Stormont Kings Chess Program Center Grand Opening

On Saturday, August 3, Stormont Kings Chess Program will host the grand opening of their new center located at 16201 SW 95th Avenue, Suite 305. The center will be a place to socialize, play chess, participate in tournaments and take part in activates such as Movie Night, Family Game Night and more!

2013 Gibson-Bethel Community Center Backpack Giveaway

The City of South Miami will hold its Annual Backpack Giveaway on August 15, 2013, at the Gibson-Bethel Community Center, and they are asking for your donations. The city expects to give away 500 book bags and supplies so that the kids can have a great start for the new school year. Needed supplies include:

Mayor urges public to speak out against proposed nuclear reactors and electrical transmission lines

From Mayor Stoddard:

This will be your last chance to keep FPL from running new transmission lines though South Miami and building new nuclear plants 18 miles away at Turkey Point

They’re BACK
FPL’s “Eastern Preferred Transmission Line Corridor” would enter South Miami along SW 80th St, then turns up US 1, runs past South Miami Hospital and City Hall, and continues on through the heart of the South Miami into Coral Gables.  Lines would be strung along monstrous concrete towers 105 feet tall.

Sustainable, affordable housing set to open on July 26

The South Miami Community Redevelopment Agency and the Miami Dade Affordable Housing Foundation invite you to attend one of the very few USGBC (United States Green Building Council) certified, affordable home projects in the State of Florida!

6477 SW 60th Avenue, South Miami, Florida 33143 July 26, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.

This state-of-the-art project consists of six new LEED Silver, single-family, affordable homes located in the City of South Miami Community Redevelopment Area. Final construction of two of the new homes was recently completed by expert LEED certified home builder, Palmetto Homes of Miami!

On July 26th you are cordially invited to celebrate this important City of South Miami and Affordable Housing Foundation accomplishment at one of the existing LEED certified home sites. This project could not have been completed without assistance from the SMCRA's community redevelopment partners including the City of South Miami, Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade County Housing Finance Authority.

Work continues on safe routes to schools

The South Miami Neighbors, Bike SoMi, and Green Mobility, and our City leadership have started working with our local schools to encourage our kids to bike and walk to school. This year, we have started working with South Miami K-8 and South Miami Middle School.  We have dstributed Safe Routes to School Parent Surveys, and are currently evaluating the data on the surveys returned.  

We have also coordinated the installation of a bike rack, donated by South Miami bike shop, Mack Cycle, to South Miami K-8.  From the looks of the bike commuters on the bike rack's inauguration, South Miami K-8 will soon be ready for additional bike racks!

Next steps would include performing an analysis on the area immediately surrounding the schools and identify what obstacles exist to biking and walking, and subsequently remedying the physical barriers that exist.  

It is our hope to work with all of our local schools so that we get a steady increase in families walking and biking to school in SoMi.

Murray Park pool moves forward

At a recent meeting of the ERPB, the much anticipated Murray Park Pool was presented. It is exciting that the pool is moving forward in an expeditious manner so that everyone can finally go for a swim!  The design includes a kid's splash fountain, a shallow wading area leading to a lap pool, a small building with showers, bathrooms and a food concession, and perimeter fencing separating the pool from the remainder of Murray Park. While it is hopeful that the pool could be open year round (it will have heating), the current plan is to have the pool open only during the summer months.  That is why the City should consider how the pool can be designed to reap maximum benefits from elements of the pool's facilities.  For example:  the restrooms, showers, snack bar, and splash fountain can be used year round.  

Also, what will folks be seeing when the pool is not in operation?  How can the view to the pool be a postcard image of, say, a lake framed by beautiful landscaping year round?  Can the pool be a destination for special events such as weddings, etc?   Currently, there is chain link fencing proposed at the pool's perimeter.  Is chain link giving the right impression, and is such high fencing necessary? Can a lower security fence be obscured by landscaping and trees opening up to the view of the lake pool?

Other cities have endeavored to make their pools beautiful oases of leisure, such as neighboring Venetian Pool.  Let's build a pool facility worthy of being a postcard image of South Miami!

How do I get to the beach from here?

Do you hate fighting traffic?
Don't want to hassle for a parking place on south beach? But you love the beach once you are there?

Why not try public transportation? It is much easier than you think! Take the metro rail from South Miami station to government center, from there go to people mover and take the outer loop which is the omni loop. From the omni station wait for the 101 route A bus (faster than the s bus) which will take you to 5th and washington, or points north of there. A link for the route map is here http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/library/routes/101.pdf
There you go, you are hassle free and at the beach.

If you want a bus that will take you to various place around south beach like the Fillmore or convention center, you can use the south beach local 123 http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/library/routes/123.pdf

Always check the miamidade.gov/transit site for any changes.