Winter Park City Talk

Click It or Ticket campaign

The Winter Park Police Department (WPPD) will be joining state and local law enforcement agencies all across the nation for the “2016 Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement wave. Stepped-up law enforcement activities will be conducted during this 24/7 enforcement wave that began on March 1 and continues through Monday, March 14.

In 2013, a total of 21,132 passenger vehicle occupants were killed in crashes, and almost half (49 percent) of them were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Approximately 64 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in nighttime crashes in 2013 were not wearing their seat belts, compared to 48 percent during daytime hours.

Ejection from a vehicle is one of the most dangerous events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fatal crashes in 2013, 79 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from vehicles were killed. Seat belts are effective in preventing total ejections; only 1 percent of the occupants reported to have been using restraints were totally ejected.

Regrettably, seat belt discussions too often revolve around adults in the front seats of vehicles. Child safety seats are often overlooked. Kids must be buckled up as well. You can install your child seat at no cost with the assistance of a WPPD certified personnel by appointment.

WPPD encourages everyone to wear their seatbelts and use proper child safety equipment at all times. Remember from now until Monday, March 14: it’s Click It or Ticket. Buckle up and encourage your loved ones to do the same. You’ll save $114, and may even save a life.

Park Avenue closed for St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The 37th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will make its way down Park Avenue on Sunday, March 6, beginning at 2 p.m.

Park Avenue will be closed to traffic from Webster to Comstock avenues from noon until 4 p.m. Side streets will also be closed at the Park Avenue intersections along the parade route beginning at 1:30 p.m. In addition, New York Avenue will be closed at 11 a.m. between Canton and Webster avenues for parade staging.

Please make note of these road closures prior to traveling around downtown Winter Park Sunday, March 6. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and continued support of Winter Park’s community events.

Bike to Work Day

In support of March as Florida Bicycle Month and in celebration of “Bike to Work Day,” Winter Park’s Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Board, in partnership with Healthy Central Florida, present a “Bike to Work Day” Group Bike Ride & Gathering, Wednesday, March 9.

Riders are encouraged to gather for the group ride at 3:30 p.m. on Garfield Avenue directly behind the main stage in Central Park. The group ride, for those 18 years of age and up, will begin at 4 p.m. The after party will begin at 5 p.m. at Park Social located at 358 N. Park Ave. Free bike valet service will be available for secure bike parking from 3:30 to 8 p.m.

Millions of Americans engage in bicycling because it is a viable form of transportation, an excellent form of fitness, and it provides quality family recreation. The city’s “Green Local Government” initiative is an environmental action agenda designed to transform Winter Park into one of the most conservational cities in America by encouraging environmentally-friendly lifestyles through alternative transportation modes, such as bicycling.

Investing in road improvements such as bicycle lanes, routes, off-road trails and parking to enable safe access for all users are all ways the city encourages bicycling. The Group Bike Ride & Gathering is an additional way to encourage and promote alternate forms of transportation.

Those interested in participating in this exciting, green event are asked to please register via the Healthy Central Florida Facebook page, by emailing [email protected] or calling 407-599-3411.

Enter to win VIP price package!

It’s time for The 57th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival!

To enter the VIP prize pack contest, simply email [email protected] with “The 57th WPSAF Prize” in the subject line.

A response message will be sent to your email to confirm receipt.

Entries must be received by Wednesday, March 9, at 5 p.m.

One, randomly selected winner will be notified Thursday, March 10.

VIP Prize Package will include:

The 57th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival framed poster (3/250) signed by artist, John Costin

Two passes for seating under the patron tent Friday, March 18 (live music from 5:45 to 9 p.m.)

Voucher for T-shirt to be redeemed at merchandise booth during festival

Vintage note cards from previous art festivals

The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most prestigious outdoor art festivals. The 2016 festival will be held Friday, March 18, through Sunday, March 20, in Central Park and along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park, Florida.

New location for CoffeeTalk

On Thursday, March 10, citizens can join the city’s Building & Permitting Services Department Director George Wiggins and Water & Wastewater Utilities Director David Zusi for CoffeeTalk at 8 a.m., at a new location for this month, on the second floor of City Hall in the Chapman Room, located at 401 S. Park Ave. Let’s enjoy a cup of conversation about our building, permitting and water projects, and great coffee provided by Barnie’s Coffee Kitchen. For more information, please call 407-599-3428.

ULI Trendsetter Award

The city recently received the 2016 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Trendsetter Award in recognition for its design and construction of the Cady Way Cycle Track. The cycle track is the result of a public/private partnership between the city of Winter Park, its Pedestrian & Bicycle and Keep Winter Park Beautiful & Sustainable advisory boards, and the Winter Park Health Foundation. The cycle track encourages bicycling and safety by combining two bike lanes on one side of the street, separating them from traffic with a 2-foot buffer area and flexible vertical markers.

The annual Trendsetter Award recognizes a project or initiative that exemplifies forward-thinking ideas and practices that represent what is perhaps the industry’s next big trend. To be considered for the award, the project must demonstrate innovation in the land use development industry.

Established in 1936, the ULI has more than 37,000 members worldwide. The Institute has long been recognized as one of the world’s most respected and widely-quoted sources of objective information on urban planning, growth, and development. The ULI is an independent global nonprofit organization. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.

For more information regarding ULI, please visit uli.org.

For more information regarding the city of Winter Park, please visit the city’s official website at cityofwinterpark.org. Like, follow and watch us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, and YouTube.