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Aventura Confidential [2-27]

Aventura Traffic Solution: Double Barrels

Ricky, looking fine after recent shoulder surgery, was relaxed, alternately chatting with invitees and signing autographs.

By Phyllis D. Huguenin
Contributing Writer

Pothole Platform

“I have a pothole fetish,” confesses Sid Gersh who is competing for Seat Three on the Aventura City Commission being vacated by Arthur Berger. Gersh maintains he has encountered many in his daily activities around the city, which include working in the  JCPenney luggage department for the past eleven years. Particularly bothersome were several near the assisted living facilities of The Imperial Club and The Sterling of Aventura. He contends that after he called the Department of Public Works they were filled – in about two weeks. Gersh has also done research on the traffic impasse and learned through his calls to the Dade County Highway Planner and the Aventura Police Chief that there was a proposal made years ago to extend Miami Gardens Drive one block East, past US-1. Drivers could go straight through into Aventura. It was deemed a viable solution and is part of a two-year plan now in the works. In his daily contact with City of Excellence residents, the twin concerns of safety and security have been voiced to him continually. Gersh recently heard through Commissioner Manny Grossman that the city’s police force is being trained in Homeland Security. Two officers have already gone through the program, with others slated to follow. Gersh makes this campaign pledge: “I am 100% for the safety and security of Aventura residents – when I become a commissioner I will personally go into every single condo and make sure a safety program is implemented.”

Dr. Radlauer’s RX

According to Dr. Charles Radlauer, who is running for the same seat, since congestion is a county-wide problem, Miami Dade County holds the key to the solution. Key elements of the county’s remedy: 1. Development of a safe and efficient mass transit system extending into North Dade. 2. Better traffic light synchronization and altering certain traffic patterns – including extending 185^th Street for three blocks and restricting 187^th Street to right turns only. 3. Ticket drivers who “block the box” in an intersection. A major component of Dr. Radlauer’s vision for the Aventura of the future includes a middle school. He cites the demographics of the city as getting younger and relates that Aventura Charter Elementary School has over 300 applicants for kindergarten. In terms of the elder citizenry, they’d like to have speakers on estate planning, wills and trusts and also guidance in setting up advance directives in which you determine your medical preferences before you become ill. Dr. Radlauer asserts that the city’s tax situation hasn’t changed much since its inception, hovering around roughly 2.227 mills. One thing Dr. Radlauer is adamant about: he wants to keep the 199^th Street crossing closed. In his view, if that were opened to provide access for the newly proposed shopping center it would create another traffic quagmire for Aventura.

In the Mayor’s Words

The day started out wet and dreary, but by the time 11:30 a.m. rolled around on Sunday, February 23, the sun was shining and bouncing off Aventura’s glistening new Community/Recreation Center at 3375 N.E. 188 Street.

The open house/dedication ceremony featured the entire city commission, city officials, and many Aventura residents in attendance. Reverend Will Keyser from The Church at Aventura provided the Invocation and Rabbi Barry J. Konovitch from the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center gave the Benediction. Mayor Jeffrey Perlow in his opening remarks noted “this 25,000 square foot building utilizes a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to build a community center directly on the waterfront.” He further noted that the center was built within budget and delivered on time. In a later interview the Mayor had this to say about the city’s grand new addition: “When Aventura became a city, it was just a geographical area on a map.” The bigger challenge was creating a community. It was determined that the components of a community included a City Hall, active and passive parks, a community center where people could meet and congregate, and a school. “Now we’re three quarters of the way there,” Perlow said. “The last quarter to be completed this Fall with the opening of the charter elementary school in August 2003.”

The only addition will be to expand the charter school to include a middle school. According to the Mayor there was “no place to ever meet in the city.” The new center offers a place for organizations to meet within the city. He observed that people love convenience and ultimately his goal “is to make Aventura a self-contained community where its residents can work, play and reside.”

The Community Recreation Center consists of three components. The first is the classrooms that can be used for seminars, lifelong learning classes and meetings. It also includes an arts and crafts room and a technical center (with eleven Dell Opti Plex computers, T1 speed, internet ready). The second component is the park and the third is the athletic wing, which includes an aerobics room, fitness center and a NCAA regulation size gymnasium. To register for membership and programs log on to www.cityofaventura.com and follow the links.

Notables

*Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, along with teammate Arturo Freeman, was on hand for the official preview of the all-new 2004 Jaguar XJ on Wednesday, February 19 at the Giorgio Armani boutique in Bal Harbour. Warren Henry Zinn, CEO and Founder of Warren Henry Jaguar played host to over 300 guests who partied and previewed the Armani Spring Collection. Ricky, looking fine after recent shoulder surgery, was relaxed, alternately chatting with invitees and signing autographs. He had this to say: “I’m enjoying the off-season because I have the opportunity to do a lot of things non-football [related].”

*Developer Alan Lieberman threw a surprise birthday party for his wife Diane at Porto Vita on Saturday, February 22. Invited were family, friends and associates (even her former college roommate). Diane, who turned fifty, was in utter shock and couldn’t even eat her meal, which included exquisite sea bass and delectable salads. The couple recently hosted the 8^th Annual Children’s Cultural Arts series which presented a special President’ Day show, The Balinese Frog Prince by Alice Eve Cohen.

*The Holocaust Documentation and Education Center will sponsor a “Salute to Liberators” tribute luncheon on Sunday, March 9 at the Fontainebleau Hilton, Miami Beach at noon. Honored will be the individuals who served in the Allied Armed Forces during WWII and liberated the survivors in the concentration camps. This will be an unparalleled reunion of liberators and survivors. If you wish to attend or learn more about the event, please call the center office at 305-919-5690.

*South Florida jeweler Martin King is launching a new line of dog jewelry early next month benefiting the Humane Society called “Fancy Bones” – diamond-studded items in the shape of dog bones. Included are individual dog charms that ID the pet with their name and phone number.