By using tools available to its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), the City of Palmetto emphasizes diversity through new infrastructure, multi-cultural promotion and recreational amenities.
In March, the Palmetto CRA hosted its first ever Multicultural Festival at Lincoln Park, a family-friendly event that included several varieties of live music, rides, social activities and food booths. The event was free and open to the public.
Former Palmetto City Commissioner Mary Lancaster came up with the idea a few years ago. She envisioned an event with very different types of entertainment that would be held in a convenient location so Palmetto’s minority population could easily attend.
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“Palmetto is so diverse,” said Lancaster. “I wanted to something for everyone; we wanted blacks and Latinos to know they are part of the city too.”
The CRA set aside $25,000 in order to provide the community with an event so grand people would come from all over the county to participate. About a thousand people attended the festival, which coincided with the much-anticipated splash park opening on the same day.
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A heavily wooded parcel located off of 17th Street in Palmetto was synonymous with crime. However, the triangular shape of the property and the fact that it was owned by three different entities made it difficult for police to patrol and complicated plans for development. The CRA plans to buy the privately-owned parcel, acquire a deed for the county-owned piece and partner with Southwest Florida Water District to create an environmentally sensitive park out of the infamous site. Water amenities will be designed to treat storm water runoff but also provide a focal point for the recreational area; a lake with a beautiful fountain will serve as a showpiece.
The park will be named after Martin Luther King Jr. in an effort to appropriately honor the civil rights leader.
“Naming the park MLK is a reminder to residents that it doesn’t matter where you came from, it only matters where you are going,” said Palmetto Commissioner Charles Smith. “They will be surprised at how much time and effort has gone into the project, and soon they will be able to enjoy themselves and their diversity in a state-of-the-art park.”
The site is accessible from three streets, will be pet friendly and will also serve as part of a linear park trail that interconnects all parks in the city and provides a safe, multimodal transportation system. Approximately $690,000 has been budgeted by the CRA for use specifically for the park in the next fiscal year and SWFTMD is expected to contribute $500,000.
In 2010, the Palmetto CRA devised a three-step residential rehabilitation plan that incorporates municipal experts to identify houses that are in need of rehabilitation. Through outside agencies, such as Florida Power & Light and Habitat for Humanity, volunteers come forward to help remodel those homes and bring them into compliance with the city’s residential code.
The Palmetto code enforcement department identifies any chronic code violations, but instead of fining the owners, they inform the CRA of the violations. The CRA then works with others to help fix the violations for people who can’t afford to make the repairs.
The pilot home was completed last October and a new homeowner has been selected for the second home remodel, which will begin on May 19. In addition, four homes located in Jackson Park will be repainted at the end of the month during a Brush with Kindness event. Habitat for Humanity’s A Brush with Kindness is an exterior home preservation service that offers painting, landscaping, weather stripping and minor repair services for homeowners in need. While the service isn’t free, the Palmetto CRA is covering the fee home owners would have to contribute for the service.
“It’s a great program that helps low income families maintain the upkeep of their homes,” said Didi Hager, manager of family services for Habitat for Humanity. “Because volunteers are doing the construction, it’s a way to keep costs down.”
For more information about how the CRA is helping local homeowners and businesses, visit www.palmettocra.org or find the Palmetto CRA on facebook.
