August 08, 2008 - City News

Mayor's Message

Dear Friend,

On Tuesday, August 5 neighborhoods across the City joined thousands of communities throughout the nation in celebrating National Night Out. This annual event is an opportunity for Neighborhood Watch groups to hold rallies in their communities and engage their residents in crime prevention activities. Last year, Orlando ranked second nationwide for the number of neighborhoods and block captains participating. National Night Out is a fun way to bring neighbors together as they work to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate participation in local anti-crime programs and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. It also sends a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Public Safety remains the top priority of this administration and our residents play a critical role in keeping our neighborhoods safe. From adding officers to enhancing technology, we will continue to allocate resources to ensure our residents have safe and secure neighborhoods. While the City was forced to make cuts to its budget, the City Council and I fully funded the third year of our public safety initiative, adding 25 new officers to the streets, bringing the total number of new officers to 75 over a three year period. The Orlando Police Department's Community Involvement Division has numerous opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference, including Neighborhood Watch and the Citizen Observer Program. Find out how you can get involved by visiting OPD’s website at www.cityoforlando.net/police.

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.

OPD Community Involvement Opportunities

The Orlando Police Department encourages citizens to get engaged, provide crime-related information and stand up for our community. Get involved and join us in being a part of the solution.

• Citizens for Neighborhood Watch - A crime prevention program that provides home and personal safety training including free home and business security surveys; hosts Operation I.D. to engrave personal items for easy identification; and regular updates on neighborhood crimes statistics and crime alert bulletins. To get involved call 407.246.2461.
   

• Citizen Observer Program (COP) - Volunteers help police maintain livable neighborhoods by performing crime watch duties and alert the police department of hazards and unlawful behavior. To get involved call 407.246.2461.

Firefighter Appreciation Month

Mayor Dyer officially proclaimed the month of August as “Firefighter Appreciation Month” in the City of Orlando. This designation recognizes that the job these men and women perform is one of the most hazardous professions, requiring strenuous physical stamina, extensive training, courage and selfless concern for the welfare of our citizens.

In addition to their daily service to the citizens of Orlando, the Orlando Fire Department has partnered with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) for the past 54 years in the fight against neuromuscular diseases. The “Fill the Boot” Campaign has become a tradition in which firefighters across the country raise funds to benefit MDA by collecting donations from citizens at local intersections.

In 2007, Orlando firefighters raised more than $97,000, making them MDA’s single largest contributor in Central Florida and among the top ten in the nation. All money raised stayed in our local community and helped more than 1,200 individuals by providing medical services at local clinics, summer camps, research grants, support groups and public education seminars at no cost to local children and families.
Congratulations to the Orlando Fire Department for their dedication and service to the Orlando community.

Citizens Fire Academy

The Citizens Fire Academy is a ten-week program designed to give Orlando residents an inside look at the life of Orlando firefighters. Each week citizens meet for three hours and interact with firefighters on a number of topics, such as: fire fighting apparatus and protective gear; fire hazards you should look for in your home; how to survive a fire in the workplace; using a fire extinguisher; arson and bomb detection procedures; basic first aid and CPR and other firefighting techniques.

The next class begins on September 16 so fill out your application now to secure your place. Visit http://www.cityoforlando.net/fire/CFA.htm for more information on the Citizens Fire Academy or contact the OFD Division of Public Relations at 407.246.3128 for an application.
 

Wyland Learning Center Visits Orlando

On July 29th and 30th, the City of Orlando Streets and Stormwater Division and Keep Orlando Beautiful hosted the Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Center (MLC). The first of its kind, the MLC is a 1,000 square foot exhibit on wheels which features a movie theater, running river and rain demonstration with the mission of teaching children about water conservation and pollution prevention.

More than 300 City of Orlando summer campers and staff at the Engelwood Community Center and the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center visited the Wyland Foundation’s educational outreach vehicle, which has made stops throughout the United States. Participants also enjoyed a hands-on interaction with alligators and turtles, a Q&A session with Turtle Tim from the Orlando Science Center Natureworks exhibit and environmental stories performed by the Orange County Library system’s professional storyteller Bill Cordell. For more information about the Wyland Clean Water Challenge, please visit www.wylandoceanchallenge.org/.

 

The Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center has reached a major milestone in finalizing the design of Central Florida’s new performing arts center. It is the first time the community will have an opportunity to see the building’s design at a special community unveiling. The design reveal will take place on Friday, August 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 455 S. Orange Avenue (the “round building” across from Orlando City Hall) on the future site of the performing arts center. The commemoration ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. followed by design tours until 1 p.m. Stop by and see what’s to come for this new facility.

For more information, call 407.839.0119 or visit orlandopac.org

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
 

• The City of Orlando’s Parramore Kidz Zone was awarded a First Book grant to provide books at the Dr. J.B. Callahan Neighborhood Center and the John H. Jackson Community Center. During the City's afterschool program, staff will provide weekly opportunities for peer reading and for pairing of older and younger children to read together. In addition, staff will incorporate weekly independent reading times. Both centers will start a book club for interested youth in fourth and fifth grades and hold a monthly discussion group about that month's selected book. Children will be able to take these books home as their very own. The books will also be used for Parramore Kidz Zone early learning initiatives with children under the age of five and their caregivers.
   
• As part of the Community Venues projects, the City of Orlando committed to providing employment opportunities for residents.
  
  In partnership with Workforce Central Florida, the City is opening the Community Venues Blueprint Employment Office at the Lynx facility located at 1200 West South Street. Residents looking for work on the Community Venues projects can walk into this new office and be connected with Workforce Central Florida or our Community Based Organizations to begin the employment process. The office is expected to open later this month. Walk-ins welcome.

Did You Know?

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