7 minute read
Coral Gables expands trolley system
Coral Gables trolley system expansion New trolley system plan improves accessibility to public transportation by expanding hours and local routes
BY PENELOPE ACEVEDO, STAFF WRITER
Advertisement
CORAL GABLES CITY officials are requesting two grants to be used to expand the already existing trolley system. The city is requesting $130,450 over the next three years to fund the first project, which will offer Saturday trolley service. A second application, requesting $170,299 per year for three years—which would be matched by Coral Gables for $340,598 annually—would add two more hours of operation to the trolley system at night. If the grants are approved, Coral Gables will begin this expansion at the start of 2021. According to Miami Today, the overall plan—proposed by Coral Gables Vice Mayor Vince Lago last year with the idea of expanding the trolleys’ hours of operation—covers several key issues which address limitations of the current trolley system. These include, but are not limited to, increasing access to jobs and recreation, connecting commuters to other transportation facilities, reducing transportation costs and allowing residents and visitors access to businesses without having to rely on automobiles. Many people already rely on public transportation, with the growth of Coral Gables’ downtown, public transportation has become even more desirable for residents. “[It] is important because the trolley could be used by many people who don’t own a vehicle and in a way solves their [transportation] problems,” senior Maria Victoria Rojas said. Expanding the trolley system would also provide more access to those who live in the suburbs in Coral Gables, as well as those looking for transportation between different hours of the day, particularly in the evenings when many residents come home from work or students finish extracurricular activities, when the trolley is not available. The residents who have farther jobs and longer work hours will be able to come home at night using public transportation.
DID YOU KNOW? The new trolley system will also connect with the Bus Express Rapid Transit and the Douglas Road Metrorail Station. Source: MiamiDade.gov
“As someone who lives with just their mother it allows [my] single parent to worry less about how [she is] going to be able to take [me] to school’’ junior Alexis Hernandez said. According to Lago’s application, approximately 1.2 million passengers ride the Coral Gables trolley annually and currently serves about 1,200 passengers a day. The goal is to have an average of 2,500 citizens using the trolley on Saturdays with this new expansion of hours and days. If more people use the trolley system rather than their vehicle then there should be less automobiles on the road during the weekends. With fewer residents using their own vehicles and taking the trolley to work and school instead, this should result in more open lanes for cars and less people on the road at the same time. This would greatly reduce weekend traffic, which is one of the main goals of the grant. The new trolley hours would be from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Officials hope that with additional trolleys, there will be less traffic for passengers in the Central Business District, which includes 19 blocks of Coral Gables, including Miracle Mile. Along with reducing traffic, the extended trolley system would connect with the Bus Express Rapid Transit and the Douglas Road Metrorail Station, a popular station that serves roughly over one million residents a year. By extending their current route to connect with other regions of Miami, the trolley will allow for commuters living in areas other than Coral Gables to take advantage of their transportation. By doing this, the trolley will no longer be limited to people only living in the Gables. The new routes would also significantly cut out the use of automobiles due to the increased range and accessibility of the trolley. Residents would also have the ability to use public transportation to get to and from their homes, workplace or anywhere else they would like to use recreationally. Commuters will also be able to get around town seemlessly, as they would not have to rely on several different bus routes “We need to make sure that people have the ability to go from point A to point B and transportation has been a real weakness in Miami-Dade County,” Lago said. h
by the numbers
1.2 mil 2,500
people use the Coral Gables trolley civilians are expected to annually use the trolley on Saturdays
$130,450
Companies letting go of their roots Corporations are changing with the times, revamping old symbols and names based on previous racist caricatures
BY ALIA GAMEZ, STAFF WRITER
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER movement’s presence on social media has brewed a lot of media attraction, resulting in loyal corporate customers demanding change from companies with controversial pasts. This demand has Alma Mar - led to corporations admitting their racist nez/ and problematic history, leaving them to evaluate the faces of their brand for the future. high - On June 17th, Quaker Oats, the parent ti - lights company of Aunt Jemima, announced that they will rebrand the company after revelations of their racist origins. Debuting in the 19th century, the minstrel song “Old Aunt Jemima” inspired company founder Chris Rutt to have Aunt Jemima—a slave caricature—pose as the company’s symbol. The character Aunt Jemima is meant to resemble a Happy Mammy—a fantasy made up that nursing maids loved and were happy to care for white children as slaves—which embodies the racial inferiority displayed during slavery and the Jim Crow era.
At the 1893 World’s Fair, R.T. Davis Milling Co., the owners of the company hired Nancy Green, a former slave, and used her as as Aunt Jemima in a marketing ploy. Green would then continue to be a housekeeper until her death, gaining little profit from her act. Many different women would play as Aunt Jemima over the next 121 years, including Anna Harrington. In 2014, Harrington’s family sued Aunt Jemima, claiming that the company had exploited both Harrington and Green by never giving credit for their contributions to the pancake mix brand. To bring change to the brand and let go of any past racist ties, Quaker Oats decided to reinvent their trademark.
“We recognize Aunt Jemima’s origins are based on a racial stereotype,” Kristin Kroepfl, Vice-President of Quaker Foods North America said to NBC News. “As we work to make progress toward racial equality through several initiatives, we also must take a hard look at our portfolio of “I’M HAPPY NOW THAT THE SUBJECT “ IS GETTING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES, ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE BECOME MORE AWARE OF RACIST PASTS.”
BRITNEY WILSON, JUNIOR
brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations.” Another company making changes to their brand is Walt Disney. In a statement on the DisneyParks Blog, the company announced a reimagination of the popular Splash Mountain Ride located at Walt Disney World, in Florida and the Disneyland Park in California. The attraction will be modified to portray the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog,” elevating the experience with a more inclusive concept. The ride’s former theme was criticised for its connection to the 1946 Disney movie “Song of the South”—a controversial film that portrays Johnny, a white city boy, moving to his grandmother’s plantation. Johnny then befriends Uncle Remus, an old Black man working on the plantation, who enchants Johnny with many life lessons taught by animated characters. Criticism towards the movie stems from two factors. First, the movie does not depict whether or not it was set before or after the American Civil War. The obscurity of the time of the movie raises problems because if it were pre-war, the film would send a message that slaves enjoyed forced labor. Second, the most prominent advice Uncle Remus gives Johnny is to not run away from his problems. This lesson alludes to slaves escaping their masters and running away from their plantations. Disney retired the movie since its 40th anniversary in 1986, with the last remaining artifact being Splash Mountain. “Even though I think the responses are a little late, I am happy now that the subject is getting the attention it deserves, especially as people become more aware of racist pasts,” junior Britney Wilson said. As globally recognized corporations begin to take notice of their own offensive symbols and trademarks, they are also taking the necessary steps in ensuring their company reflects the common values of their consumers. Though racist caricatures are still prevalent, consumers may find comfort in the fact that their favorite brands are working to change that. h
“Eskimo Pies”
Now called “Lady A” Source: National Public Radio
Plans to change brand name Source: New York Times
Now called “Primary Bedroom” Source: Good Morning America
