Oakland Park, The City on the Move.

Known as “The City on the Move,” astronaut Brent Jett graduated from Northeast High School located in Oakland Park. This famous alumnus has been on three space shuttle missions. No one knew sleepy Oakland Park, original home of Porky’s, would become such a desirable place to live.

On the drawing board are blueprints for a new downtown that will have pedestrian-friendly streets, shops and parks. New townhomes and condominium complexes are also in Oakland Park’s future and surrounding neighborhoods including North Andrews Gardens, and Twin Lakes have been annexed to make Oakland Park’s population mark at more than 42,000 residents. Oakland Park residents are achieving results other Ft. Lauderdale communities still plan for. Five residents living in the eastern area of Oakland Park, now part of The Corals of Oakland Park, banded together to form a Home Owner’s Association and thus the acronym COPHA was formed.

The area includes residential homes from Oakland Park Boulevard to Commercial Boulevard and from Federal Highway to Dixie Highway. Oakland Park. Recently an area south of Oakland Park Boulevard opted to be included and so it joined COPHA ranks. Other areas of Oakland Park emulate this active community association.

Oakland Park neighborhoods include transplants from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey and more lately an influx of folks from New York.

Many residents have added their own touch ups to enhance what literally were plain concrete block- houses. Individual homeowners added more personality to their residences by tiling floors, painting exterior walls, rebuilding kitchens and bathrooms and installing swimming pools. It’s a “butterfly friendly” community with woods that act as a buffer to nearby traffic. Condominiums started to appear in the l960s, helping the area gain population. Rentals are available here, as are homes that are for sale.

What attracted transplants to this part of town include its schools, proximity to shopping and houses of worship and the Oakland Park’s tennis center and fitness court. The convenience of having six state-of-the-art clay courts is a lure that attracts many residents. The courts are well maintained and attract good players. Enough time to play a match is allotted to players who include tennis in their daily or weekly schedule.

Not to be overlooked is the Richard E. Guisti Heart Par course, which is a park with a fitness trail tucked into a grove of slash pine trees. The fitness trail is one-mile with 20 fitness stations. Fitness enthusiasts can be found using the trail all days from early morning to late at night.

Nearby elementary, middle and high school as well as several houses of worship are family and children friendly.

What was referred to by residents years ago, as a city made of disparate areas, Oakland Park is fast becoming one of the fastest growing communities in South Florida.