Thursday, January 21, 2016

An olive branch from The Palm Beach Post to the City of Lake Worth and the City's CRA

The Palm Beach Post really didn't have much of a choice in this matter—instead of offering an outright apology the paper did a positive and uplifting article about the City's CRA following the absurd and silly piece about the mural at the CRA's La Joya Villages. Hardly a week goes by when there isn't more good news from the CRA and for the Post to attempt and sully them in such a manner outraged many in Lake Worth. The reaction from the public was swift and in many cases quite hilariously on point condemning the paper.

For the mural non-story the Post reporter searched out for "a woman" who has hardly lifted a finger to improve the City of Lake Worth while another "a woman", Joan Oliva (the CRA's Executive Director), has devoted many years of her life to improve the City while taking the daily slings and arrows with that ubiquitous smile.

Anyhow, the Post reached out to the CRA and published this article titled, "Four Lake Worth intersections could get artsy makeover" and Joan Oliva is quoted several times. Here are two short excerpts:
     “Instead of art and culture being segregated from the public by being in galleries and art shows, we really want to bring art and culture to the public at large,” said [Joan] Oliva, executive director of the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency. “At the same time we wanted to highlight some of the areas that are primed for redevelopment.”
     That vision helped the city become one of 158 finalists in the Knight Cities Challenge, a program open to 26 communities nationwide to receive up to $5 million in grant money for projects that will improve cities, provide economic opportunities and spur civic engagement while attracting — and retaining — young talent.
[and. . .]
     Oliva said initial projections are the project would cost between $250,000 to $300,000 and take about a year to complete.
     “We want to make sure this is something the entire community can get behind,” Oliva said. “What we’re trying to do here fits nicely with what the Knights Cities Challenge is all about — community engagement and economic opportunity.” [emphasis added]
Also stay tuned for more on the "Art Junction" coming up at the Urban Arts Lofts on January 23rd: