry their phones on their walks, so slowing down to snap a photo here is a no-brainer. Get creative with your portrait lens to capture park benches at sunrise or other common items with an uncommon view.

Love nature? Lake Baldwin Lane is probably the most obvious nature preserve, but many know “Mid Lake Park” — which connects Lake Baldwin to Lake Susannah — as the secret spot for real nature watching. Spot rabbits, birds of all kinds, fish, and even a handmade rock garden where butterflies abound! Take time for reflection here, meditate and find your spirit again!

Whatever your motivation is for walking in our beautiful neighborhood, make time to connect with those around you. Say hello, wave, smile and make someone’s day just a little brighter. You can’t do that from your couch.

WALKING FOR FITNESS

If achieving your 10,000 steps a day is your motive for walking, that’s OK, too. For those of you who may be interested in a curated (by me) playlist, here are 15 songs about walking! I hope you will remember many of these — feel free to sing along!

n “These Boots are Made for Walkin’” — Nancy Sinatra n “Walk Like an Egyptian” — The Bangles n “Walking on Broken Glass” — Annie Lennox n “Walk Right In” — The Rooftop Singers n “Walk of Life” — Dire Straits n “Walk This Way” — Aerosmith n “Walk on the Wild Side” — Lou Reed n “Walk the Line” — Johnny Cash n “Walk Like a Man” — Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons n “Walking in Memphis” — Marc Cohn n “Walking on Sunshine” — Katrina and the Waves n “Walking to New Orleans” — Fats Domino n “Walk All Over You” — AC/DC n “Walkin’ Back to Georgia” — Jim Croce n “Walking on the Moon” — The Police