WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010

Grant Is Awarded For Pedestrian Education Program

Miami-Dade County has the highest incidence of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in Florida, which ranked first among the states in number of crashes as well as per capita pedestrian crashes in recent years. Studies have shown that the implementation of a comprehensive pedestrian safety program is associated with a significant reduction in pedestrian crashes, particularly among adult and child pedestrians. Luckily, the City of Coral Gables has been awarded a $66,200 grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund a Pedestrian Education Program. The funds are to be used to educate the public on pedestrian safety to avoid the most common behavior-related concerns such as motorists failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections; motorists making right turns on a red light; unaccompanied children walking to school; and pedestrians crossing against the traffic signal or at midblock between parked cars. The Police Department will use educational brochures to reach a wide range of age groups and will establish a warning period followed by enforcement efforts to keep pedestrians and motorists safe. For additional information, contact the Police Department at 305-460-5502. 

Park To Be Renamed After Late Community Leader

On February 10, 2010, the Coral Gables City Commission gave its consent to rename Washington Park as “William Alexander Cooper Park,” a fitting tribute to a man who worked tirelessly to protect and preserve his community. The park is located on 4920 Washington Drive in the Golden Gate Subdivision, just a few blocks away from where Cooper spent his life as a strong advocate for community safety and improvements. He was the founder and president of the Lola B. Walker Homeowners Association of Coral Gables and was instrumental in placing the MacFarlane Homestead Subdivision Historic District on both the Coral Gables Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. Cooper also served as a member of several city boards including the Coral Gables Citizens’ Crime Watch and the Code Enforcement Board. Born in 1929 to Bahamian immigrants, he continued to live in the same Washington Drive neighborhood with his wife Leona until his death in 2008. A date for the rededication ceremony of William Alexander Cooper Park will be announced in future e-News bulletins. 

Check Inspection Status
Through New Automated Phone System

To improve customer service, the City of Coral Gables has implemented a new interactive voice response system that allows users to retrieve information regarding the status of their city inspections from any touch-tone telephone. Customers just need to dial 305-722-8700 to check on the status of an inspection from Building and Zoning, Fire, Historical Resources and Public Works Departments. Users need both a customer number and a permit identification number to access a variety of pre-recorded voice prompts and options regarding the status of their inspections. The new service also provides a list of inspections available for scheduling, allowing the user to schedule, reschedule or cancel an inspection. This interactive system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The City of Coral Gables also has a web-based online service that offers inspection status and scheduling as well as permit and other related information. This online service is available at the City’s website at www.coralgables.com. 

Bacardi Moves Headquarters To Coral Gables

City leaders extended the welcome mat to Bacardi U.S.A. and its employees during the recent opening of its new state-of-the-art headquarters in Coral Gables. The presence of Bacardi in Downtown Coral Gables reinforces the City’s reputation as the preferred multinational corporate capital of South Florida. Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick presented a proclamation declaring February 4, 2010, as Bacardi Day in Coral Gables. The new building, located on the corner of LeJeune Road and Almeria Avenue, will house more than 300 Bacardi employees which were previously spread throughout seven different buildings across South Florida. The 15-story Mediterranean-styled building occupies approximately 230,000 sq. ft. of Class A office space and is currently being evaluated for the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) building certification. Bacardi U.S.A. is the import, sales, and marketing arm of one of the world’s leading wine and spirits producers.  

Protecting Your Trees From The Cold Weather

With the recent cold weather, many of the City’s signature palms and trees have been affected. Cold-weather damage can cause trees to lose leaves and palm fronds and coconuts may begin to fall. This is a natural reaction to freezing temperatures and a process that needs to take its course. Before the City of Coral Gables can go out to trim this affected vegetation, it is important to determine the level of injury to the bud tissue inside the trunk. This can be observed when there’s new growth on these trees. Removal of dead fronds or brown branches before this may hinder the plant’s ability to recover. The dead leaves around the heart of the palm keep it warm and insulated, giving it a couple more degrees of cold tolerance. Thankfully, there are a number of measures one can take to encourage the survival of palms and trees. Residents should water their parkways on appropriate days to ensure the plants have water available to them as they begin to flush out new leaves. Wait to fertilize the damaged plants until the summer rainy season for better growing conditions. Fertilization may negatively affect the long-term health of these plants. Most importantly, be patient and remember that injured plants require an entire spring and summer season to begin their recovery. If you have a question regarding damaged plants located on City property, contact the Public Service Department at 305-460-5131. 

Recruiting Now For Census Takers In Coral Gables

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census to work in the Coral Gables area. These short-term jobs offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training, and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses, such as mileage incurred while conducting census work. Census taker jobs are excellent for people who want to work part-time, those who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community. Testing for these positions will be held on February 26 and March 9 starting at 12 noon at Coral Gables City Hall, 405 Biltmore Way. The application and testing process takes approximately four hours. To schedule an appointment, call 786-314-7550. 

Reserve Your Space For Spring Break Camps

Schools will be closed in Miami-Dade County from March 29 through April 5, 2010 and now is the time to reserve your space at the War Memorial Youth Center’s Spring Break camps. Our camps include fieldtrips, games, and educational experiences that will give your child everlasting happy memories. A variety of choices include Club P.L.A.Y. Camps (kindergarten to fifth grade), Art Camp (7-14 years old), Tennis Camp at the William H. Kerdyk/Biltmore Tennis Center (6-16 years old), High Performance Tennis Camp (10-18 years old), Theater Camp (7-12 years old), and Gymnastics Camp (boys and girls ages 3-15 years old). Times vary from half-day to full-days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The War Memorial Youth Center is located at 405 University Drive. For more information, click here.