WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009

From Our Family To Yours: Happy Thanksgiving!

The true value of Thanksgiving comes from counting your blessings and receiving the gift of love from family and friends. In this holiday weekend, the employees of the City of Coral Gables would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving with a message of gratitude for your support throughout a difficult year. As a reminder, the offices at City Hall and other city facilities will be closed Thursday and Friday.  Garbage, trash and recycling collection service will be made on schedule this week. The Coral Gables Trolley service will not operate Thursday and Friday, but will resume on schedule on Monday. Please have a safe and joyful Thanksgiving!

Gables Ranks As Having 10th Lowest Millage Rate

Out of all the cities, towns and villages in Miami-Dade County (excluding Islandia), Coral Gables residents benefit from having the 10th lowest millage rate for fiscal year 2010. It is worth noting that the City’s ranking did not change from the previous year. The information was derived from the Adopted Millage Rate Report released by the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser’s Office.

Downtown To Offer Free Valet Parking
For Patrons With Disabilities

The Business Improvement District of Coral Gables (BID), in collaboration with the City of Coral Gables, is launching a pilot program making free valet parking available for patrons with valid disabled permits. Set to launch December 1, the program will run for three months and will operate through the valet parking companies in Downtown Coral Gables. This program will benefit citizens with disabilities in order to make their shopping and dining experience in Coral Gables less stressful and more enjoyable. For more information, please contact the BID at 305-569-0311 or click here.  

Dine Under The Stars On Restaurant Row

The City of Coral Gables encourages you to shop local, eat local. December 4 is the beginning of a monthly special event at Restaurant Row (100 block of Giralda Avenue between Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Galiano Street) where you’ll enjoy fine dining and live entertainment. During the first Friday of every month for the next six months, you can enjoy Giralda Under The Stars, a special time from 6 p.m. until midnight when the street filled with local restaurants will be closed to vehicular traffic, allowing pedestrians to enjoy an evening stroll under the stars. Ten Coral Gables restaurants and bars will extend their dining rooms onto the street in a celebration of Restaurant Row’s culinary options, offering live music and entertainment. For more information about Giralda Under the Star’s, including a list of participating restaurants, click here. 

Santa Is Coming To Town On December 4

He’s making a list and he’s checking it twice: Santa Claus is coming to City Hall on Friday, December 4 for the 2009 Holiday Spectacular. The official kick-off for this year’s festivities begin at 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. with a night full of activities including carnival games and rides, face painting, cartoon artist, candy land park, the Village of Merrick Park Yuletide Carolers and special presentations by Miami Children’s Theater, Actors’ Playhouse and Maria Verdeja School of the Arts. But nothing is as exciting as the arrival of Santa on a fire truck at 7 p.m. to join the members of the City Commission for the lighting of the giant tree placed in front of City Hall. Bring your children to meet the jolly old fella with the white beard to tell him they’ve been never naughty, always nice. For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600. 

Burger Bob's Look Is Updated

No wonder The New Times selected Burger Bob’s as the Best Deal in Coral Gables in its 2009 Best of Miami issue. Where else in Coral Gables can you get a cheeseburger for a reasonable price and an amazing view of the Granada Golf Course? The eatery known as Burger Bob’s is a great place for locals to get a homemade breakfast and lunch. Robert Maguire, the operator of the café, has been leasing the space from the City of Coral Gables for close to 16 years. If you’re a regular of the eatery you’ll notice that the place has recently been improved with new tables, chairs and counter stools, as well as new flooring. Burger Bob’s, located at 2001 Granada Boulevard, is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  

Water Renaissance Project Continues
At Maynada Bridge

The Water Renaissance Project, which held its first successful Gables by the Bay Regatta fundraising event in October, is continuing with its mission at other City bridges. Crews have been doing a great jog helping clear the plant overgrowth around the Maynada Bridge, in preparation for a fresh coat of paint and new landscaping. Neighbors, sponsors and volunteers began working with the City this summer in a public/private partnership to paint and renovate the City’s bridges. As a result, the Granada Bridge has been repainted in a style that replicates years of natural weathering and more in tune with the Mediterranean look sought by city founder George Merrick. There’s great interest in the community to participate: the October regatta through the Gables waterway welcomed 145 competitors on paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes, raising in excess of $20,000 toward the restoration of the City’s waterways. For more information on how to become involved, contact the Water Renaissance project at 305-740-2922 or click here. 

Coral Gables Television
Wins Three Silver Davey Awards

Continuing with its reputation for providing high quality television programming, Coral Gables Television was recently awarded three Silver 2009 Davey Awards from the International Academy of the Visual Arts. The awards were given to “NewsDesk,” the weekly news reports about City Commission updates and most recent events concerning the Coral Gables community; “Golden Gables,” a monthly report about seniors living in Coral Gables; and “Our Gables: Our Schools,” an inside look at all the public schools in our community. The 2009 Davey Awards competition received over 4,000 entries from small firms around the world. David defeated the giant Goliath with a big idea and a little rock and each Davey Award is an accomplishment honoring the achievements of the “Creative Davids” who derive strength from big ideas, rather than giant budgets. 

Rotary Centennial Park Gets Makeover

Rotary Centennial Park at 512 Ponce de Leon Boulevard has received approximately $100,000 worth of improvements. The former passive park now has new playground equipment and play sculpture, synthetic safety surfacing, concrete walkways, aluminum fence, landscape improvements and two new light poles. Funding for this project was provided by Miami-Dade County’s Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond. 

Flags On Ponce Celebrate
Our International Community

The flags on Ponce de Leon Boulevard are a stunning visual display of Coral Gables’ rich diversity and the focal point of our international business community. Every year, flags from over 120 countries are flown along Ponce de Leon Boulevard from December through June. The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce is currently maintaining the program with the help of the city to recognize the significant number of consulates and multinationals that call Coral Gables home. The program began in 1993 and is now supported through the help of adopt-a-flag sponsors interested in showcasing Coral Gables’ international character.  For information on how to participate, contact the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce at 305-446-1657.