2005 and 2006 — A Year In Review And A Look Ahead…
By Chief Fred Maas, Interim City Manager

(Click here to View the Year in Review Photos)

I invite you to take a walk thru our City of Sunny Isles Beach from one end of the city south to the northern most point and experience the Year In Review as well as Our Expectations for 2006.

Amidst the booming sounds and signs of construction progress, you will see some of the most beautiful and incredibly designed buildings that line Collins Avenue. A stroll along the beach should bring your attention to almost double the number of lifeguard stations for your ocean and beach safety. Never before has Sunny Isles Beach been so protected and so safe for families to enjoy a day at the ocean.

On the west side of Collins Avenue you will see a great amount of remodeling, refurbishing and reconstructing taking place. Some is due to updating and some is due to our not so beloved Wilma who visited us in October of 2005. But we survived and we’ll repair and we’ll be stronger as a community because of her.

Make a left at Sunny Isles Beach Causeway (167 St.) and you will see transition before your very eyes. For so many years, the old but dilapidated shops that lined Sunny Isles Beach Blvd are now gone making room for some absolutely breathtaking architectural designs along the Boulevard. One can only imagine the final product by viewing the concept that has been presented. It is a gateway to our City, and it opens up into our greatest attraction, the Ocean and its Beach.

A little north of the Boulevard at 167 Street begins our newest attractions and our familiar resting spots. The Town Center Park will be pleasing to your eyes and music to your ears as children of all ages, especially the toddlers, giggle and scream in play at this central location. To the west of the park shows evidence of a planned new emergency Fire and Rescue facility that will only enhance our public safety system.

Just a bit north is the central focus and mid point of our city, Samson Park. I am continually amazed at the growing numbers of daily visitors to and thru the park. So many friendships of previously unknown strangers have evolved thru the simple use of the park, its shelter and its gateway to the Ocean. And how beautiful a site at night time when the lights of the Holiday Season adorn the park even though Wilma took her toll. None of the damage could dampen the spirits or remove the smiles from the faces of those children on December 7th when Santa arrived via police escort to the cheers and squeals of the little ones. What a perfect scenario and location to celebrate tradition thru the EYES OF A CHILD!!

Moving forward we see familiar, well established structures that have been with us since our incorporation. And in the heart of all this is our own brand new City Government Center. I like to refer to it as own City Service Center because thru the work of our City Commission and City Officials, (current and former) this government center offers a library, a post office, a history hall of fame, and much more as well as all your city government needs. It is a one stop shop for a resident or business owner.

To the west of the government center lies the truest most tangible sign of our future and our city’s progress. The land and location for the City’s school and Active Park. The location where the children of today will learn and will set the stage for their children and their children to come, establishing generations of families linked forever to Sunny Isles Beach.

Moving a bit north and we see again the business transition where a new Publix shopping center will avail itself to all in the city. Within walking distance of everyone is the north end for sure how convenient to walk to the store or to ride the many shuttle buses that run thru the city delivering services to our resident passengers. A car? What car? Who needs a car in Sunny Isles Beach? No thanks I’ll walk or I’ll catch the community bus!

The north end again is our gateway entrance to the City or as the Mayor refers to it as the “Riviera” of South Florida. Nicely designed landscape and welcoming signs to the City tell people that they are entering our area of Sunny Isles Beach. We welcome you and we encourage you not to just pass thru but to STOP and visit and spend a while and spend your money, and look around at what we have to offer both in 2006 and for years to come. Who knows, we may have
another resident added to our growing population.

Take a walk! Look around! Spend some time and Just Marvel! After all this is your City, this is Your Home!!

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a Healthy and Safe New Year in 2006!!

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