As a steward of the environment, Buse saw no better way to honor her sons than through bringing new life to the lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up in rural Texas, so trees have just always had a soft spot in my heart,\u201d Buse said. \u201cI think it\u2019s extremely important that we protect our environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the years, Buse noticed the park, along with the weed-ridden common area, needed some TLC. The greenery and shrubs that had long thrived at Oakhurst Park were dying, Buse said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Buse and her then husband took it upon themselves to create landscaping plans for the neighborhood\u2019s green space common areas, plant trees, haul water and donate material for their upkeep before installing an irrigation system.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Picture2.jpg\")
Sharon Kutilek Buse pictured in 1979 with her first son at the Bluebonnet Common Area in the Oakhurst neighborhood. (Courtesy | Sharon Kutilek Buse)<\/p>\n
This led to them adopting the Bluebonnet Common Area years later \u2014 her sons\u2019 trees still stand there.<\/p>\n
Her love and care for the neighborhood\u2019s green spaces also extended to Oakhurst Park, which she adopted in 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Buse\u2019s work across the neighborhood and her dedication to local green spaces earned her recognition in the Fort Worth Report\u2019s weekly series, 52 Faces of Community<\/a>, highlighting Tarrant County\u2019s unsung heroes.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love my neighborhood,\u201d Buse said. \u201cI can\u2019t sit around and watch things deteriorate. I always think I can fix it or make it better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSharon is one of those major pillars of the community and brings everyone together.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauren Smith, Oakhurst resident and former Friends of Oakhurst Park board member<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Following the adoption, Buse helped replace the park\u2019s grass, launched a reforestation project, provided trees to Oakhurst residents and replaced the playground\u2019s equipment. On some of those initiatives, Buse received help from Fort Worth\u2019s park and recreation department and the Texas A&M Forest Service.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have something as special as Oakhurst (Park) you should protect it,\u201d Buse said.<\/p>\n Buse described the park\u2019s improvements since she moved here in 1973 as significant.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou can definitely see the change in the park,\u201d Buse said. \u201cIt was in pretty bad shape.\u201d<\/p>\n Nowadays, the park bustles with people of all ages using the area for several purposes: exercising, walking, playing. Its trees are healthy \u2014 and the park is in the best shape it has seen for a long time, Buse said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful. It\u2019s mowed and edged. It\u2019s just pristine,\u201d Buse said. \u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful place to go, whereas a lot of neighborhood parks are not.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bluebonnet Common Area has also gained more traffic as it is now equipped with a bench and a drinking station for residents and pets to use, Buse said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Buse went on to head more projects after she launched the Friends of Oakhurst Park<\/a> in late 2015.<\/p>\n Lauren Smith, an Oakhurst resident and former Friends of Oakhurst Park board member, spent about three years working with Buse in the organization. She recalls how the group raised thousands of dollars to be poured into the park.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor a very small neighborhood park, it\u2019s a big deal,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n Since being founded, the group and Buse spearheaded several projects, including installing safety signage, preserving playground equipment and adding ADA-compliant sidewalks and amenities.<\/p>\n Know an unsung hero in Tarrant County?<\/p>\n Tell us about them by filling out the form below. <\/p>\n Smith recalled when Buse and the group helped raise money to replace Oakhurst Park\u2019s playground equipment beginning in 2021. Buse was instrumental in getting city staffers on board while ensuring the park was not overdeveloped, Smith said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s always thinking about different ways to get in-the-neighborhood and out-of-the-neighborhood support for the park,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n More recently, Friends of Oakhurst Park launched an eastern bluebird nesting box project. Earlier this month, the group partnered with the Texas Bluebird Society and the Fort Worth Audubon Society to install bird boxes at the park. The eastern bluebird is the city\u2019s official bird<\/a>.<\/p>\n Buse hopes that the project will inspire other neighborhoods to look into nesting efforts and, ultimately, help rebuild the eastern bluebird population. Friends of Oakhurst Park plans to educate other parts of Fort Worth about the colorful birds.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to do our best to do our part,\u201d Buse said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Smith commends Buse for the bluebird project and her other work because it helps children and people of all ages become more engaged with their surroundings.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a pretty great example of Sharon\u2019s coalition building,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just people at the city or people that are able to give money to (Friends of Oakhurst Park). She gets kids involved as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Report\u2019s environment coverage is supported by the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation.<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Picture7.png\")
Oakhurst Park features flower beds, a playground and is undergoing a reforestation project. (Courtesy | Sharon Kutilek Buse)<\/p>\n