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| August 4, 2006- City News |
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Dear friends,
This week marked a great regional accomplishment for Orlando as Governor Bush announced a comprehensive plan to bring commuter rail to our community. The initial phase, scheduled for completion by 2010, will connect Debary in Volusia County with the Orlando Amtrak Station. Four stops are planned for Downtown Orlando – at Florida Hospital, Orlando Regional Hospital, Church Street and the Orlando Amtrak Station.
This is an important first step to alleviating our traffic congestion problems in Central Florida. The commuter rail system is expected to carry as many passengers during peak hours as a single lane of I-4. The City of Orlando plans to provide additional transit opportunities that link to the commuter rail stations. For example, the City is exploring expanding Lymmo, the free downtown bus circulator, to connect commuter rail stations with large employers and residential developments. The commuter rail system will create new possibilities for housing and retail opportunities around the transit stations.
The State’s agreement with CSX also means less freight trains traveling through Orlando during peak hours, reducing the number of traffic disruptions for drivers on our local roads. Addressing our community’s transportation needs is vital to our economy and our continued growth. This week’s announcement provides a new option to accommodate our future needs.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer
Mayor
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Back to School Jam
On Saturday, July 29, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer visited with local teens from Parramore at the Back to School Jam. The event concluded the CityTeenz summer program with games, food and entertainment including performances by local teenagers. As a part of the Parramore Kidz Zone initiative launched earlier this year by Mayor Dyer and District 5 Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum, CityTeenz provided scholarships to teenagers living in the Parramore Heritage Neighborhood to attend unique summer programs such as acting lessons at the Mad Cow Theatre, classes at UCF’s School of Digital Media and camp at Bridge to Independence.
Through the CityTeenz summer program, the teens received free backpacks and school supplies provided by Weekends and Project Outreach. For the first time at this annual event, a participant in the CityTeenz program and a Jones High School graduate received a $500 college scholarship from the Delta Mu Philos sorority.
Sister City Games
 The City of Orlando welcomed its sister city, Urayasu, Japan to a friendly game of international baseball on July 28 and July 29 at the Sister City Games. Hosted by Mayor Dyer and District 3 Commissioner Robert Stuart, two youth baseball teams from Orlando and Urayasu took to the field at Blue Jacket Park and Trotter’s Park to celebrate the over 20-year-old relationship between the two cities. On Friday night, Urayasu won 10-3. On Saturday, mixed teams containing players and coaches from both Orlando and Urayasu competed in the Friendship Games, and the Red Team won 8-5.
A delegation from Urayasu visited Orlando this July as part of the two cities’ ongoing cultural and business exchange.
Kicks for Guns
On July 28, Mayor Dyer joined the Orlando Police Department at their annual Kicks for Guns program at the Citrus Bowl. Offering a new pair of shoes in exchange for guns, the officers collected a total of 116 firearms and 31 pellet guns. Three of the guns were previously reported stolen. The gun for shoes exchange keeps Orlando safe by reducing gun-related crimes and shootings. The Orlando Police Department thanks the community for their support and its partners Real Radio 104.1, Reebok and Crimeline who made this event a success.
AAU Junior Olympic Games
 On July 12, Mayor Dyer met with Brandon Kruppenbacher, 11, before he competed in the AAU Junior Olympic Games in late July. Brandon qualified to run in the pentathlon at the competition held in Norfolk, Virginia. He was one of only 32 athletes from across the country to compete in this event. The AAU Junior Olympic Games are the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States.
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Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and City Commissioners are hosting a series of neighborhood meetings for residents to discuss how new and updated community venues can enhance our City neighborhoods and where the City is in the process. The neighborhood meetings will also offer opportunities for residents to get engaged in these projects.
The Orlando City Council made a bold decision to move forward to meet our City’s need for creating a regional economic hub with world-class community venues—performing arts center, events center and Citrus Bowl. At that time, the City Council decided not just to build buildings, but also to embark on a process to transform neighborhoods through master planning. The City is working to build a community that celebrates its neighborhoods and its people, while also providing things like entertainment venues, roads and parks that meet residents’ needs.
It is essential that as City and County leaders continue to discuss the potential funding structure and master planning for these community venues, residents are given opportunities to become engaged in this exciting planning process. Below please find a series of neighborhood meetings that are being held throughout the City.
August 8, 2006 at 12:45 p.m.
Dover Shores Community Center
1400 Gaston Foster Road
August 8, 2006 at 6:45 p.m.
Dr. J.R. Smith Neighborhood Center
1723 Bruton Boulevard
August 9, 2006 at 1:45 p.m.
Beardall Senior Center
800 S. Delaney Avenue
August 9, 2006 at 6:45 p.m.
Orlando Science Center, Founders Room
777 E. Princeton Street
August 15, 2006 at 6:45 p.m.
Northlake Park Community School, Media Room
9055 Northlake Parkway
August 17, 2006 at 6:45 p.m.
Rock Lake Community Center
440 N. Tampa Avenue
August 29, 2006 at 6:45 p.m.
Engelwood Community Center
6123 La Costa Drive
(This meeting is presented in Spanish)
Residents with questions regarding these meetings may contact Susan Harris in the Office of Neighborhood and Community Affairs at 407-246-2779 or email her at susan.harris@cityoforlando.net.
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Many people do not know that the Orlando region houses more than 60,000 acres of freshwater lakes, providing many exciting angling opportunities. To promote fishing to Orlando families and those who may not have fished before, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission partnered with the City of Orlando and other local communities for Fish Orlando!
Since 1997, Fish Orlando! has strived to enhance the local fish habitat, manage its lakes, provide access for the non-boaters and create partnerships with local governments and businesses.
Fish Orlando! increases the fish population of its lakes by removing nuisance vegetation, returning native water plants and adding aerators and fish feeders. Piers and open banks make the lakes easier to fish and promote the sport to those without boats.
Orlando has two Fish Orlando! lakes – Lake Santiago and Turkey Lake. Lake Santiago is located in Demetree Park at 650 Santiago Avenue. Its many small bluegills make it a good place for a child’s first fishing trip. Channel catfish are also stocked at the lake. Turkey Lake, located in Mayor Bill Frederick Park at 3401 South Hiawassee Road, offers anglers a chance to catch 14-inch bass and hosts the Big Catch Event, the largest freshwater fishing event in Florida. In addition, Bass Pro Shop partnered with the City of Orlando and Fish Orlando! to provide four motorboats for fishing on the lake.
For more information on Fish Orlando! contact them at 407-846-5300 or visit their website at http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/fishorlando/.
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Mayor's Message
