WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2011

Downtown Ambassador Program To Begin In April

Need help navigating through the City’s Downtown area? Want to find an Italian restaurant? Just ask the Coral Gables Ambassadors. Beginning in April, these friendly and easy-to-spot Ambassadors will be providing the public street-side, concierge-like services in Downtown Coral Gables. Noticing the growing trend among urban commercial districts, City Manager Pat Salerno asked staff to develop an “ambassador” program designed specifically for Coral Gables. Parking Enforcement Officers, who are on the streets daily serving as the eyes and ears of the community, will also perform as “ambassadors” as they see and talk to residents every day. These individuals will provide hospitality services, answer questions about the City and its history, give directions, hand out literature such as maps and brochures, and provide information on local hotels, restaurants and current happenings, in addition to their regular duties of enforcing parking regulations. Four Parking Enforcement Officers will provide this service in the Downtown area after receiving training by Miami-Dade College Center for Service Excellence and being certified in first aid and CPR. Bright, easy-to-identify uniforms with logos and distinctive vehicles will make the Coral Gables Ambassadors easy to spot.

They will be well equipped to answer a variety of questions regarding where to park for extended stays, where to live in or near Downtown, where to have a romantic dinner and what local entertainment and events are taking place. Whether it’s enforcing parking regulations or directing customers to a local business, the goal of the program is to make Coral Gables a better place to do business and provide everyone who visits, works, lives and shops in the Downtown area a friendlier and more enjoyable experience.

Enjoy More Wednesday Jazz In The Gables Today

Don’t miss the performance of Hank Bredenberg’s Florida Footwarmers, today’s featured artist at Wednesday Jazz in the Gables, taking place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Plaza of the Coral Gables Museum on the corner of Salzedo Street and Aragon Avenue. The Florida Footwarmers, led by trombonist Hank Bredenberg and accompanied by Randy Emerick on the bass saxophone, will delight you with the foot-tapping music of the roaring 20s and the Swing era. The weekly series, which lasts until April 27th, presents jazz musicians performing for free at lunchtime. Box lunches from your favorite Coral Gables restaurants (today from Panera Bread), will be available for purchase. The event is presented in partnership with the Downtown Coral Gables BID, Miami Jazz Cooperative, and the Coral Gables Museum. Coming up next week on March 9th is singer Dana Paul performing his best jazz repertoire with his vocal wizardry and electric personality. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Economic Sustainability Department, at 305-460-5313 or click here.

Celebrate Arbor Day & Landscape
Beautification Awards Tomorrow

Arbor Day is more than just a day to plant a tree. It’s the official recognition that the trees around us make a real difference in our community. The trees in our streets, parks and backyards provide a natural and pleasing environment that increases the quality of life of our neighborhoods. For these reasons and more, the City of Coral Gables, in partnership with the Coral Gables Garden Club and the Coral Gables Landscape Beautification Advisory Board invite you to celebrate Arbor Day and the Presentation of the 2010 Landscape Beautification Awards. The event takes place tomorrow, Thursday, March 3, at Country Club Prado and Sevilla Avenue, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with Junior Arbor Day Activities followed at 10:15 a.m. by the general program. Bob Brennan, arborist for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is the featured guest speaker. He will talk about “Proper Tree Pruning Techniques.” As part of the ceremony, the winners of the 2010 Landscape Beautification Awards will also be recognized. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Public Service Department at 305-460-5131.

It’s Merrick Day At The Farmers Market

There’re only four weekends left to enjoy the Coral Gables Farmers Market, held every Saturday in front of City Hall until March 26th, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. This Saturday, March 5th it’s Merrick Day at the Market, celebrating the history of City founder George Merrick, who once upon a time used to sell homegrown fruit and vegetables on a mule-cart around Miami. After the regular 8 a.m. Tai Chi class, enjoy some historic gardening at 9 a.m. hosted by the Montgomery Botanical Garden. A cooking demonstration of a favorite dish from the 1920s will be held at 10 a.m. Finally at 11 a.m., the Miami String Project will host activities for children. The Farmers Market also hosts numerous vendors of produce, baked goods and plants for sale. The fun continues every Saturday until the grand finale Chef’s Picnic on Saturday, March 26th hosted by the American Institute of Wine & Foods. For more information on the Coral Gables Farmers Market, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.

Carnaval On The Mile Brings
Plenty Of Music & Fun This Weekend

Coral Gables’ most famous street, Miracle Mile, will be buzzing with activity this weekend during Carnaval on the Mile, a fusion of jazz and art, fine cuisine and children’s entertainment. The event begins on Friday, March 4th with a kick-off concert at Fred B. Harnett/Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd., from 7 p.m. until midnight. The weekend activities continue on Miracle Mile on Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. until midnight and on Sunday, March 6, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.  A Sidewalk Sale on both days from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. will offer great discounts on items from some of the area’s most well-known retailers, from jewelry and fashion to salon services and more. There’ll be plenty of music with three stages presenting Latin jazz and funk with music from New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and from our own backyard. Experience also a mile of paintings, sculptures, photography, crafts and jewelry. International foods from local restaurants will line the street for a culinary delight. Carnaval on the Mile is a free event for all age groups. For more information, click here.

Pioneer Day Recognizes History
Of Early Coral Gables Families

Experience the history of early pioneer families by attending Pioneer Day on Saturday, March 19 at 10 a.m. at Pinewood Cemetery located on Erwin Road just south of Sunset Drive. Presented by the City of Coral Gables and the Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board, this event takes place at the oldest cemetery south of the Miami River and one of the oldest historical sites in Coral Gables. Pinewood Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 200 pioneers from the 1800s and early 1900s, such as veterans of the Seminole Indian War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War II, as well as victims of the 1926 hurricane. Harriet Stiger Liles, author of Pinewood Cemetery, Coral Gables, Florida, a History with Pioneer Biographies, is the featured guest speaker. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Historical Resources Department at 305-460-5093.

Coral Gables Firefighters Use
Thermal Imaging Cameras To Control Fire Hazard

On February 16th, a potentially dangerous fire hazard at a Biltmore Way apartment building was successfully handled by our Coral Gables firefighters thanks to the help of thermal imaging cameras that helped them “see” the source of a structure fire. On this day, Coral Gables firefighters responded to a call of smoke on the eighth floor of an apartment building. Upon arrival, members of the Fire Department used the special cameras to pinpoint the hot spots behind the wall of an apartment, allowing them to control the fire hazard on this smoked filled floor. Currently, every Coral Gables fire truck has thermal imaging cameras which sense infrared heat and translates this data into an image. This state-of-the–art equipment helps firefighters to see areas of heat through smoke, darkness, or heat-permeable barriers and helps them pick up body heat when people are trapped and rescuers cannot find them. Fortunately, our firefighters were able to minimize the fire damage in this apartment building, protecting the lives and property of Coral Gables residents ending this potentially dangerous situation without major incident.