WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2010

Farmers Market Begins January 16

Saturday, January 16 marks the beginning of the Coral Gables Farmers Market, to be held every Saturday until March 27. The Farmers Market takes place on the street between City Hall and Merrick Park and is the place to be if you like to buy the freshest produce, gourmet foods and delicious baked goods.  Free Tai Chi sessions begin the activities at 8 a.m., followed by gardening workshops (9 a.m.), cooking demonstrations (10 a.m.) and children’s activities (11 a.m.). Coming up on January 16: Gardening 101 with Cindy David, Cooking demonstration by Charlotte Bistro, and Children storybook reading from the “Story of Martin Luther King Jr.” For more information, call 305-460-5311. 

Construction Project To Start At Bird Road

On January 11, 2010, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to begin a roadway enhancement project on Bird Road (S.W. 40th Street) between Red Road (S.W. 57th Avenue) and S.W. 38th Avenue. The project will last approximately nine months and cost an estimated $2.5 million. Roadway enhancements will include: repaving and restriping the roadway; widening the bridge and road shoulder; building a new sidewalk on the north side of Bird Road; upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps; installing drainage materials to alleviate water buildup in the swale area; performing maintenance and removing landscaping; upgrading the lighting and installing new traffic and pedestrian signs and signals; installing a pedestrian bridge; and removing existing guardrail and installing new guardrail at various locations. Travel lanes will be closed on Bird Road during non-event days, nights and weekends and work will be phased to minimize construction related impacts. At least one lane will be maintained in each direction at all times and lane closures will not take place during school speed zone hours in the vicinity of Coral Gables Senior High School. All work around residential areas from Red Road to LeJeune Road will be performed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with lane closures occurring daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The widening of the Bird Road bridge between Granada Boulevard and University Drive will require a permanent lane closure. The work around the industrial area from LeJeune Road to S.W. 38th Avenue will have extended hours during the day and night and requires lane closures daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and nightly from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday lane closures will occur from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Access to businesses, bus stops and residential areas will be maintained at all times. For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution when driving, walking or biking around this construction area. For more information, contact FDOT Project Engineer Farhang Esmailzadeh at 305-499-2370 or Public Information Specialist Maria Palacios at 305-499-2410. If you would like to receive lane closure updates via email, contact maria.palacios@dot.state.fl.us. 

Make A New Year’s Resolution To Get Fit

The first few days of the New Year is a time for reflection of what was accomplished in 2009 and the usual determination to become a better person in 2010. Among the most popular New Year resolutions are to stop smoking, lose weight, get fit, help others and spend more time with the family. You can do all of that at the many programs offered at the War Memorial Youth Center where you can volunteer your time or spend some quality leisure time with your family. The Youth Center also offers an annual membership to its Fitness Center where you can lose weight and get fit. With the purchase of an individual or family fitness membership, members receive complimentary toddler-sitting service while using the facility which is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. With the fitness membership members receive a 25 percent discount on popular fitness programs such as Azucar Aerobics & Conditioning, Yoga, Aikido, Tai Chi, Pilates Mat Classes, Fitness Boot Camp and Ageless in Motion. All of these fitness programs will help you make your New Year’s Resolutions a done deal. The War Memorial Youth Center is located at 405 University Drive. For registration information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600. 

Enjoy Beaux Arts Festival This Weekend

Don’t miss this weekend’s Beaux Arts Festival, taking place on the grounds of the Lowe Art Museum, this Saturday and Sunday, January 9-10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approximately 100,000 people will visit Coral Gables to view the work of more than 240 artists in 11 mediums participating in this outdoor exhibit. The festival’s popular Art Park offers craft projects for kids ages 5 to 12. A Student Artist Showcase will also display works created by Miami-Dade middle and high school students. The outdoor exhibit is free and open to the public. The cost for Art Park is $10 per hour, per child. The Lowe Art Museum is located at 1301 Stanford Drive on the grounds of the University of Miami. For more information, contact 305-898-3595. 

Preventing Seniors From Becoming
Identity Theft Victims

All across America, the fastest-growing white-collar crime has been acknowledged as identity theft. To prevent this, the Coral Gables Police Department and CoralGables@Home have teamed up to help older residents be aware and alert about their safety. They are offering a free Safety Seminar available to Coral Gables senior residents, who are often the target of sophisticated crimes such as identity theft. The seminar will be held on Wednesday, January 13 from 10 a.m. until noon in the Community Meeting Room of the Police Department, 2801 Salzedo Street. The program is designed to instruct seniors on how to protect and guard their identity as well as prevent from becoming victims of other forms of theft. Registration is required and space is limited. To register, contact Coral Gables@Home at 305-443-4011. 

City Supports Arts Through Grants

At a time when many cultural organizations are struggling to keep their doors open, the City of Coral Gables continues to show its support for the local arts through the distribution of much needed grants. This funding was reduced from $166,250 available last year to $150,000 for this year. These funds will be allocated among 31 organizations who applied for Cultural Development Grants, Festivals and Special Events Grants, and Community Grants. Among the groups receiving City support that will ensure Coral Gables residents will continue to enjoy meaningful cultural experiences are Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Actors’ Playhouse, Lowe Art Museum, GableStage, New Theatre and Montgomery Botanical Center. Also expected to bring cultural events to Coral Gables are the Coral Gables Congregational Church, Sunday Afternoons of Music, Seraphic Fire, Miami Bach Society, Chopin Foundation, Miami Children’s Chorus, Greater Miami Youth Symphony, Tigertail Productions, Murray Dranoff Foundation, Miami String Project, Coral Gables Museum, Brazz Dance Theater, Center for Advancement of Jewish Education, Greater Miami Symphonic Band, Walenstein Musical Organization, Civic Chorale, Miami Momentum Dance, Miami Short Film Festival, Coral Gables Cinemateque and Miami Children’s Museum. Community festivals also receiving City support included the Merrick Festival, St. Patrick’s Day Committee, Cosford Cinema, South Florida Youth Symphony and Dance Now! Ensemble.  

View Historic Homes Of Coral Gables

Coral Gables Television has produced another episode of the popular series “Historic Homes of Coral Gables.” Click here to admire the beautiful architecture of one of the original 27 homes made of coral rock in Coral Gables, which today maintains the historical integrity of the early years. The second home, which you can view by clicking here, is also a coral rock jewel and one of the first buildings constructed in Coral Gables, back in 1922. The last home featured in this episode, which you can view by clicking here, was designed by George Fink and built in 1922 around the Granada Golf Course. If you’re a proud homeowner of a historic home in Coral Gables who would like to be featured in the next episode, send an email to enews@coralgables.com. 

Call Pollution Hotline
To Report Environmental Crimes

If you have a complaint regarding illegal dumping on City’s streets or waterways, call the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) at 305-372-6955. DERM responds to environmental emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is important to report liquid waste discharges or spills into drains, waterways or onto the open ground. You can also report tanker trucks dumping waste or any spills of dangerous chemicals into manholes, drainage, waterways or on the ground. Be an active citizen and protect the environment by reporting spills of pesticides, sewage overflows from any source, smoke or dust emissions from any facility, any severe odor or vapor that affects the eyes and breathing, and any turbid water in the waterways, canal or Biscayne Bay. Environmental crimes may be reported to the Miami-Dade Police Department Environmental Crimes Unit at 305-477-1616.