A Message from the Mayor – November 2022

By Dana Robin Goldman, Mayor

(Wednesday, November 2, 2022) – Just over one year ago Gateway Center opened at the south end of Sunny Isles Beach, changing the way residents experienced recreation in our city. Gateway Center was a capital project several years in the making and underwent many iterations before we officially broke ground. The multipurpose, one- of-a-kind facility was the City’s largest recreation undertaking in over a decade. Since Pelican Community Park opened in 2008, we’ve expanded recreation programming tenfold due to high demand and community wants and needs.

It became apparent that the City needed additional space to continue to deliver high quality programming to the extent that we wanted to offer. Additionally, with Pelican Community Park being so close to the school, we felt it would be more advantageous if our adults and seniors had a dedicated space for programming that better suited their needs.

Gateway Center is a phenomenal space that our adult and senior population can find great fulfillment at, develop new skills or expand their knowledge. From its welcoming aesthetic and atmosphere to the state- of-the-art technology integrated throughout, Gateway Center exceeds all expectations. We always knew that the Center would be extraordinary, but how the Cultural & Community Services (CCS) department has curated its programming and special events is special.

This fall, we are taking programming up a notch by offering the most diverse and expanded set of programs, events and services for our seniors and adults. The launch of our first Senior Roundtable was so successful that they are now offered monthly as we invite seniors to share their feedback about anything and everything. We’ve expanded our education series, now offering several medical lectures, Lunch & Learns, and language classes; and introduced new workshops for Medicare instruction and registration. Cultural trips are being offered again, as are art classes and workshops. You can find the complete program offerings and register online at activities.sibfl.net.

If you have not been to Gateway Center yet, I hope you are able to visit and take a look around this fall. There is always something to do, whether it’s a class, workshop or event. And if you cannot make it in person, we have a digital 360 tour available online at sibfl.net/gatewaycenter. I invite you to discover why Gateway Center is the City’s new crown jewel.

Contact Mayor Dana Robin Goldman at mayor@sibfl.net or 305.792.1753.