Local entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Goldman has stood up to help our city plan and execute the expansion of green space in Winter Park. I wrote Steve the following letter to encourage his leadership and to make sure the circumstances involving the USPS property on New York Avenue are fully and accurately considered. ****************************************************** November 11, 2009 Steve, I am sorry you did not accept my invitation to talk. I fully support the creation of the Winter Park Green Space Foundation. I elaborate on this below. All the people of Winter Park will be indebted to you if your group…
Category: Parks
Park these thoughts.
Our City Commission voted tonight (Anderson, Dillaha, and Bridges voted YES, Bradley and Diebel voted NO) to proceed with a “conceptual plan” for the post office property with these characteristics: Build a new 6,500 square foot retail post office to USPS specifications on the northern section of the current post office property (approximately 0.85 acres), converting the balance of the current post office property and City right of way to park space (approximately 1.4 acres). Build a new 6,500 square foot distribution center (“carrier annex”) to USPS specifications on City owned land on Denning Drive (approximately 1.5 acres). The City’s…
In the “zone”….
It is my hope that the most wise and thoughtful Winter Park citizens will review these circumstances and get involved with this issue. My last writing on the continuing saga of the post office property ended as follows: “Please contact MayorandCommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org and tell them to stop the misrepresentations and obfuscation. Tell them if they want to buy the post office they should support a referendum seeking the approval of the voters and stop playing games.” Well, today’s meeting offered some hope (see below) but confirmed that the current process is replete with misrepresentations and obfuscation, and that games are being…
“We won’t spend your money for our pet project!” Sure.
Please review this and then contact MayorandCommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org to express your opinion. City Commissioners Phil Anderson and Beth Dillaha have put forth a Motion for discussion at the August 10, 2009 City Commission meeting to proceed with fund raising related to having the City purchase the post office property on New York Avenue. This motion (see pages 54 – 58) is based on the principle that “no taxpayer funds will be used.” However, preliminary financial projections used to justify the Motion omit known critical elements and costs, and significantly underestimate the donations required to complete the proposed project where “no taxpayer…
More Dog Poop.
There is an ongoing theme in the mismanagement of Winter Park. It always seems to involve dogs and their leavings. Dog lovers love Fleet Peeples Park. An organization was formed in 2001 to support and promote the park as dog friendly. Learn more about Friends of Fleet Peeples Park. With the Baldwin Park area maturing and more dog owners learning about Fleet Peeples Park there has been an increase in usage that has stirred the concern of some, which is understandable. However, the real issue may prove to be with the people David Strong appointed to the City Parks and…
Central Park Obsession
There can be no doubt that the historical city plan for Winter Park is the foundation of our unique character and charm. Central Park is the center of that plan, built around the railroad station by design, providing a central focus that defines the commercial core of our city. David Strong and his most vocal supporters believe that somehow, downtown redevelopment of any kind threatens this history. I don’t get it. Winter Park has gone through multiple generations of change and yet, Central Park remains the well protected focus of our city. The buildings along Park Avenue have been constructed…
More park and more parking.
I wrote the following letter to the City Commission last July. I offer it to provide perspective on David Strong’s obsession with having the city buy the current post office property. __________________________________________________________ July 8, 2008 Dear Mayor and Commissioners, Certainly the Carlisle saga has been a painful process for all and the $4 million spent to make the project go away was substantial. We are seriously considering spending an additional $7 million in taxpayer funds to build new postal facilities for the United States Postal Service (USPS) in order to acquire the existing 2 acre post office site, and making…