Chicago has its commercial stretch downtown called “The Magnificent Mile.” If you have money to spend and time to shop, it is a pleasurable experience to explore the variety of retail shops there.
Our Holliday Park circle is another kind of mile, magnificent in other noted ways. Many people have walked this mile from Fountain Boulevard, venturing shortly onto Wildwood, and circling around to the end (or beginning) of Spring Valley. This is the living mile of talking and listening, of gardening and giving, of meditating and sharing.
This is the measured mile of exercise or bicycling that improves health and disposition, with neighbors from nearby offices, across the street from our co-op, walking lunchtime minutes away in nice weather. Hellos and smiles pop up and flourish as worries disappear.
This mile is remarkable for its lack of commercialization, with homemade chocolate chip cookies or stuffed peppers about midway through the mile—you must become friends with the person who has them! Some members of Holliday Park seek the aesthetic experience of inhaling and viewing the lovely roses in Lot 18 or the lightly euphoric scent of lilacs on both sides of the street near Lot 12. Walkers might wear jaunty hats and gravitate to the walkway under the tree-roofs that shade at least one-third of the mile in the co-op. Some place themselves openly in the sun, drinking it all up and taking it inside, to others and to their tasks.
The mile, of course, takes on the look of the current season: emerging greens of springtime, with daffodils, tulips, violets, lilacs, and flowering trees; the full bloom and beauty of summertime; the colorful glory of autumn; or the stark, brisk, and white cold of winter with its occasional soft snows that attract those who must play outside. People here at Holliday Park choose their favorite times to view this mile of ours: early morning quiet, the midst of daytime activity, a lazy afternoon, or evening-reflection on the day’s work.
Somewhere on this circular mile is a friend for you, or if you prefer, at least an acquaintance who knows who you are. It’s not hard to find the gathering places on this mile of co-op property: your friend’s house, the clubhouse Monday morning coffee (an old-fashioned financial bargain), the summertime resort-pool, the card and movie clubs, committee work sessions, and specially-planned social events.
You could live a full life, without a car, within our magnificent mile, as you take advantage of all its pleasures! You are here! Have fun!
The whole concept of cooperative living, which is what Holliday Park is classified as, is built on a solid foundation of intelligent money management, by a conservative Board of Directors who are elected to their positions by a vote of the membership. Each member has purchased one share in a Corporation, which entitles this person to one vote, and equity in one unit, chosen from a selection of many styles. The units and clubhouse facilities are all maintained by the corporation. Fiscal responsibility is the key to keeping costs down. One smart way to keep your carrying charges low is to have members do some of the clerical and other work that would otherwise have to be contracted out to paid employees.
Our cooperative has been very successful, and we are now MORTGAGE-FREE at Holliday Park because the members who were chosen over all these 34 plus years, to serve on the Board, or on one of the many Committees, have endorsed a “pay as you go” philosophy. It has worked well. However, silently and with great sacrifice, the original occupants of this community, decided early on, to make a commitment to assist Holliday Park , in any way possible. What did they hope to achieve by giving their time and bringing their ethics and expertise to Holliday Park? A thriving and happy place to be, that was family- friendly, filled with activities, and affordable; these were the lofty goals that were set by the first groups of cooperative members. Many of these ORIGINAL MEMBERS are still at Holliday Park, and we turn to them for advice and direction, all these years later. However, the real reason that we are solvent, updated, eco-friendly, and well-maintained, today, in 2008, is because of our generous, humble-hearted, valiant and committed members, who take on huge challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth.
There is a label that fits the description of such people. Labels are not always kind, fair or even deserved. THIS LABEL is a good thing. It fits these fine people and celebrates them. The following offering, taken LETTER by LETTER, is a definition of spirit and attitude that depicts individuals who are consummate human beings. They are the true foundation, upon which, Holliday Park Townhouses, Cooperative, has flourished and thrived. We salute and celebrate them here, and always.
V You show up, the Very moment the cooperative need s you most.
O You look for Opportunities to give a helping hand.
L You are Listening when soft words ask for help.
U You Understand progress and work to keep our cooperative growing and going forward.
N You NEVER want or need recognition for the good things you do for others.
T You Take every challenge and make it a blessing, with hard work and a positive attitude.
E You believe that Everything is possible-You help all of us to believe it.
E You Encourage others with your dedication and tireless effort.
R You Reach out to take the burden from those who came before, and gave so much
