2002/2003
Mayor’s Neighborhood Matching Grants

Project Summaries 

The Audubon Park Neighborhood Watch organization installed hand painted neighborhood entranceway signs at key entry points and boundaries around the Audubon Park neighborhood. Neighbors designed nine distinctively different neighborhood signs depicting Florida waterscapes with birds. The signs are located at sites surrounding the neighborhood. Every sign was hand painted by professional artists who used their own artistic creation within rough sketches and photos provided by the project team. The results are very unique signs that create pride, identity and a place to call home.

The residents of the Boca Club Apartment community are from a variety of different countries and cultures. Through its 2003 MNMG project, “BRIDGING THE GAP”, the Association members created an intergenerational arts and drama project that brought together 48 youth and adults, including many seniors, to share cultural experiences, learn new skills, and gain an appreciation of each other. Through the production of drama activities and skits conducted by The People’s Theatre, Inc., the youth and adults were able to bridge age, language and cultural gaps discovering that many had similar desires, needs and expectations. Participants were engaged in workshops and activities that taught the value of personal and collective responsibility and the importance of self-discipline and team building.

Bunche Manor/Hollando Homeowners Association’s CERT training helped neighbors prepare for natural disasters and homeland security issues. Residents trained as CERT team members to help enhance the safety of the residents of the neighborhood and the quality of life in Bunche Manor/Hollando. The association also purchased supplies ranging from generators to first aid supplies. Twenty-nine neighbors completed the program and received their CERT certification, with another 14 neighbors participating in some of the CERT workshops. The association has created a CERT organizational structure consisting of a CERT Commander, executive officer, platoon leaders, and squad or section leaders. This structure ensures that the whole neighborhood is engaged in case of an emergency or major disaster.
 

More than 200 elementary age children in the Callahan neighborhood benefited from the Callahan Neighborhood Association’s Oral Health Project. The association partnered with the Dental Society of Greater Orlando to provide free dental care to 62 children and to sponsor preventive dental health education, in which more than 138 children and parents attended. The association achieved its goal of improving access to dental health treatment for neighborhood children.
 

Enhancing the physical beauty and improving the security of Carmel Oaks Condominiums are priorities of the Carmel Oaks Condominium Association. Through this project, the association installed a vinyl fence along the east side of the association’s common property. The vinyl fence is more attractive, will last longer and will require less maintenance. The fence also provides better security by eliminating people “cutting through” Carmel Oaks.

The Chatsworth Homeowners Association enhanced its neighborhood entrance on the corner of Lake Margaret and Lake Farrar. The entranceway landscaping was installed 18 years ago and looked unkempt, creating a negative impression of the neighborhood entryway. Neighbors trimmed existing trees, removed dead shrubbery, planted new shrubs and plants, and mulched the entranceway landscaped beds. This landscape enhancement has made the entryway much more bright and cheerful and has fostered a sense of neighborhood pride and accomplishment.

The Coach Homes at Mariner’s Village Homeowners Association created a space for association meetings and functions and resident social activities that was not susceptible to inclement weather. The association created this space by installing walls and windows on the east, west and south sides of the association’s pool cabana. By enclosing the cabana, the association has created meeting space that is used year round, especially during inclement weather.

Princeton Court is a small cul de sac street near busy Princeton Avenue. The College Park Neighborhood Association decided to help the Princeton Court neighbors create an entryway that identifies the street and enhances its residential beauty. Through this grant, the neighbors constructed and landscaped two brick pillars at the entrance of Princeton Court. These entryway pillars were built to complement the style and design of the other historic entryway features throughout the College Park neighborhood. The enhanced and distinguishing entryway has had a positive impact on the street, with many owners enhancing their own landscaping and fixing up their homes. This project also brought together the neighbors to conduct a neighborhood clean-up.

The Dover Green Condominium Association planted a hedge along the back of the Dover Green Condominium property and reinforced the white fence that separates its neighborhood from the Grant Street Station subdivision. This project enabled the association to install shrubbery that was chosen for its security value and its beauty, such as bougainvillea. The association also worked with the Grant Street Station Homeowners Association to reinforce the fence in places commonly used as a cut through. This project increased community involvement, prevented further damage to the fence and reduced the incidence of vandalism and theft in the neighborhood.

Keeping the entranceways into the Dover Manor neighborhood in excellent condition and well landscaped is a priority of the Dover Manor Homeowners Association. Over the years, the association has run into challenges of keeping the mulch in the entranceway landscaped beds. The mulch that lands on the sidewalks and road was causing a safety hazard for pedestrians and bicyclists. The association solved this safety hazard by installing landscaping, extending the irrigation system, and replacing the sign lighting and electrical supply boxes that were vandalized.

The Griffin Park Resident Association established a Community Art and Education Enrichment program for all ages in the neighborhood. This project provided a structured environment that included fine arts classes and tutoring for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The art program involved 72 hours of arts and craft instruction and the art supplies and materials for all participants. The art classes culminated in the collaborative and individual production of large framed artwork and decorated benches that were put on display. The benches were placed in the neighborhood for the residents to use and enjoy. The project helped to reduce isolation and increase participation in the arts, while promoting academic skills and student achievement.

Engaging its seniors and youth in neighborhood activities is a priority of the Jackson Court/Division Oaks Resident Association. The association used its grant to conduct art classes for the youth and seniors living at Jackson Court and Division Oaks and some of the youth participating in the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida program in the Parramore neighborhood. Grant funds were also used to start a reference library for the seniors. The project created an environment that encouraged positive interactions between youth and seniors, which helped to decrease many of the seniors’ feelings of isolation. The reference library provides senior residents with current publications to increase their knowledge, skills and literacy.

Preparing the Lake Sunset/Luola Terrace neighborhood to respond to a natural disaster or emergency is a goal of the Lake Sunset/Luola Terrace Homeowners Association. The association has achieved this goal by offering Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for neighbors. The C.E.R.T. program was an eight-week course conducted by the Orlando Fire Department. Twenty-eight neighbors participated in the training that taught emergency preparedness and what to do before, during and after disasters until the arrival of “first responder” professionals from the police and fire departments. The association purchased emergency supplies and equipment recommended by the Orlando Fire Department, which will be used by the neighborhood C.E.R.T. team in case of an emergency.

The Reeves Terrace Resident Association used the MNMG to engage its youth and seniors in an intergenerational craft and sewing program and Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) tutorial program. The craft and sewing project helped the youth and seniors use their creativity and originality and share creative talents with each other. The association sponsored two craft workshops a month with 25 youth and 25 adults participating in the classes. In addition, the youth that participated in the craft program also participated in the FCAT tutoring program. Members from the ELIM Baptist Church conducted the FCAT tutoring component for the neighborhood youth.

To enhance its visibility and identity, the Rio Grand Park Neighborhood Association constructed two neighborhood entryway signs at the corners of Rio Lane and L.B. McLeod Road and 29th Street and Clear Cove Lane. The entryway features define the boundaries and create an awareness of the Rio Grand Park neighborhood. This project helped residents unite through community and volunteer activities.

The Rock Lake Homeowners and Neighborhood Association targeted families with children between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the association’s “Raising Our Future: Families, Communities and Schools Joining Together” project. Approximately 51 neighbors participated in the project, which focused on character development, family support, discipline and responsibility, crime prevention and the formation of a Youth Citizen Corps. Activities included workshops, rap sessions and field trips. The youth that participated in the workshops earned the opportunity to take a trip to Atlanta to visit the circle of colleges and to study the works of Dr. Martin Luther King. The “Raising Our Future: Families, Communities and Schools Joining Together” Project provided resources to families, improved relationships with youth through positive communication, demonstrated the importance of respect for self, and built better community – education relationships.

The Rosemont Green Homeowners Association replaced an aging entranceway feature at the community’s east entrance. The association constructed a brick entryway feature that complimented the west entryway feature. The project included enhancing the landscaping, installing irrigation and erecting a 20-foot flagpole. Through this project, the association has been able to enhance the community’s entranceway and identity. The larger entranceway feature was designed to also include signage about no solicitation, towing, speed limits and address ranges.

The Spring Lake Manor Neighborhood Association’s project involved using reflective material to paint the address on the driveway apron or curb of every home in the Rock Lake neighborhood. Much of the neighborhood has large yards and a canopy of oak trees that limit lighting and visibility of house addresses for emergency vehicles, especially at night and during inclement weather. Through this project, the association was able to ensure uniformity and readability of every house address, making it easier to find.

Safety of its residents is a priority of the Ventura Raintree Condominium Association. The association used the MNMG to enhance the beauty, visibility and safety around its pool area. This project centered on removing overgrown landscaping materials and installing low growing landscaping and trees that allows for good visibility of the pool area from the surrounding common areas. Another problem the association solved with the grant was keeping the mulch and dirt from the landscaped beds around the pool deck from washing onto the deck when it rained, causing tripping hazards and extra maintenance by installing large decorative stones along the flowerbeds. This project has enhanced the beauty and the safety of the pool area.

The Washington Shores neighborhood has a large number of retired senior citizens. The Washington Shores Neighborhood Association decided to bring together these neighborhood seniors to participate in events and programs that celebrate and explore their African-American heritage and culture. The association targeted senior citizens who, due to transportation and financial barriers, would otherwise not be able to take advantage of cultural and arts activities. Approximately 40 seniors and 15 youth from the neighborhood participated in cultural and arts tours and activities. Participants visited the Wells’ Built African American Museum and the Orange County Regional History Museum. They traveled to Sanford for a performance by the Tajirie School of Performing Arts and to Clearwater for performances of the Chocolate Nutcracker and the Alvin Ailey Dance Performers. The neighborhood youth also benefited from the seniors sharing their life experiences, knowledge, and memories.

Improving the visibility and attractiveness of its Grant Street neighborhood entrance was a priority of the Wedgewood Groves Homeowners Association. Through this project, the association installed landscaping, lighting and irrigation. Lighting the entranceway has made it easier for motorists and pedestrians to see the entrance and street. The improved entranceway has enhanced the neighborhood’s image.