August 28, 2009 - City News

Mayor's Message

One year into the construction of Amway Center, we can drive past the site and watch the progress. What you don’t see when you view the towering coliseum is the progress happening at the BLUEPRINT Employment Office a few blocks away. One of the most important elements of the Amway Center and all the Venue projects, the BLUEPRINT ensures local businesses and workers are involved in this monumental construction project.

We created the BLUEPRINT to ensure the $1.1 billion public project, including the Amway Center, Dr. P. Phillips Performing Arts Center and the Citrus Bowl, afforded maximum opportunities for Central Florida’s businesses and residents, setting the goal of 18 percent participation for minority-owned companies and six percent for companies owned by women. We also wanted to make sure we provided employment opportunities to key populations identified as the most underserved and underrepresented in Orlando: Parramore residents, homeless and ex-offenders.

One year into the project, and with 75 percent of the contracts awarded on Amway Center, I am proud to report we have far surpassed our goal.

The Amway Center construction team includes more than 130 local businesses. At this stage, we have 35 percent women and minority participation. With these numbers we are on target to have the largest minority and women businesses participation on a public project in the entire state of Florida.

Our BLUEPRINT Employment Office has placed 970 people in jobs, including 152 people in jobs working on the Amway Center. Their target audience, Parramore residents, the homeless and ex-offenders, makes up 55 percent of placements on the Amway Center.

When the Amway Center opens, it will start a new history in our City. But it will have already created a legacy through the BLUEPRINT and the business and job opportunities it has created for the residents of our community.

Sincerely,

Buddy Dyer
Mayor

Buy Local Orlando Highlight

Buy Local Orlando is under way and each week we want to make sure you know that you can get great deals, discounts and offers. There are more than 150 merchant members participating in the Buy Local Orlando campaign offering special offers and discounts exclusively to Buy Local Orlando consumers.

• Paradise Island Café
  Located at 377 West Church Street, Paradise Island Café will transport you to the island of Jamaica with their flavorful Jamaican cuisine. Visit them between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. with your Buy Local Orlando card and receive a free drink with the lunch buffet or 10% off plated regular meals. For more information, call 407.841.8933.
   
• Headstart Books & Crafts, Inc.
  Buy Local Orlando members will receive 10% off their purchase at Headstart Books & Crafts (409 West Church Street). Check out their selection at headstartbooks.com or call 321.276.4557.
   
• Seaira Bay
  Seaira Bay, an Afro-Caribbean Boutique, is offering patrons with a Buy Local Orlando card a 10% discount on all merchandise. Seaira Bay is located at 429 West Church Street. Call 321.945.9007 for more information.

For more information on the Buy Local Orlando program, please visit buylocalorlando.net.

Last Workshop for 2010 Mayor's Neighborhood Matching Grant

Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Mayor's Neighborhood Matching Grant (MNMG). This grant provides funding of up to $5,000 for projects that address neighborhood needs and improve the quality of life in City of Orlando neighborhoods. Through this grant, neighborhood, condominium, resident and homeowner associations implement physical improvement, public safety or educational and cultural projects and programs that benefit all residents of the neighborhood.

At least two members of the neighborhood organization must attend an application workshop in order to be eligible to apply. The last workshop will be offered on Wednesday, September 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Wadeview Community Center, 2177 S. Summerlin Avenue. Please call Jasmin Rodriguez at 407.246.3787 to reserve a seat.

The application deadline is Friday, September 18 by 5 p.m. Applications may be completed on-line, delivered to the Office of Neighborhood & Community Affairs or postmarked no later than September 18, 2009. Please visit our website at cityoforlando.net/grants and click on the Mayor's Neighborhood Matching Grant link for more information.

Battle of the Badges

Florida's Blood Centers is spearheading a life saving event during the month of August called the Battle of the Badges. The Battle of the Badges runs through August 31 and is a competition between sheriff and police agencies in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Any resident can donate blood before August 31 at any Florida Blood Center location or on any Big Red Bus to register their vote for the Orlando Police Department. Make sure that you tell the blood center employee you are donating for the Orlando Police Department. Take a moment this month and donate blood. Not only will you be enjoying a little friendly competition, but you will help save lives at the same time.

Emergency Manager Recognized by Red Cross

The Mid-Florida Region of the American Red Cross recently recognized Manny Soto, Emergency Manager with the City of Orlando’s Fire Department, with the Emergency Manager Leadership Award. This award recognizes extraordinary effort, personal sacrifice and unparalleled devotion to duty. As Emergency Manager, Soto is in charge of the City’s response during an emergency as well as the training, preparation and mitigation for emergencies. As Emergency Manager, Soto has reached out to many local organizations to coordinate the City’s response during emergencies and to help educate a larger portion of the community.
 

Amway Center Webcam

You don’t have to drive downtown to see the progress of the Amway Center. Watch the progress of the construction with the Amway Center Webcams. 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, the cameras take a picture every 15 minutes and saves the photos so viewers can watch the progress like a movie. The webcams can be found online.

Community Venues Construction Update

The City Council approved a $500,000 HOME loan to Timberleaf Apartments to rehabilitate 23 apartments in The Landings at Timberleaf Apartments. The refurbished apartments would be rented to tenants earning less than 60% of the median income.

The City Council approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation to receive $135,000 for the design of the Dinky Line Bicycle Trail, part of the Orlando Urban Trail. Running on an abandoned railroad segment, the almost one-mile segment runs from Magnolia Avenue to Virginia Drive.

Did You Know?

Represent Orlando in the Urayasu Half-Marathon

The City of Orlando and the Orlando Runners Club participate in a cultural and friendship exchange each year with our sister city, Urayasu, Japan and the Urayasu Runners Club.  As part of the exchange program, four runners (one male and one female over the age of 40 and one male and one female under the age of 40) are selected each year to travel to Japan to run in the Tokyo Bay Urayasu City (Half) Marathon, tentatively scheduled for February 3-9, 2010.

Please click here for more information on the run or click here to download an application.

Historical Walking Tours of Downtown

The City of Orlando will be offering free walking tours of Downtown Orlando’s Historic District starting Friday, October 9, at 9:30 a.m. In the future, tours will be held on the first Friday of every other month.

The tour begins at the Downtown Information Center (201 S. Orange Ave.) and will include historic landmarks such as the Old Orlando Railroad Depot (76 W. Church St.), Kress Building (15 W. Church St) and more. Interesting history and facts about each of the landmarks will be discussed.

To RSVP for this special tour contact Char at the Downtown Information Center at 407.254.4636

Vote for Orlando at Yahoo’s Fantasy Football

Local sports fans can help Orlando score a $15,000 donation to the Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ) and After School All Stars (ASAS) by voting for Orlando now at the Yahoo Sports Mayoral Face Off fantasy football league at http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f2/mayoral-faceoff. The winning city with the most passionate fantasy football fans will be announced on September 11, 2009.

Mayor Buddy Dyer will be competing in the Mayoral Face-off with Mayors from across the nation this football season. The mayor with the best fantasy football league team will win a second $15,000 donation to a sports-related charity of their choice. If Mayor Dyer wins, his prize will go to the PKZ and the ASAS. The PKZ gives children in the historic Parramore neighborhood positive opportunities they otherwise might not have, such as pre-kindergarten programs, pediatric health and dental care, mentoring, tutoring, after school and summer programs and programs that help youth transition into jobs and higher education.

After-School All-Stars offers a proven alternative for middle school children. Students are engaged in activities and on-going relationships that increase confidence and encourage success in all areas of their lives - at home, in school and in the community.

Veterans Day Parade

The City of Orlando is now accepting applications for the 2009 Veterans Day Parade. The parade will be held at 10 a.m. on November 14 in Downtown Orlando. If you are interested in participating in this year’s Veterans Day Parade, please click here  click here. Applications and fees are due on October 9.

Mayor in the Community

Upcoming Events

City Hall
400 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407.246.2221
Fax: 407.246.2842 Email: buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net