Omaha’s Dundee-Memorial Park neighborhood is one of the nation’s 10 best, according to annual rankings published by a nonprofit community development group.

The American Planning Association cited the midtown neighborhood for its “varied residential architecture, strong sense of community and ongoing commitment of residents to care for and beautify the neighborhood.”

Association officials also pointed to the neighborhood’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and its amenities: public spaces, parks, shopping and upscale homes.

Dundee was an early Omaha suburb, built at the end of a streetcar line.

The planning group noted the hundreds of flower baskets that hang from restored historic street lamps, thanks to residents’ efforts; the waiting list for the neighborhood garden; and plans for a community orchard. Volunteers tend street island gardens and staff special events.

The honor for Dundee “just gives more reinforcement to what we already know, but it certainly tells everybody else the great things that we’re doing here,” said Dave Schinzel, president of the Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association. “It’s the people living here who are responsible for the things we are doing.”

The organization’s nine other “great neighborhoods” for 2011 are: Gold Coast and Hamburg Historic District, Davenport, Iowa; Swan Lake, Tulsa, Okla.; Highland Park, Birmingham, Ala.; Northbrae, Berkeley, Calif.; Ansley Park, Atlanta, Ga.; the Pullman Neighborhood, Chicago; Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood, Hattiesburg, Miss.; German Village, Columbus, Ohio; and College Hill, Providence, R.I.

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