June 13, 2008 - City News

Mayor's Message

Dear Friend,

It’s been hot enough to call it summer for a few weeks, but school is finally over and summer has begun for children throughout our community. This break is a time for kids to experience new things, to have fun and to learn by doing. Our Families, Parks and Recreation Department has many fun and exciting activities planned over the summer to keep children safe and entertained, including its summer camp, aquatics, pottery and nature classes, computer access, puppet shows, field trips and recreational activities at our community centers.

Summer is also a great time to catch up on your reading. The State of Florida has a suggested reading list of fun and engaging books at JustReadFlorida.com. Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year. By encouraging children to read, parents play a critical role in having their child read at or above grade level.

Summer has another tradition, Father’s Day, and I’d like to wish all fathers a happy day this Sunday for the love and devotion they give to their families. As a special treat, the City’s Leu Gardens will give dads free admission on Father’s Day. So treat your dad to a visit to our beautiful botanical gardens.

Sincerely,

Buddy Dyer
Mayor
 

This section of City News provides public safety updates on new and ongoing City initiatives and opportunities for citizens to become engaged in their neighborhoods.

Summer safety tips for children

• Lock your bike

• Bring toys and other items inside

• Use the buddy system

• Walk around pools and don't dive into shallow water

• Stay out of the street. Cars make the street a dangerous place to play

• When biking, wear a helmet, bright-colored clothing, and obey the rules of the road

• Be careful around strangers. Never go anywhere with someone you and your family don’t know. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, run away and tell a trusted adult

WMMO Downtown Concert Series Going Green

Music fans will have an opportunity to help the environment while listening to Eddie Money and the Spin Doctors during WMMO’s Downtown Concert Series at City Hall Plaza this Saturday. The Anheuser-Busch Recycling Corporation will provide 20 recycling containers while Keep Orlando Beautiful volunteers will promote recycling and ensure that concert-goers have the opportunity to dispose their beverage containers in the right place. The recycling program will be in place at all Downtown Concert Series events. The free concert is this Saturday, June 14, and starts at 4 p.m.

Events Center Webcam

Watch the progress of the construction of the new Events Center with the Events Center Webcam. Showing a bird’s eye view of the two blocks south of Church Street and West of I-4 which will become the home of the City’s new venue for sports, music and entertainment, this camera takes a picture every 15 minutes and saves the photos so viewers can watch the progress like a movie. The new webcam can be found online.

Community Venues Construction Update

New Closures

• Effective, Monday, June 16, 6 a.m., Church Street from Hughey Avenue to Garland Avenue will be closed in both directions. Closure will remain in effect until approximately Monday, June 30, 5 p.m., to accommodate Events Center underground utility work. Detour signs will be posted.
   
• Friday, June 13, 7 p.m. the intersection of Church Street and Garland Avenue will be closed. Closure will remain in effect until approximately Monday, June 16, 6 a.m., to accommodate Events Center underground utility work. Detour signs will be posted.

Remaining Closures

• The on-street parking along the south side of Church Street between Division and Hughey avenues is closed. Closure will remain until completion of the Events Center to accommodate site work and construction.
   
• On-street parking along the north side of Church Street between Division and Bryan avenues is closed. Closure will be approximately 30 days (closure began Monday, May 19) to accommodate lane shifts related to Events Center utility relocation work.
   
• Additional parking is available in the Church Street Garage. Parking validation stickers for this garage are available for customers from Church Street Merchants located between Terry and Hughey avenues.
  
  Church Street from Division Avenue to Bryan Avenue (eastbound direction only) will be closed for construction associated with underground utilities installation. The closure is expected to remain in place until approximately June 30, 2008. A detour will be posted.

Please exercise extreme caution in this area during the street closure. For more information call Walter Hawkins at 407-246-3190.
 

Did You Know?

Community Connections Workshop This Saturday

The City of Orlando and Orange County Government present the Community Connections Workshop: Are You Prepared for an Emergency? Are you prepared in your home, organization, congregation, business or neighborhood for natural or man-made disasters and other major threats? This workshop will provide you with the basic guidelines and procedures necessary to respond and recover faster to a disaster. Learn how to create your own emergency plan and what local government resources are available to assist neighborhoods with emergency preparedness and response.

Dubsdread Grand Re-Opening

The Dubsdread golf course, which has undergone a significant renovation, will be holding a grand opening golf tournament on Thursday, July 10. Orlando’s golf course since 1924, Dubsdread is nestled within the College Park Neighborhood and has hosted players like Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Claude Harmon. Corporate foursomes with tee sponsorships, foursomes and individual players are invited to take part in this historic event. Contact Erin During at 407-529-7000 for more information on the tournament.

Watch Inside Orlando on Orange TV

The newest edition of Inside Orlando features several recent events, including the WrestleManiArt reception, the Community Venues Blueprint job opportunities BBQ, OPD’s newest tool to combat crime- IRIS, the opening of the OPD Southwest Station and the Oath of Office ceremony for Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 2 Commissioner Tony Ortiz and District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan. Inside Orlando can be watched on Orange TV or on CityofOrlando.net

Historic Preservation Board Photo Contest

Free Educational Workshops on Foreclosure Prevention and Predatory Lending
 

Upcoming Events

Road Closures

City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.246.2221
Fax: 407.246.2842
Email:
buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net