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Dear friends,
Two years ago, Commissioner Lynum and I launched Pathways for Parramore – a bold initiative that is revitalizing the Parramore neighborhood. We have already begun to see significant successes in the five pathways: Housing, Business Development, Children & Education, Public Safety and Quality of Life. From new businesses opening along Church Street, to next month’s opening of Parramore Heritage Park, to long time residents who are achieving the dream of homeownership, we are making great strides. This week, we celebrated successes in two of the pathways – Housing and Children & Education.
As part of the Children and Education pathway, we secured a two million dollar commitment last year to jumpstart the Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ), modeled after the well-known Harlem Children's Zone in New York City. PKZ is a dynamic community effort that has impacted more than 25 percent of the Parramore youth, through after-school programs, mentoring, economic assistance and youth development programs.
The Housing Pathway illustrates the City’s ongoing committed to both preserving long time residents and encouraging new residents. More than 350 housing units are being built in the Parramore community, including three major housing developments – Parramore Village, Carver Court and Callahan Square. This week, two long time Parramore residents moved into their newly reconstructed homes through the City’s Owner Occupied Rehabilitation program. The City also just launched the Parramore Heritage Homebuyers Club, a comprehensive program of education and peer support to prepare potential buyers for fulfilling the dream of homeownership.
In just two years since the launch of the Pathways for Parramore initiative, we have experienced tremendous results, and I look forward to the future and the positive change we are creating in the community.
Sincerely,
Buddy Dyer
Mayor
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This section of City News provides public safety updates on new and ongoing City initiatives and opportunities for citizens to become engaged.
How to report a crime or suspicious incident
If you are in the city limits of Orlando, dial 911. Even if you do not think it is an emergency, use 911 because this reduces the amount of information the call taker has to enter into the computer. The call taker will determine the degree of urgency your call requires by the information they get from you. If you are outside our City limits and need to report an incident that occurred within the City limits, call 321-235-5300. Criminal incidents that occur outside the city limits of Orlando must be reported to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction where the incident occurred.
If you want to leave an anonymous tip about illegal activity or report an illegal gun possession, contact Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477 (TIPS). Information that leads to an arrest, a gun recovery and a weapons charge will result in a $1,000 cash reward.
Don’t Borrow Trouble
The City of Orlando’s Office of Human Relations and Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs hosted several free Don’t Borrow Trouble workshops for seniors. These seminars educated participants about lending scams and the resources available if they have been a victim of predatory lending or lending scams. Pioneered in Boston, Don’t Borrow Trouble is a national consumer awareness campaign to help homeowners avoid lending practices that strip away their home's equity. Additional seminars are planned and will be publicized in City News when the dates are announced.
City Council Update
At this week’s City Council Workshop, Families, Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Early updated the Council on the progress of the progress of the Parramore Kidz Zone. This program, initially focusing on Parramore, will eventually expand to cover all Orlando youth. During the past year, the Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ) program has engaged the neighborhood’s youth with the following activities:
- enrolled approximately 300 teens in summer programs
- established T.O.P., the Teenz of Parramore Youth Advisory Council
- conducted 15 neighborhood events including teen dances
- held a behind the scenes tour of Electronic Arts
- distributed 500 stuffed backpacks at a "back to school jam"
- gave away 500 food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas
- hosted a weeklong event series during 2007 Spring Break
- enrolled 39 children in Homework Roomz at the Downtown Rec Center providing tutoring, computer access, snacks, and supplies for homework and school projects
- enrolled 227 children on sports teams and cheerleading or dance squads
- provided emergency economic assistance to 97 families, including food, jobs, electric assistance, housing assistance, transportation assistance, and medication
In this year, the PKZ was able to enroll over 25 percent of the Parramore youth population in its programs and give them educational and positive experiences.
COP Expansion
As part of the City’s comprehensive public safety initiative, the City is expanding the Citizen Observer Program. The C.O.P program is comprised of community volunteers who help police maintain livable neighborhoods by reducing crime.
The C.O.P volunteers perform crime watch duties and alert the police department of hazards and unlawful behavior. Through the increased visibility of its specially marked vehicles, the Citizen Observer Program helps deter criminal activity.
Currently there are approximately 70 volunteers and two vehicles. The City is purchasing four additional vehicles making it possible for two vehicles to be in each patrol division.
Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect is a regional collaboration that engages people experiencing homelessness in our community and connects them with a variety of available services and resources in one stop, including medical care, employment opportunities, substance abuse, mental health counseling, benefits and legal services.
There are four upcoming events planned throughout the Central Florida community. Seminole and Osceola counties will each have one event and there will be two events in Orange County. The City of Orlando will be supporting the event on July 13 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Anyone interested in volunteering for that event can contact Traci Blue at 407-246-2082.
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On Tuesday, June 19, Mayor Dyer and District 5 Commissioner Daisy W. Lynum welcomed two homeowners to their newly reconstructed homes in the Parramore community. These two long-time Parramore residents were able to move into their own home through the City’s Owner Occupied Rehabilitation program.
Mayor Dyer attended the dedication of the Fairwinds Credit Union Corporate Tower in downtown Orlando on Wednesday, June 20.
On Thursday, June 21, Mayor Dyer, Commissioner Lynum, Commissioner Phil Diamond and City staff attended the Construction Industry Business Forum and provided an update on the three community venue projects with a focus on maximizing local construction business participation.
Also on Thursday, Mayor Dyer participated in the awards ceremony for the Employee City Artworks exhibit at City Hall. This exhibit features artwork by City employees and their families.
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PKZ Mentors Needed
 The Parramore Kidz Zone is looking for mentors who would like to change the life of a student through one-on-one sessions or through group mentoring.
Volunteers will meet with students 30 to 45 minutes, once a week, on a school campus during school hours or at a City recreation center in the afternoon or evenings. Mentors will form meaningful relationship with a student from Parramore and focus on the child’s personal development by assisting with goal setting, academic success and developing positive values and behaviors. Interested applicants can fill out an online volunteer application. All mentors will go through a background check yearly. For additional information, contact Holly Vanture, 407-222-4761.
Water Conserv II Wins Award for Water Conservation
Water Conserv II, a project operated by the City of Orlando, and Orange County, was awarded the Florida Water Environment Association’s David W. York Award for its beneficial use of reclaimed water. The facility is the largest water reclamation project in the world to use irrigation and rapid infiltration basins and can produce 68 million gallons of water a day.
Reclaimed water from the project’s two facilities is used for irrigating landscaping, golf courses, six residential neighborhoods, and 3,200 acres of citrus groves. By reusing wastewater for irrigation purposes, the City conserves the freshwater it takes out of the aquifer.
The reclamation system includes a distribution center, a 21-mile transmission main, a 55-mile distribution system, and 25 supplemental wells.
Inside Orlando
 Inside Orlando returns to Orange TV with highlights of recent Orlando events. The WWE Wrestlemania announcement comes alive with special clips from the announcement press conference, professional wake boarder J.D. Webb talks about his record-breaking jump over the Lake Eola fountain and a special feature from Lynx highlights how to use the bike racks on the buses to get around town. Inside Orlando airs on Brighthouse Channel 9 on Thursdays at 11 a.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and Monday at 3 a.m. Inside Orlando is another creative product by the City’s Office of Communications.
Nemours Approved for Lake Nona
On Friday, June 15, the State of Florida approved Nemours’ request to build a children’s hospital in the Lake Nona area. Combined with the UCF Medical School, Burnham Institute and VA Hospital, Nemours will further enhance the medical city emerging in that part of the City. Nemours is one of the nation’s largest health systems for children, employing more than 400 pediatric physicians, subspecialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2006.
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