[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11911]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE 75TH BIRTHDAY OF THE CITY OF OAKLAND PARK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2004

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the City of 
Oakland Park, Florida as its residents celebrate their city's 75th 
birthday.
  Originally named Floranada, Oakland Park was incorporated with its 
current name in June of 1929. The official census of the time reported 
the budding town's population at only 562 residents. In those days, the 
town was so eager for growth that one could get a free lot in Oakland 
Park just by buying a 30-day subscription to Miami Movie Magazine; it 
was thought that the town would soon become a home for all the stars of 
the ``Motion Pictures.''
  While the city has grown up a lot since the 20's, now boasting a 
population of over 30,000 residents, small town values have always been 
a fundamental part of living in Oakland Park. As late as the 1950's and 
60's, residents always left their keys in the ignition, and only locked 
their houses during hurricanes to keep the doors from blowing off.
  Even today, though these practices do not persist, the values they 
embody make Oakland Park a great place to live and work. This is 
perhaps owing to the many community related programs and activities the 
residents of Oakland Park have organized, all of which have grown and 
evolved along with the city. For example, the Oakland Park Recreation 
Center opened its doors in 1960 with only two part time employees 
supervising children's activities. Today, the center maintains a staff 
of over 50, who are in charge of overseeing the care and maintenance of 
all parks and athletic complexes. Beyond activities for children, 
citizens can now partake in a wide variety of activities, from youth T-
ball, to adult tennis, to ceramics for seniors.
  Today, Oakland Park continues to grow and thrive. Recently the city 
embarked on a $19 million facelift plan to be completed in 2008. The 
redevelopment is designed to further the friendly ``small town'' 
atmosphere that has always belonged to Oakland Park. The primary goal 
of the plan is to compliment Oakland Park's already safe and attractive 
neighborhoods and good schools with all of the social, cultural, and 
business opportunities of a city.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the City of Oakland Park in the 
U.S. House of Representatives, and extend my best wishes to the Mayor, 
Commissioners, and residents of Oakland Park as they celebrate their 
first 75 years.

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