Candlelight Plaza has legacy of neighborhood protection

Candlelight Plaza is one of two "plaza" neighborhoods north of Garden Oaks, the other being Shepherd Park Plaza. Candlelight is the smaller of the two with a total of 308 homes. This deed restricted neighborhood is characterized by a series of cul-de-sacs which line Bethlehem street. Candlelight Plaza is bounded by Pinemont on the north, Ella Blvd. on the west, Brinkman on the east, and Shepherd Park Plaza on the south. Its substantial one and two story brick homes and tree-lined streets were developed around the mid 1960s and became known as a family-oriented neighborhood. Many of the street names contain the word candle, such as Candlelight, Candletree, Candlemist, Twin Candles.

The Candlelight Plaza Civic Club was established in 1965 and became very active in neighborhood issues. The Albert family was among the first residents to join the civic club when it began 41 year ago. Tiny Albert and her husband Joseph are still active in the club, and are typical of many original homeowners there who have worked over the years to maintain the integrity of the neighborhood. Tiny says her duties with the civic club include collecting dues and delivering the newsletter, and recently helping to arrange a co-op garage sale. She says the neighborhood has always been a friendly place to live. "Many of our early members have passed on," she says, "but I am glad to see the younger people who have moved here fixing up the homes and bringing families back into the neighborhood."

There is a trend of people who grew up in the neighborhood returning to start families. They like its convenient location: its close proximity to downtown Houston and the Galleria. Durham Elementary is on the edge of the neighborhood, and a middle school and high school are nearby. These residents prefer living in an updated four bedroom ranch style home, with remodeled kitchens and bathrooms and shiny wood floors. They have to spend only 15 minutes getting to their downtown jobs.

Candlelight Plaza and Shepherd Park Plaza have become famous for their huge Christmas light spectacles, which are displayed by about 80% of the residents. So many spectators come to view the displays that buses are used to give tours of the neighborhoods. Themes have included Christmas around the world, carousels, manger scenes and other decorative displays. The subdivisions hire officers to direct traffic through the neighborhood when the number of visitors becomes overwhelming.

Plaza Moms is another case of the two "plaza" neighborhoods joining forces to improve quality of life. The group was founded to give support, camaraderie and friendship to mothers of the neighborhoods, so that they can grow as parents and their children can enjoy the the benefits of making new friends. They conduct seasonal family events and ongoing services to mothers in the neighborhood.

The residents of Candlelight Plaza have been persistent over the decades in their efforts to maintain and protect their neighborhood. Now their legacy is passed on to the newer homeowners to continue the same efforts and keep it a pleasant place to live.

(Near Northwest Banner, November 2, 2006)