Families, Parks and Recreation

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 5, Orlando Mayor Dyer will join District 5 City Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Pathways for Parramore initiative, the City’s comprehensive effort to revitalize Orlando’s historic Parramore community. To honor the occasion, there will be a grand opening ceremony for the new Z. L. Riley Park.

When Pathways for Parramore launched in 2005, the Z.L. Riley Park had long been a place for residents to gather and play checkerboards and chess games, but the former park lacked green space and was located underneath a highway overpass.

Now the new and relocated Z.L. Riley Park features a large pavilion and playground, creating a central location for community events, festivals, children’s playtime and family picnics. The tree-lined park also displays mosaic artwork designed by Parramore youth that reflects Mr. Z.L. Riley’s contribution to the community and other African themes.

In the five years since Pathways for Parramore was launched, the City has made dramatic strides in the Parramore Heritage Community including:

• providing more than a half million dollars in assistance to Parramore’s small businesses;
• the addition of 35 new and rehabilitated homes and 120 new rental housing units; and
• an 80% decline in juvenile arrests since 2006.

The Pathways for Parramore initiative came to fruition in June 2005 from a task force commissioned by Mayor Buddy Dyer in November 2003. After more than six months of conducting research and obtaining stakeholder input, the task force presented recommendations in June 2004 and the initiative was formed.