Happy Halloween! This is such a busy time of the year, and Granada Hills is no exception! Thanks to everyone who participated in the semi-annual garage sale and the HOA Trunk-or-Treat event down at the park. Lots of little goblins were happy with the candy, the interactive games, and the bouncy houses.

We hope everyone will turn on their porch lights and open their doors for the trick-or-treaters this year. Our community of young ones is growing quite large, and the crowds in the street get bigger every year on Halloween. If you are out, please drive slow and watch for trick-or-treaters in the street.

We have more events in December. If you'd like to help with these, please let us know!

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Granada Hills HOA Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, December 7th, from 12-4pm. This event brings a variety of talented artists and artisans from in and around our neighborhood! Interested vendors (in or out of the neighborhood) should complete the registration form asap, as there are only five spots left! The HOA will provide hot chocolate and light snacks.

Neighbors: Please plan to attend and bring friends and family along! This event only works if we have lots of people coming to shop. Your support make such a difference! Also - we are looking for a talented neighbor to come play background music during the event. If you are interested, email Sara at Sara.headden@gmail.com.

We’re so excited to see so many residents playing pickleball at the beautiful Granada Park! To the right is Charles and Lisa Schmitz with friends Sue and Rusty Page after a game of pickleball. If you haven’t tried playing yet, here’s some basic information, including a link to a video tutorial, that will get you out on the court in less than 15 minutes!

• How do you play pickleball? Two or four players hit a plastic perforated ball over a net using paddles. The ball is served diagonally across the court and players try to rally the ball back and forth over the net, like tennis. Points are scored by the serving team when a player on the opposing team is unable to return the ball or hits it out of bounds or commit another fault (like hitting it out of the air from the no volley zone, aka kitchen).
• What is the net height for pickleball when using a tennis court net? A standard tennis net is 36 inches at the center. For pickleball, you can simply tighten the net strap to 34 inches at the center for pickleball. After play, don’t forget to adjust the center net strap back to 36 inches for the tennis players!
• Do I need formal lessons to get started? Nope! Lots of free resources are available online.
• Here is a Pickleball Rules Summary and a 10-min video tutorial.
• What equipment do I need? A paddle for each person and pickleballs. There are lots of options available – from cheap to fancy on Amazon or at any sporting goods store.

If you are an HOA member and need access to the court reservation system, please email tenniscourt@granadahoa.org.

Join your neighbors (out of shape parents of young children) for the first annual Granada Hills half marathon, 10K or 5K on Saturday, November 16! All events start at the park near the basketball courts.

Times:

Half marathon: 8 AM

10k: 9 AM

5k: 9:30 AM

Potluck block party: 11 AM (but really post race)

If you're interested in running, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/b9m9CTSzngFRSdzq7

NOTE: This is not an HOA event, but is being organized by a group of residents who are passionate about fitness and wanted to put together an event where more neighbors could join together for a shared run through the neighborhood. Please direct any questions to Alex Navarro: anavarro@theroninsociety.com

The Oak Hill Parkway Project (OHPP) recently shifted all traffic to the frontage roads between Convict Hill and Scenic Brook, and will soon be doing the same for the stretch between Scenic Brook and Circle Drive. This means that we will no longer be able to turn left into of out of our neighborhood at El Rey and 290. While this change may feel uncomfortable, we might as well get used to it, because it is here to stay.

We are listening! Over 80% of the survey respondents indicated that pool, park, & playground maintenance was very important to them. The HOA is constantly working to address ongoing needs in this area. Recently, the posts for the tennis court net failed, and thanks to the quick response from volunteers Scott and Gina Budd, the posts were replaced in a matter of days, allowing our tennis aficionados to get back to what they do best! We are also looking to bring some improvements to the basketball court soon, so that they remain safe and functional.

The survey link (below) will remain open for any resident who would like to complete it and have their voice heard. We will revisit any new information received during our board meetings.

• You may vote at any Vote Center in Travis County where the “Vote Here/Aqui” sign is displayed.
• VoteTravis.com has information on upcoming/current elections, including sample ballots, voting guide, places you can vote (with green/ yellow/re to show wait times at the locations)
• Texas requires voter identification with some exceptions. The best ID is your Texas drivers’ license/Texas ID Card/Military ID or Passport
  

The Granada Hills HOA Board meets once a month to discuss updates and needs of the neighborhood, respond to requests from committees, plan events, and vote on any expenditures or other changes. If you would like to attend a meeting, reach out to board@granadahills.org.

Calling ALL holiday shoppers! Bring out your friends and family to support local artists in and around Granada Hills. You can get some holiday shopping done as well! Please email Sara Headden, our volunteer Craft Fair Coordinator, at Sara.headden@gmail.com with any questions.

Mark your calendars for a visit from Santa Claus, right here in Granada Hills!

Nicolle Ramia is an accomplished photographer who spends her mornings strolling through the streets of Granada Hills, capturing so much of its beauty with her camera. She has graciously shared some of her work here, as a reminder of how special this place is. Nicolle will be at the Holiday Craft Fair on 12/7. Please stop by her booth and see more of her fabulous work!

Check out more of Nicolle's work at https://www.facebook.com/FourHeartsMarketingandEvents

Thank you for becoming a member of the HOA! Your membership and participation is what helps keep our neighborhood running smoothly. As a reminder, your dues pay for….

• Community events, like 4th of July, It's My Park Day & Movie Nights
• Holiday events like the Easter Celebration, Trunk-or-Treat, Craft Fair and Santa in the Park
• Park improvements: Mural, Granada Hills sign, gaga pit, etc.
• Lawn care, tree care, and landscaping in shared park spaces
• Lights around the basketball and tennis court
• Streetlights at Gallant Fox (north and south) and FM 1826, making those intersections safer
• Water in shared park spaces
• Playscape maintenance and improvements
• Tennis court upkeep (and new pickleball lines)
• Property taxes and garbage collection for the park
• Port-a-potty at the park
• Neighborhood safety efforts, like the radar feedback speed limit sign
• Welcome gifts for new families moving in
• And many other things we all enjoy and benefit from

We are a volunteer-run organization, and we rely on volunteer memberships to cover costs. Please help us increase membership and make Granada Hills even better! Be sure to talk to your neighbors about the work that we do and encourage them to join or get involved. Membership forms can be found at https://www.granadahillshoa.org/membership.

The Circle C Varsity generation is a city run program open to anyone that would like to attend, 50+ are welcome. The service is free, courtesy of city of Austin.

Please contact Maria Del Carmen, Activities Specialist for the program, at Maria.DelCarmen@austintexas.gov with questions.

Yellowbird is an Austin-based company that makes delicious hot sauces, and they have donated some to the HOA! We will include a full size bottle in our welcome bags, and smaller trial sizes will be handed out on Halloween and at the Craft Fair. Come get you some! You can check out all their cool stuff at https://www.yellowbirdfoods.com/

Want to place an ad? Reach out to board@granadahillshoa.org for more information and pricing. Kids' advertising is FREE!