Gazette
Volume 2 • Issue 10 May 20, 2015
Wilton Manors
Twice-Monthly Neighborhood Outlook
Page 1 Mickel Field
Page 2 Beneath The Surface
Page 3
Real Estate Geek
Page 4 Pedestrians On The Drive
Page 4 Parking Problems
Community
Wilton Manors Police to Go After Dirt bikes, ATVs Residents up in arms over Sunday morning activity By Michael d’Oliveira A regular trip of noisy dirt bikes and ATV riders down Powerline Road has caught the attention of the Wilton Manors Police Department, which plans to issue tickets and hopefully discourage future rides through the city. “It’s incredibly disturbing to the neighborhood,” said Mayor Gary Resnick, who lives west of Powerline Road. Resnick said the group, which travels south towards Fort Lauderdale, comes through the city every Sunday evening. On May 12, Operations Commander Gary Blocker said police would be initiating an operation on Powerline May 17 and 24.
Per Florida law, it is illegal to drive dirt bikes and ATVs on paved public streets. “People have been screaming about it on Nextdoor,” said resident Kate Donohue, who lives east of Powerline. Nextdoor is a social media site that connects residents of specific neighborhoods. She said people have started calling it “The Blitz on Powerline.” Donohue and others also criticized the police for not responding fast enough. “Nobody has seen the police over there ticketing them,” Donohue said.
Mickel Field Set to Reopen July 25
On May 11, Nextdoor user George Tyssed wrote, “Well, once again the ‘outlaws’ paraded on Powerline on their dirt bikes and ATVs . . . non-street legal vehicles running right through Wilton Manors West without even being stopped . . . so it continues without any police stopping them. Every Sunday without fail they were an hour late but they still made it . . . like I said they are not punctual, but consistent . . . EVERY SUNDAY WMPD!” Chief Paul O’Connell said he’s optimistic the operation will be successful. If needed, he added, police officers will continue to address the situation. “These things take time.” WMG
Community
By Michael d’Oliveira
After months of construction, a grand opening date has been set for the renamed and redeveloped Mickel Park – Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. Once named Mickel Field, located on Powerline Road, because of its traditional use for the city’s once-popular youth baseball league, the facility was renamed Mickel Field and the small baseball diamond was removed to make way for new amenities. Officials decided to redevelop the park after years of no major improvements and declining use. The facility had also started to become more widely used by drug users, vagrants and prostitutes. It was also used by burglars more than once to stage break-ins to homes adjacent to the park. That led to residents demanding officials clean up and redevelop the park.
At a cost of $1.5 million, the improvements are funded through a $744,000 bank loan with the rest coming from general funds, impact fees and grants. The city is also spending $83,700 on a security camera system. The improvements include a walking trail, estate-style fencing, pavilion, concert performance area, volleyball court, additional bathroom, fitness equipment stations and shade canopies. Officials also want to convert the concession stand into a police substation and community meeting space. City Manager Joseph Gallegos said the city also plans to build a new playground and a splash park but those will have to be funded in future budgetsWMG
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • // 1 soflagaynews • May 20, 2015
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