A Brief History of TONA.

The Frist TONA Invite Party was on – 5/20/75

Good attendance and dues contributed. (Walked away with $$ to open back account) Dues were $2 per person, $1 for seniors. Study groups formed, officers elected, and meeting dates set for the third Monday of odd numbers months.

Committee of 3 to help with issues that come up in the neighborhood.

Board member Bob Martin working from a site map of the neighborhood created the 52 routes and counted the houses on each route.  The original boundaries – Colusa, Solano, Arlington and Kensington Border.  Bob was circulation director till 1985, estimated he counted 461,700 copies.

1975 - First social event – Arts and Crafts Fair with 20 artists participating.

3/1976 – First battle – barricades suggested for the Neighborhood Traffic Study.

5/1976 – First Expansion – Colusa/Frenso/ West side of Alameda.

9/1976 – First joint venture – Halloween window painting with Merchants Association. (Bill Ortman was chair and whitewashed all the windows. Each child got a packet of chalk with robions)

3/1977 – First candidates Night - NEBA to Solano / Peralta Neighborhood Association. NEBA was started by the woman who started the triangle park.

9/1977 – Measure Y School Park - Groundbreaking, many meetings, planning, construction (Elizabeth Sklut, Ruth Margoles, Principal Caleguri)

77 / 85 - First Wheels Parade – 4th of July with 100 decorated vehicles or anything with wheels. The parade was lead by Mr. Ortman and his old time ice cream truck with music and prizes. 

1977 – Thousands Oaks Walking Tour – Trish history of the neighborhood – very successful and repeated every few years.

1978 – Flea Market – to School – Park 32 families.

Zoning issues – 5 years in the making to Re zone Solano

1980 - Park and Shop expansion at 860 The Alameda Liquor store was named Boltons.

1980 – Teen Dances – 7th and 8th grades – 125 kids with a DJ the admission was $1.00. They did it 4 times a year for 3 years. Dance took place at the school. TONA has liability insurance. 

1984 – TONA expansion suggested to the north of Solano and west of Colusa with added 400 residences. Only 2 responses and not enough interest.  Don’t know when the expansion occurred or it was approved, but Zelda was on the Board in 1992.

1985 – Meeting regarding homelessness in our city.

1988 – New zoning ordinance on Solano with a limit on Restaurants.

1990 – Earthquake Preparation Meeting

1990/91 – 2-year lapse in TONA meetings renewed by Ira Serkes in 1991 and the newsletters resumed.

1992 – Measure A – Thousand Oaks School to be rebuilt. Ongoing controversy with BAHA and landmark status. TONA spent a lot of time and effort to oppose BAHA and get a new school. 

1993 TONA Garden Tour

1995 – School Rebuilding and Creek Restoration

1999 – Masonic Lodge went out of business and turned in to residences & the addition of the Chevron Station.

2002 Inaugural year of the Golden Acorn.

2003 Bylaw revision

2009 – First Ice Cream Social as well as discussion

2010 – One-hundredth anniversary of the neighborhood was celebrated with a poster competition.  

2011 Urb Project was Started with the first urn installed 9/2011

Interesting Topics for Meetings

Backyard Birds

Going Solar Coexisting with Wildlife

The Original Residence

Creating Community

Surviving El Nino

Local Author Night

Community Opportunity

Local Trivia Night