DPNA Newsletter Reformat & Logo Concepts

The Newsletter

This month we would like to announce two large undertakings by the Deer Park Neighborhood Association.  Katie and I have diligently worked on a new DPNA newsletter layout over the last four months. This new improved layout will aid neighborhood readers to work through the articles easier as well as allow us to advertise our neighborhood businesses and events in the best possible ways, and it just looks fantastic.

We are considering possible names for our newly formatted newsletter so please share any ideas with us. 

The Logo

I would like to make prevalent, that DPNA will not be silenced nor placed into dismay after the loss of our large Rosenblatt fundraiser this year. In fact, as we seek out new fund raising strategies, we have an opportunity to reinvent our image. Our previous logo has served us well, but the old image of a young cartoon deer needs some cosmetic uplift to showcase our growth as an influential civic organization.  The cover of the  January 2011 newsletter shows a split image of our old logo and a proposed new one. Below, you can see two submissions for new DPNA logos along with our previous logo. We would love to have your input as we redevelop our organization’s written and digital presence. 

Concept 1

Original

Concept 1

Moving into the next stages of development and community service, we continue to strive to make this community grow stronger. To do this, I stress, we need your participation. Please come to our meetings to learn of more great things happening in Deer Park and please leave your feedback on this blog.

I would like to take a moment to thank the newsletter editor, my wife, Katie Duran. She diligently works on our newsletter and believes in the importance of serving you and this neighborhood.


Oscar Duran : Deer Park President

Forming the Deer Park Neighborhood Association

Rudy Novacek

This month's A Rich Past, pertains to the forming of the Deer Park Neighborhood Association (DPNA). After making a few phone calls and acquiring 1980’s Omaha Neighborhood Association directories, I learned the following about DPNA's founding. According to a former and long serving DPNA board member, DPNA was formed in efforts to protect the land where interstate I-80 now cuts through the neighborhood. I was informed that soon after the announcement of the interstate project, neighborhood advocates Rudy Novaceck and Frank Janiak filed to start a neighborhood association. By1982, our organization was in the Omaha Neighborhood Association Directory. It reports Mr. Janiak as the president with the neighborhood association boundaries set from 13^th street to 24^th street, and from C Street to Castelar.  Unfortunately, archives are missing the 1983 directory, but by 1984 Rudy Novacek was our president. In addition to his works with our community group, Rudy was also a founding member of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance and the Inner-City Coalition on the Environment (ICE). He served as an ICE board member for for nearly 15 years.

I would like to take a moment to thank Mr. Janiak, Mr. Novacek, and the other members that rallied to start DPNA. Their service to our city and community lives on as we continue to serve as they did. If you have any information that would add to this story please contact me and share your information. 

Oscar Duran: Deer Park President

Deer Park Recognized as an Omaha Neighborhood

I feel it is important that the first post of A Rich Past, address the Deer Park neighborhood’s recognition as an official neighborhood in Omaha,  Nebraska. According to city records, on May 13, 1886, owners and proprietors of the green space named Deer Park, approved their land be donated for the public use as the future Deer Park Neighborhood. Had it not been for these former land owner's generosity, it is possible that this neighborhood would not be here today. I located the 1886 Deer Park Neighborhood plat application that contained the neighborhood's proposed boundaries and the signatures of land owners, Anna M. G. McCornick and George T. Mills. Below you can the transfer statement, accompanied with Mrs. McConick and Mr. Mill's signatures.

Thus far, I have been able to learn much more of the two generous land owners, other than Mr. Mills, 5 years later, opened a real estate  office in the new Deer Park Neighborhood. The neighborhood was originally platted to house 242 property parcels within a  13 block area. The street boundaries were set at 15^th in the east, 20^th street in the west, north and adjacent of Spring,  and south and adjacent of Boulevard. If you look just below you can see the 1886 surveyed neighborhood boundaries. An interesting point that should be explored is that this plat of Deer Park was adjacent to the then infamous “Sheelytown”, a historic South Omaha Irish neighborhood.  

Oscar Duran: Deer Park President