Editorial by Bobby Tingle

 

Have you been down Green Avenue lately? According to my map Green Avenue at 16^th Street will take you east to the City of Orange Boat Ramp.

The distance is roughly one and a half miles. I was surprised to find out one of my co-workers rarely travels that stretch. So in case you are in the same camp, let me remind you of all that is there.

At our starting point you can do your personal banking. Checking accounts and loans are available. You can have your car maintained with an oil change, tire rotation or repair service.

Parents of middle school age children are surely familiar with this stretch of Orange. The West Orange Middle School campus is a buzz of activity on any school day. During football season, the practice fields can fill with players, coaches and families gathered to watch and visit. A couple of West Orange Stark graduates organized a Neighborhood Olympics recently to promote health and bring the community together.

As parents leave the school, they can stop at a gym for a workout, ship packages, update their insurance, pick-up or drop off their dry cleaning and see about having their favorite shoes shined or repaired.

From there, you cross the railroad tracks where you can pick-up your favorite adult beverages, enjoy some down home cooking, fill your tank with gas and pick up a snack.

The renovation of the Historic Orange Train Depot is progressing and excepted to be completed by the end of this month. The Friends of the Orange Depot have worked hard raising funds for the renovation. Denim and Diamonds is their annual gala benefit and is scheduled for tonight at VFW Post 8775. Funds from ticket sales and a silent auction will continue to propel the progress of their renovation of this historic landmark.

Cross Tenth Street and you are not far from an opportunity to update your appliances, have some body work done to your auto, update your insurance and check on job prospects.

Continuing on in the next block is a beautiful historic landmark, First Presbyterian Church. First Presbyterian Church was one the first buildings to be air conditioned in our great country. Just across the street is your opportunity to find that special home décor item to decorate your home for the holidays.

The City of Orange and the Convention and Visitors Bureau is usually alive with activity and let’s hope the Fire Department not far away is quiet and peaceful.

Next on your list is either the Stark Museum of Art, Lutcher Theatre for Performing Arts, W. H. Stark House or some quiet time of reading at the Orange County Library.

Not far away you can enjoy one of the best sandwiches in town and tour the Heritage History Museum. Our Community Calendar has a number of productions coming to Orange Community Players and when they are not busy chances are something is going on at the Riverfront Pavillion in Ochiltree Inman Park.

While you are in the area during business hours, don’t forget your office supplies or lawn and garden supplies. Back on Green you are in the right place to pick up the mail at your post office box or send that special gift to that special someone. Come around the corner and you can stop at Congressman Babin’s office, the Lamar – Orange bookstore or have your transmission serviced, repaired or replaced.

I witnessed one of the more humorous events in my life recently at American Legion Post 49 Saturday. If you have never seen three adults racing on tricycles you should, especially if it benefits an organization like CASA of the Sabine Neches Region.

The City of Orange Boat Ramp is pretty close at that point in our one and a half mile journey through Orange.

I suspect you will not be able to enjoy all these benefits in a day. I did not even mention the sprawling and growing Lamar Orange campus, the law offices, legal buildings, county offices and police department.

Which reminds me of a host of other places north and south of our path.

My space won’t allow a comprehensive look at the area in this edition.

Here’s hoping you will be inspired to explore on your own!

 

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.