Winter Park City Talk

LAST CHANCE TO ATTEND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS

The final Community Conversations will be held on Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Winter Park Presbyterian Church located at 400 South Lakemont Ave.

The city has held three Community Conversations throughout the month of May where the sky was the limit. Residents and guests were able to open up their minds and hearts to talk about the things they treasure in Winter Park and new ideas they would like to see offered or available in the city.

This meeting is open to everyone. Bring your spouses, friends, family and children to share a variety of interests with the city. Space is limited, so please RSVP to [email protected] or call 407-599-3245. “Talk” to you then.

HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE

The city would like to remind you to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season by following the steps below to keep you, your family and property safe.

Step 1: Assemble an emergency preparedness kit and “to-go bag”

Step 2: Prepare your family, home and business

Step 3: Stay informed

When a hurricane strikes, here are the city resources to keep you informed before, during and after the storm:

Official city online resources

Web site: www.cityofwinterpark.org

Fan page on Facebook www.cityofwinterpark.org/facebook

Twitter account www.twitter.com/WinterParkFla

OUTREACH

OUTREACH is the city’s emergency notification system that uses technology to send out notifications such as extreme weather conditions, boil water alerts, power restoration status, and hurricane/tornado warnings directly to you. Upon hearing the tornado siren, you should tune to local media for specific weather information. In addition to outdoor warning sirens throughout Winter Park, OUTREACH will notify residents and business owners of impending emergencies via their home phones, cell phones and/or e-mail. To sign up, please log on to the city’s official Web site www.cityofwinterpark.org and click on the OUTREACH logo. Click on “subscribe now” and follow the sign-up instructions. The city can keep you informed immediately of any major emergency situation that may impact you, your business and your neighbors.

Important phone numbers to remember:

Non-emergency information line 407-599-3494 (activated only when an emergency occurs)

Message Center Information e-mail [email protected]

Winter Park Electric Utility power outages 1-877-811-8700

Water & Wastewater Utility outages 407-599-3219

RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED NOW

Reservations can be made for events and meetings at the new Winter Park Community Center, scheduled for its grand opening in September 2011. Rental opportunities are available for weddings, parties, meetings and gatherings for up to 400 people. The first available date will be Saturday, Oct. 1 (subject to change, depending on actual opening date). For rental prices and availability, please call 407-599-3275.

CITY BLOOD DRIVE

The Big Red Bus will be at City Hall on Monday, June 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to welcome any heroes that are willing to give blood and help save a life. Donors will receive a free $10 gas card and a free mini-physical (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood type, etc.) Photo ID is required. Please call 1-888-9-DONATE for more information.

WINTER PARK DIAMOND DAWGS ARE BACK

The city of Winter Park announces a summer of first-rate baseball and community-building fun with the 2011 Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL). Winter Park Mayor Ken Bradley will throw the first pitch at the season opener against the Orlando Freedom on Saturday, June 4, at 7 p.m., and players from the Babe Ruth League will be joining the Diamond Dawgs on the field. Don’t bounce it Mr. Mayor!

The game will be played at Rollins College Alfond Stadium, home field of the Diamond Dawgs, located at the corner of Orange and Aragon avenues in Winter Park. The excitement will continue through the summer as the Diamond Dawgs host 23 games. Tickets are just $5 with kids 6 years of age and under free.

Entering its eighth season, the FCSL is a wood-bat collegiate baseball league showcasing many of the top-ranked college players in the United States. It is one of only nine leagues sponsored by Major League Baseball® and has also been named as one of the top summer leagues in the country by Baseball America®. In addition to the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, the FCSL is comprised of the Deland Suns, Leesburg Lightning, Orlando Mavericks and Sanford River Rats.

Entertaining themes including contests and activities for all ages are planned for each game. Winter Park residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in the family fun and support the Diamond Dawgs at their home games. Game night themes this season will include City of Winter Park Appreciation Night, College Alumni Fan Night, Guns & Hoses (Winter Park Police vs. Winter Park Fire-Rescue departments), World Cup Night, Green/Earth Night, Military Night and Family Appreciation Night. Activities, prizes and music, in addition to the highest caliber baseball, will provide enjoyment for all who attend.

Festivities for all home single games will begin at 7 p.m. at the stadium. Sunday games on June 19, June 26, and July 10, will begin at 1 p.m. For additional information regarding the FCSL, including a complete season schedule with game night themes, please visit www.floridaleague.com or call 321-206-9174.

HOW EASY ARE YOU TO FIND?

Many of us have visited places we have never been to and know how hard it can be to find the right house or building. Now imagine trying to find a home at night quickly in an emergency. Proper display of your house/building numbers is not only a matter of safety, but also a code requirement.

Our public safety responders have very detailed maps of each and every street and address in the city. But having your address posted on your building is extremely helpful especially when trying to locate victims of crime or those in need of medical assistance. Many times not having your numbers displayed in a visible location can delay vital assistance. Time is critical. In an effort to serve you better, the city is requesting that residents cooperate in visibly posting their street numbers on their homes and buildings.

Some of the highlights of city ordinance Article VII Sections 22-226 through Sections 22-250 “Numbering of Buildings” are below:

• Building numbers shall be sufficiently legible Arabic numerals, unless otherwise approved by the building official.

• Numbers shall have a minimum height of three inches and shall be in the general vicinity of the main entryway or main path of travel.

• Building numbers shall be mounted at a height between four feet and 10 feet above the ground.

Visit the city’s official Web site at www.cityofwinterpark.org, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.