WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

Park Renaming Ceremony To Be Held On March 8

The City of Coral Gables is inviting the entire community to attend a dedication ceremony for “William Alexander Cooper Park.” The event takes place on Monday, March 8, 11 a.m. at 4920 Washington Drive in the Golden Gate Subdivision. Mr. Cooper 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. He 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. The ceremony will be attended by his widow, family and friends as well as City officials. 

Street Festival On The Mile Mixes Jazz & Art

Miracle Mile becomes alive this weekend when the popular Carnaval On the Mile returns to Coral Gables with a fusion of jazz and art, fine cuisine and children’s entertainment. Listen to live bands play music outdoors at the kick-off concert on Friday, March 5, from 7 p.m. to midnight at Fred B. Harnett/Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Then on Saturday, March 6 from 10 a.m. to midnight and on Sunday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. three musical stages on Miracle Mile will present Latin jazz and funk with groups from New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and our own back yard. Experience a mile of paintings, sculptures, photography, crafts and jewelry at the artist village. International foods from local restaurants line the street for a culinary delight. Shoppers can also enjoy the best values of the year at the annual Sidewalk Sale on the Mile,scheduled from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. during Carnaval on the Mile, and featuring discounts on items ranging from jewelry and fashion to salon services and more. For more information, click here.  

City Briefs Downtown Merchants
About Ponce De Leon Construction

In anticipation of the future construction work on Ponce de Leon Boulevard, City staff gave a presentation to downtown merchants about what they should expect in the upcoming months. The second phase of the Ponce de Leon Boulevard median and roadway improvements is set to begin this spring and will affect the surrounding areas for the next 10 months. Attendees learned the details of the project’s scope of work, roadway design, final on-street parking layout, landscaping, traffic signalization, lighting, scheduling, maintenance of traffic and other important information. This new construction phase will affect Ponce de Leon Boulevard from Alcazar Avenue to Sidonia Avenue and is the continuation of the first stage of improvements completed in 2007. The $1.5 million project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Miami-Dade County impact fees.  

Coral Gables Mayor Travels To Haiti

Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick traveled to Port-au-Prince on February 19 as part of a volunteer response group hoping to construct an orphanage and shelter in the devastated country. At his own expense, Mayor Slesnick traveled for four days with The Relief Foundation along with 100 other community leaders, surgeons, nurses, construction teams, journalists and religious leaders. The group of volunteers went to Haiti to help rebuild a demolished orphanage by setting up a large tent that doubles as a shelter. Mayor Slesnick and his wife Jeannett were asked by the orphanage to bring T-shirts to clothe the children. After conducting a T-shirt drive at West Lab and Coral Gables Elementary, they collected over 7,000 shirts from various community organizations. The Slesnicks, with the help of friends, packed the shirts in boxes so they could easily be transported to the airport and the orphanage. The Relief Foundation raised $100,000 in medical supplies, mattresses, water, tents and other aid to help support over 100 orphans who currently have no place to call home.

Please Fill Out & Mail The Census Forms Back

This month, census forms are being mailed or delivered to all households in Coral Gables. When you receive yours, please answer the 10 short questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you don't mail the form back by April 1, 2010, you may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask you the questions from the form in person. The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years. The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds for our hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, and emergency services. The data collected by the census also help determine the number of seats our state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. When we all answer the Census, our needs are heard; we can’t move forward until you mail it back.

Everyone Is Little Bit Irish On St. Patty’s Day

Coral Gables is green year round thanks to our lush tree canopy, but the month of March usually brings a little extra green to the City. That’s because in Coral Gables everyone is a little bit Irish at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Irish Festival, taking place on Saturday, March 13, from noon until sunset at Fred B. Harnett/Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Spend a day with family and friends, enjoying a taste of the Irish culture. If you wear your green, you’ll be sure to enjoy the Celtic music, dance and food, along with the arts and crafts at the festival. There’ll be plenty of children activities for everyone to enjoy. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.  

March Is Women’s History Month

Three Coral Gables women will be recognized this month by the Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County, highlighting their contributions during Women’s History Month. Coral Gables residents Georgina Angones, Patricia Clarke and Linda Collins Hertz have been selected as Women of Impact 2010 for their involvement in the betterment of this community.  Other award recipients include Dorothy Chaney, Daniella Levine, and Victoria Usherenko. These women will be recognized at a dinner ceremony on March 11 at the University of Miami. Angones is Assistant Dean for Alumni and Development at UM’s School of Law and volunteers for many community organizations including SALAD, Greater Miami Heart Association and Encuentro Clinic. Clarke is an executive who has been president five times of the St. Augustine’s Council of Catholic Women and was awarded in 1998 the Outstanding Volunteer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Spectrum Award for Volunteerism from the American Red Cross. Collins Hertz has made significant contributions to women in the legal profession and received the University of Miami’s Law Alumni Achievement Award in 2008. Congratulations to these three outstanding Coral Gables residents for supporting the advancement of women in our community.