WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010

Ribbon Cutting To Celebrate
Restoration Of Country Club Prado

A ribbon cutting ceremony, scheduled for noon on Tuesday, January 26 will celebrate the newly completed restoration of the Country Club Prado entrance. Country Club Prado is one of the most beautiful entrances in Coral Gables and a favorite backdrop for wedding photographs. The Country Club Prado entrance, located at Red Road (S.W. 57th Avenue) and Eighth Street, has gone through substantial renovations of its monuments and fountains costing approximately $860,000. The work restored all the entrances columns, archways, balustrades, pool and the two pedestal fountains that adorn one of the most elaborate and magnificent entrances of the city. All the light fixtures, pool and fountain equipment have been replaced. The entrance now has a new gravel surface and new concrete parking to the east and west of the south fountain. Funding for this project was provided by Miami-Dade County’s Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond.  The original Country Club Prado entrance was completed in 1927. For more information on the upcoming ribbon cutting ceremony, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 305-460-5205. 

City To Beautify Intersection  

Shortly after arriving in Coral Gables as the new City Manager, Pat Salerno noticed how pleasant a drive down LeJeune Road can be, until reaching Ingraham Highway. On the southeast corner of LeJeune Road and Ingraham Highway is a small triangular paved property with an unsightly concrete pole supporting a traffic signal which attracts graffiti on a regular basis. With a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective, the City Manager quickly realized the intersection was out of character with the rest of the City Beautiful. As part of the City’s ongoing beautification efforts, Salerno requested improvements be made to this piece of City property. In the next few weeks, Public Service Department crews plan to tear out the asphalt, install an irrigation system and add landscaping. Climbing vines will be planted at the base of the pole to eventually cover all four sides. Much of the work will be done with in-house resources. The changes will improve the aesthetic appearance of this very visible and heavily traveled intersection, reduce vandalism and serve to further beautify this area. The City of Coral Gables will be looking at other similar improvements in the future, some of which have been identified by members of the City Commission.  

Salvadore Park Closes February 1 For Repairs

Salvadore Park, located at 1120 Andalusia Avenue, will close to the public on February 1 in order to complete approximately $170,000 in repairs and renovations. The project consists of the replacement of the playground structures and surfacing, the renovation of bathrooms and of the pavilion shelter, the repair of the racquetball courts and entrance gates, and other minor work. Funding for this construction is made possible by Miami-Dade County’s Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond. Salvadore Park is expected to reopen in the summer.  

Gables Steps Up Graffiti Removal Efforts

Graffiti is a deliberate act of destruction of private property and it costs property owners, as well as the City of Coral Gables, a lot of money to remove it. Besides contracting with a company that is responsible for removing existing graffiti, the City of Coral Gables is also equipping workers with a product that removes it from public property with ease. As a first line of defense, Code Enforcement officers and crews from Public Works recently began using a biodegradable and environmentally friendly graffiti removal kit that works on a variety of surfaces such as brick, stone, tree trunks, Plexiglas and metal, without damage or excessive scrubbing. The liquid is simply sprayed on the vandalized surface, wiped clean and immediately removed. Other hard to remove graffiti will be referred to the contracted vendor. If you want to report graffiti in your neighborhood in need of removal, please contact Code Enforcement at 305-460-5226. 

Coral Gables Delegation Delivers Toys
To Guatemalan Children

Four hundred bicycles and more than 11,000 toys from a Coral Gables delegation were delivered to poor children in La Antigua and several orphanages in Guatemala. The goodwill effort was made by Honorary Consul of Guatemala Marcia del Rey, a Coral Gables resident, who made the trip during the holidays with her husband and daughter along with the General Consul of Guatemala in Miami Felipe Alejos and Trade Commissioner of Guatemala Dunia Miranda. The effort took four months to coordinate for the delivery of the toys to the most remote areas in the Guatemalan mountains just in time for the holidays. The Coral Gables delegation received an emotional welcome by the children and council members of La Antigua, a Coral Gables sister city since 1993, which proudly displayed a banner with the Coral Gables official seal in the Hato Village of Guatemala. Del Rey, who made the generous donation from her own funds, was named “The Angel of Antigua” and came back home with the gratitude of sister city officials and of thousands of overjoyed Guatemalan children.  

County Grant Applications Available
For Small Businesses

Miami-Dade County has opened its Mom and Pop Small Business Grants which are available to Coral Gables business located in County Commission Districts 6 and 7. These grants provide financial and technical assistance to qualified small businesses which can be used to purchase equipment, supplies, advertising/marketing, inventory, building liability insurance, security systems and to make minor renovations. This program is administered by Miami-Dade County and applications are accepted until January 25. For more information, click here. 

Dishing It Up With A Tour Of Kitchens

Take a peek into some of Coral Gables’ most fabulous kitchens at the first annual Dishing It Up! Tour of Kitchens, to be held Saturday, January 23. A self-guided tour of kitchens begins at 10 a.m. at the Old Spanish Village, 2901 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, followed by a variety of events ranging from cooking demonstrations and tastings to table settings and educational seminars through the day. Kitchens on the tour will be open between 10:30 a.m. to noon, and then again from 1:30-3 p.m. Food tastings will be provided by Morton’s, Da Vitorrio, Flemings, Novecento, Randazzo’s, Angelique Euro Café and Indian Palate. Journalist Linda Gassenheimer will greet guests at the Chef’s Luncheon held poolside at a private home at noon. Kitchen Designer Julia Johnston presents an educational seminar on kitchen design at 2 p.m. at the Old Spanish Village. A kick-off cocktail party and silent auction at the Lowe Art Museum takes place on Friday, January 22. Tickets are $25 for the Tour of Kitchens, $25 for the Chefs’ Luncheon and $50 for the Cocktail Party and Silent Auction. Proceeds will benefit the Coral Gables Community Foundation’s Coral Gables@Home program which helps residents 50 and over enjoy independent living at home. For more information, call 305-443-4011.

Pledging Support To National Guard And Reserves

At the December 15, 2009 City Commission meeting, Coral Gables officials pledged their support to the National Guard and Reserves as an essential component to the strength of the nation and the well-being of the community. A statement of support was signed by Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick and a resolution was approved by members of the City Commission in front of representatives from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR), an organization of the Department of Defense. The ESGR’s mission is to give recognition to the men and women who are part of the National Guard and Reserves for their efforts in preserving our national security and works to make sure their employment and career opportunities are not limited or reduced because of their service. With the signed pledge of support, the City of Coral Gables joins the Florida League of Cities and many other municipalities in the state who have executed similar resolutions in recognition of guard and reserve employees.