Results of Lake Worth Beach Municipal Election 2021

Welcome Mayor Betty Resch, District #1 Commissioner Sara Malega and District #3 Commissioner Kim Stokes. 

Note that there will be a runoff election in the District #2 race between Carla Blockson and Chris McVoy on March 23rd. Stay tuned for more updates. 

 

The municipal pool at the Lake Worth Beach was shut down 10.5 years ago. Why? Not enough money in City budget.

A previous City administration discovered in October 2010 that having an Olympic-sized lap pool at the Beach wasn’t economically feasible. Then something very interesting happened the very next year.

But first, enjoy this video:

Our precious pool wasn't making enough money to stay open. So it was shut down in 2010. . .

So revenue was a concern, you see. Or was. The city manager back then was Susan Stanton. She was fired in 2011 and a few months later Michael Bornstein was hired to be the city manager. Now fast forward to 2015 following all the pressure that was put on Bornstein and the City to reopen the pool, which it was, but guess what happened next? A surprising turnaround. Learn more about that below.

 Some former electeds and administration official

responsible for this mess at the Beach:

From L to R, facing: Joann Golden has her hand on Suzanne Mulvehill’s shoulder, Chris McVoy, PhD, Susan Stanton (former city manager), and Cara Jennings (on far right).

The surprising turnaround. . .

The very same former commissioners from that prior administration who closed the pool in 2010 all of sudden in 2015 were no longer concerned the pool complex was losing money to the tune of $123,000 that fiscal year. It was now an ‘amenity’ that must remain open no matter what the burden or shortfalls in City budgets.

Here are the numbers to keep the pool
open three years ago:

Then came the cry, “Just increase the pool hours to make up the shortfall!” But with every increase in hours comes with it an increase in cost. The shortfalls don’t go away because of additional hours open.

If we are to conclude that a pool at the Beach is a precious amenity that must remain open then why did a previous administration close it? Looking out to future City budgets if the pool was losing $300,000 or $500,000 every year who would be tasked with footing the bill? Would the nearby well-heeled residents in the Town of Palm Beach help with the shortfalls funding this ‘precious amenity’?

The point here is the pool was ignored as an amenity for many years even though its value was used to compute the percentage of the ‘renovation’ to the Casino building. But the so-called renovation wasn’t a renovation at all. It was new construction. The pool was just the distraction.

The IG had a thing or two to say
about that back in 2011.

Click on image to enlarge:

So. Still think constructing a new pool
at the Beach is a good idea?

This won’t take long. Doesn’t the Greater Bay plan in 2009 for our Lake Worth Beach look really good right about now?

However, the public was never allowed to see this plan. Why? Because a previous administration (see the “happy” photo below) thought they could come up with a better plan than Greater Bay did.

Because the contract with Greater Bay was broken that later cost the City a $1.6M settlement (how many potholes could that money have fixed?), countless bills for lawyers, embarrassment for the City of Lake Worth and “egg on our faces” as Mayor Pam Triolo, first elected in 2012, likes to say.

Note the location of Casino. The Greater Bay plan included a parking garage with a new pool facility to the north plus ample access for the handicapped and emergency/commercial vehicles.

The majority elected in 2012, Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Commissioner Andy Amoroso were left to pick up all the pieces.

In 2010–2012 “. . . it appears some corners were cut”, said the editor(s) at The Palm Beach Post. You ain’t kidding.

When Commissioner McVoy comes knocking on your door asking for your vote again, just say “I think I’ll pass.”

Commissioner McVoy, PhD (beaming, next to former City Manager Stanton) was once so pleased with himself. He was first elected in 2010. Are you ready to give McVoy a raise and 2 more years on our City Commission?

MEDIA ADVISORY Deputies Remind Residents to “Lock It or Lose It”

 The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has been experiencing an increase in vehicle burglaries occurring in the Lake Worth Beach. Many of the burglaries have been occurring due to owners forgetting to lock their vehicles. 

 

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office would like to REMIND the public:

 

·      Do not leave valuables in plain view

Such as: GPS devises, lap tops, PDA’s, cell phones and purses

·      Do not leave windows open

·      Do not leave doors unlocked

·      Do not leave the keys inside the vehicle

·      Do not leave out items with personal information

·      Do not move valuable items to the trunk while in public view

Message from Christina Lambert City Commissioner West Palm Beach, District 5

 REMINDER: Tomorrow, February 17^th at 5:30 PM there will be an update on the progress of the West Palm Beach Municipal Golf Course.

Since our last community-wide update, a group of local business and golf leaders, led by PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, has established the West Palm Golf Community Trust as a 501c3 non-profit organization to raise funds to rebuild the former West Palm Beach Golf Course. Their design for our public facility will feature an 18-hole Gil Hanse designed golf course, a 9-hole par 3 course, a practice facility and a putting course. 

The Trust plans to operate the facility in a manner that will provide a welcoming environment for people with all levels of golf experience.

Join us tomorrow, February 17^th at 5:30 PM as Mayor Keith James welcomes the President of the West Palm Golf Community Trust, Seth Waugh, to provide a community update regarding the plans for the new West Palm Golf Park. 

See below for the login details:

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2568358038?pwd=V0k3VEo1emQ5V2ZiVjVQZ0E2b1NKQT09
Meeting ID: 256 835 8038
Passcode: 793495
Dial In: 646-558-8656

I hope to see you there!

Yours in service,

Christina Lambert
City Commissioner
West Palm Beach, District 5

TONIGHT-Parrot Cove February Meeting - Meet The Candidates - Mon Feb 15 7PM - Live Stream Link

The Parrot Cove NA will be hosting a Meet The Candidates event at our February meeting this coming Monday February 15th, 2021, at 7pm.

Given the current situation with the Covid and the high number of candidates running, we faced many challenges on how, or even if, we could provide this as we have in the past.. We also know that our members and neighbors have appreciated the information they get from these events as we have done a number of them in the past. 

To safely accomplish this, we have opted to have the meet the candidates evening take place outside, and we are severely limited in the in person capacity. So to that end, we will be live streaming the event so everyone can participate from the comfort of their home.

If you wish to join in person, you may, but please know that we have limited outdoor seating and it is offered on a first come first serve basis. 

To watch from home, please use this link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWTtmUG6jtFTvRJYC182wMA/featured?view_as=subscriber

Once we start, the video feed will show up. It will not be there until we do, so please click on it once it is there. 

The format will be similar to what it has been in the past. Candidates give an intro, a closing, and answer some questions. Again, with the number of candidates in this election cycle, we are limited on the amount of time we can get in, and will do our best to move it along efficiently so we can hear as much from them as possible, without pulling an all-nighter. 

Thank you.

PBSO- Lake Worth Beach - Weekly Update 2/8/21

 Crime:

We had four robberies last week. Two were outside convenience stores, one was prostitution related and one was a carjacking in front of the victims residence in the 1300 block of South L  Street. We also had a stabbing in the 100 block of North Federal. The victim and suspect appear to have knew each other. Regarding property crime, we had three to structures and three to vehicles. There were no patterns. Two firearms were taken from an unlocked vehicle in the 300 block of North Dixie Highway.

Community Policing:

With the cooler weather we handed out blankets to the homeless this week. We also assisted a family with a rodent problem.

Covid 19:

A mass vaccination site is opening at the Fairgrounds. It is still for those 65 and older and by appointment. Please be patient and follow all CDC guidelines.

Neighborhood Association Meetings:

Our Community Policing deputies are available to attend you virtual neighborhood association meetings. Please give them at a minimum a weeks’ notice so they can ensure availability and pull the crime data.  We are not attending the in-persons meetings right now due to Covid 19.

Stay safe and healthy,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Neighborhood Clean-up in Tropical Ridge 2/25/21

 

PBSO- Lake Worth Beach- District 14 - Weekly Update

We had a mixed week crime wise.  There were two shooting calls, both in the Sunset Ridge neighborhood. . One was domestic related.  The other was a drive by to a business where no one was struck. We had one robbery to a person in the Memorial Park neighborhood. We had two business burglaries where copper was stripped from the building along with four residential burglaries and ten auto burglaries. The burglaries were mostly in the north half of the city and nine of ten auto burglaries were to unlocked vehicles. We are following up some good investigative leads on the burglaries. 

In the past week, three of your Lake Worth Beach deputies have been recognized for their actions.

 

Lifesaving Medal : Deputy Goodman and Deputy Concepcion responded to a call where the owners dog had mauled her. The deputies had to first deal with the dog before finding the victim and rendering aid. She suffered critical injuries and lost a lot of blood, however the deputies actions saved her life.

 

Combat Star (Similar to the Purple Heart) : Deputy Acierno received the Combat Star for actions that he took on a traffic stop where the driver purposely struck him with the vehicle. Deputy Acierno sustained serious injuries including a dislocated hip. I am happy to report that he recovered from his injuries.

 

These are just a couple examples of the bravery displayed by our deputies on a daily basis.

 

Covid 19: The vaccine news is promising and hopefully it will be more readily available soon. This is not the time to let your guard down. I have seven employees currently out with it or in quarantine due to a direct exposure. Continue to follow CDC guidelines so we can get this under control.

 

Community Policing: We had a great event today at North Grade Elementary. Through a partnership with “Jacobs Shoes” we were able to provide new sneakers, socks and bags to forty children that were chosen by the school. We have events planned at the other schools in the near future.

 

Be safe,

 

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Enhance Your Big Game Experience with TooJay’s Deli’s Game Day Bundle

 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (January 21, 2021) – Nothing says Game Day more than party platters of piled-high sandwiches. Be the MVP of the Big Game with TooJay’s Deli’s Game Day Bundle.

Available now, TooJay’s Game Day Bundle feeds eight to 10 people and offers an assorted signature sandwich platter, potato salad, Cole slaw, pickles, a dessert platter with TooJay’s signature sweets, condiments, plates, utensils and napkins.

The Game Day Bundle is available for takeout or contactless curbside pick-up. Guests can order online through TooJay’s website or call their nearest location to place an order. Curbside is available only on pre-paid orders through the app or website. Delivery is also available on orders of $50 or more. Delivery times are limited so orders should be placed in advance. Guests are encouraged to call their nearest location for delivery details.    

TooJay’s is excited to welcome guests into its dining rooms at all locations throughout Florida in accordance with all state and local requirements, including safe sanitation and food handling with team health checks and enhanced cleaning procedures. For information on how TooJay’s is implementing COVID-19 safety regulations, please visit TooJays.com/how-we-are-navigating-covid-19. Guests also can enjoy TooJay’s great comfort food through curbside, takeout, delivery and catering.

 

Founded in 1981, TooJay’s currently serves guests in Palm Beach and Broward counties, the Treasure Coast, the Orlando area and The Villages.

 

TooJay’s received three Palm Beach Post 2020 Best of Palm Beach County Awards for Best Sandwich, Best Dessert and Best Caterer; two Fort Lauderdale Magazine 2020 The Best of Fort Lauderdale Awards for Best Family Friendly Restaurant and Best Locally Made Food Product; 2020 Best of Orlando Award for Deli; 2020 South Florida Family Favorites Award for Favorite Family Restaurant;  the 2019 South Florida Gay News Golden Spoon Award for Outstanding New Spot in Fort Lauderdale; and the 2019 Restaurant Neighbor Award as a State Winner from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for its work with Feeding Florida

 

For more information about TooJay’s, visit TooJays.com. Follow TooJay’s at twitter.com/therealTooJays and instagram.com/toojaysdeli or visit the Facebook fan page, which has over 93 thousand fans, and become a fan at facebook.com/TooJaysDeli.

WiFi on the Go! Lake Worth Beach City Library

Check out a TMobile Hot Spot from the Lake Worth Beach City Library. If you have a City Library card you can check out a hot spot for 2 weeks to use at home or on the go.

Mobile hotspots can connect more than just a laptop to the web. They’ll work with a tablet, a camera, and pretty much any other Wi-Fi enabled device. With a mobile hot spot, you can bring Wi-Fi with you wherever you go.

A fully charged mobile hot spot’s battery can provide up to 17 hours of service. Video streaming and Zoom applications may drain the battery at a faster rate.

The Library’s mobile hot spots are provided through a 1 year grant from SEFLIN (South East Florida Library and Information Network).

MLK Unity Interfaith Brunch Free · Bryant Park Band Shell - Monday, January 18, 2021

Music and sing-along by Mel & Vinnie featuring vintage Civil Rights Era songs.

Poetry and Readings by LWCHS students.

Ever-joyous presentation by For The Children pre-school.

Inspirational remarks from Catholic and Protestant, Jewish and Gentile leaders will foster the legacy of Dr. King.

The MLK Committee has chosen an outdoor venue for your safety. Please wear masks and social distance during the event.

(More information on Facebook: (20+) MLK Unity Interfaith Brunch | Facebook.)

Democracy is Undeterred...

In the wake of the mayhem at the Capitol, here are the addresses where thank you letters can be sent to custodial staff:

AFSCME Local 626

Ford House Office Building

2nd Street Southwest

Washington, DC 20024

OR

Architect of the Capitol

US Capitol

Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515

You can also email thank you letters to the union, AFSCME Local 626, at localbamma@gmail.com or to the Architect of the Capitol at communications@aoc.gov.

Click here for informative article.

Bryant Park Neighborhood Newsletter 01 16 21

 Friends and Neighbors,

We hope you're all having an excellent start to the new year! There are many concerns over a wide variety of topics surrounding our neighborhood so let's get to it:

Upcoming Bryant Park Neighborhood Association Meeting: Monday, January 25 @ 7:00pm via Zoom. Please mark your calendars. Invite to follow.

Upcoming March Elections For Mayor And Commission Seats In Districts 1, 2 and 3:

It's Election Time again in the City Of Lake Worth Beach.

Debates with the candidates will be held soon by the NAPC, (Neighborhood Association Presidents Council)  in 4 separate presentations. To maintain the secrecy of the questions, all 4 will be presented publicly through the NAPC YouTube channel after they have been recorded.

It is also traditional for the various neighborhoods throughout the city to hold their own debates, forums, and Neighborhood Association meet and greets with the candidates. Bryant Park, being the first neighborhood association many years ago to hold their own debates, will be doing so again this year. As there are quite a few candidates this year, 13 in all for Mayor and Commissioners for Districts 1, 2, and 3, the debates will have to be broken into 2 or more sessions, and will be held via Zoom at the end of February, dates to be determined.

Neighborhood members are asked to submit your questions for the candidates via email in advance of the debates. 

Please send to BRYANTPARKNEIGHBORHOODNEWS@GMAIL.COM

Also NAPC related:

The NAPC has extra money in their coffers and are asking for ideas on how to spend it. Please let us know if you have any ideas!

Gulfstream Hotel: 

Due to the pandemic situation, the buyers are still trying to secure all the necessary financing, so for the time being there is not much new to report unfortunately. The city is helping and working with them.

A City Parking study for South L and South M Streets and the downtown area, has been paid for by the city, but no results are yet available. Due to the concerns from residents in the Gulfstream Condominiums regarding costs to continue parking on the property owned by the Gulfstream Hotel, a lawsuit has been started involving the City of Lake Worth Beach. The condos will be meeting with the City soon.

Historic 17 South M Street House Tentatively Being Moved to Bryant Park:

Voted on 4 to 1 at the last commission meeting with no input from the residents of the city or neighborhood. Herman Robinson was the one dissenting vote. What does this mean for us?

The City Manager has secured the needed funding to begin the initial plans to move this historic and recently refurbished structure. However, specifically where it will move has not yet been determined. The City Manager has suggested Bryant Park, in the area near the jetty to be used potentially for community events and organization activities. However, he has been made aware that our Neighborhood Association has not been included in any conversations about this proposed move, and that we would expect such an opportunity.

Our District 4 Commissioner, Herman Robinson, is concerned with this very significant and noticeable move that would be seen by all city residents and visitors alike. He has brought those concerns to the full commission to ensure that an appropriate location selection is considered to maintain neighbors' views and to be best utilized and appreciated.

Is this concerning to you? If so, please reach out to us.

Ocean Breeze and North Ocean Breeze:

There has been some concern among neighbors this week about the street name of Ocean Breeze being changed to South Ocean Breeze largely due to a new sign that has been erected at Lake Ave and Ocean Breeze that has added "S" before the street name. This is not an official or city sanctioned change.

An authorized change by the city and subsequently with the post office requires an official vote. The city commission had conducted a vote to change North O street to North Ocean Breeze, as the result of the Parrot Cove Neighborhood Association requesting it.

However, the idea of changing Ocean Breeze to South Ocean Breeze has not been requested by our Neighborhood Association, nor brought up by the City Commission. According to District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson, the city has no plans to put it up for a vote.

If anyone is still concerned, the BPNA Board members voted unanimously to send a letter to the city commission clearly stating our opposition to any name change. Our neighbor, Jane Thomas, is also working on a petition and if you'd like more information on that please contact her directly- therealjanethomas@gmail.com

Birthday Cake Castle: 

You may have noticed the large event held at the home in early December, and you may have also seen commercial grade catering equipment on the property. Be assured, the city is aware of what they have been up to. While the owners of this home intended to run a destination location for outdoor events, this property is located in a Residentially Zoned area, they Do Not have a business license, and the city says they have no plans to grant them one. 

To even be considered, they would have to receive a zoning variance to Commercial Zoning by way of the Historic Preservation Board and city staff recommendation, and then finalized by a City Commission vote with public and neighborhood association input and support...all very unlikely.

The home is on our neighborhood border with the South Palm Park Neighborhood, and they too have notified the city of their concerns including noise, traffic, and parking. If this is concerning to you, please attend a commission meeting and take the opportunity to speak at the public input portion of the meeting or consider writing to your commissioners.

Next Regular City Commission meeting Tuesday, January 19, 2021:

You can find the agenda here: https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov/government/commission-agendas-and-minutes/

Neighborhood Improvements and Safety Updates-

Your Neighborhood Association asked, and the city responded. More sidewalks are being repaired! However, traffic issues continue as we've heard new concerns over increased speeding and wrong way driving on 5th Ave S & S Lakeside. The city says they will be erecting new reflective poles and other traffic calming devices in this area to reinforce the single direction flow of traffic. 

We feel that we have noticed an increased Sheriff's presence in the area, again, because our local neighborhoods have let the City and PBSO leadership know, which is helpful, but we know many of us have seen more wrong way driving lately and there is still room for improvement.

Road Improvements are still a challenge, regarding 1st and 2nd Avenues surrounding the Gulfstream property as the city plans to make upgrades there once redevelopment has begun and not before then. Still, we have been asking for those and other nearby areas to be reconsidered for a sooner update.

*Our commissioner Herman Robinson laid out his new year's resolutions and hopes for the city of Lake Worth Beach and it is definitely worth a read. Check it out here:  https://www.facebook.com/herman.robinson.9

PBSO Update:   

Heightened crime data during the holidays including a couple of shootings in other neighborhoods in LWB, plus unfortunately another shooting this week off of 17th Avenue North. According to Capt. Baer's latest update, "It was domestic violence where there was a specific victim." Also from his latest newsletter:

 "We conducted a prostitution operation yesterday. Five prostitutes were charged with offering to commit prostitution.

 *Community Policing: Hopefully you are seeing and interacting with our deputies out there. They have been doing more park, walk and talk activity and we have been using other vehicles such as bicycles and ATV’s which make us more approachable. Lt. Lavigna and I had a good meeting last night with local pastors from south end churches."

Trends include:

• Burglaries to Vehicles

• Robberies to Persons

• Shootings – In LWB and many other cities countywide

• Business Burglaries – Looking for tools

COVID-19 Vaccine: 

Via the City newsletter- "As we embark on the journey of a New Year there is long awaited news about the next step in our fight against COVID-19, the vaccines are starting to become available in Palm Beach County. To ensure that the vaccine goes where it is most needed first, Governor DeSantis has ordered (EO 20-315) that the first wave of vaccines will go to individuals in the following priority groups:Long-term care facility residents and staff.Persons 65 years of age and older.Health care personnel with direct patient contact.Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers.The Florida Department of Health will be distributing the vaccine by appointment only and strictly to those who meet the requirements in the Governor's order. If you, or a loved one, is in one of the priority groups you can make an appointment by emailing chd50feedback@flhealth.gov. In your email you must include the name, phone number, and date of birth of the person who will be receiving the vaccine. Questions about the vaccine should be directed to your primary care provider.

Further information about the vaccine can be found at these resources: https://discover.pbcgov.org/coronavirus/Pages/vaccine.aspx

If you have questions about COVID-19 you should contact 1-866-779-6121 or email COVID19@flhealth.gov.

The City of Lake Worth Beach will continue to work with our partners at Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Health to ensure our residents remain healthy during this pandemic, however the City is not involved in the deployment and administration of the vaccine.

Although the deployment of the vaccine is the beginning of the end, COVID-19 remains a threat. Residents should continue to follow the guidance from the CDC for their own safety and the safety of those around them.

Continue to social distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands regularly."

MLK events:  Please see attached flyer for additional info 

Lake Worth Kiwanis Club needs help to get the word out about this year's events. Due to Covid, note that the annual breakfast is now a brunch, to be held outside at Bryant Park by the Bandshell at 11 am on MLK Monday (January 18th).

There is a Candlelight March at 4:30 pm.

No dinner is planned, but a Commemorative Program will begin at 5:30 pm at the Cultural Plaza.

Masks required for all events. Please see attached flyer and feel free to share and post. Keep an eye on the Kiwanis Facebook page for further information.

CRA Updates: 

Tax Workshop presented by the SBA & SBDC – Fort MyersNavigating Taxes during Unprecedented TimesWednesday, January 20, 2021 from 11:00am to 12:30pm 

Register here: Navigating Taxes during Unprecedented Times

Tickets, Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite

Call for Volunteers:

Via an email sent to Lake Worth Beach NAPC- 

"In a partnership between The City of Lake Worth Beach and The School District of Palm Beach County, The Mayor's Education Taskforce is requesting citizen input and support for our LWB schools. The goal of this committee is to strengthen the connections between our schools, principals, city and community. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from the SDPBC leadership and work on developing additional supports for our schools and students. This taskforce is particularly important due to the impact that the COVID pandemic and distance learning/teaching is having on our children. We will meet virtually until it is safe to meet in person, once a month, beginning in February.
If you are interested in participating please email

Angela.Santacruz@palmbeachschools.org .

Thank you very much. I am also available to answer any questions that you may have."

Erica Whitfield, School Board Member, District 4

561-434-8139 (office)
Erica.Whitfield@palmbeachschools.org

New & Upcoming Events from Leisure Services: Please see attached flyers for more info

Via an email from the Department of Leisure Services head Lauren Bennett:

• We are currently accepting registration for Adult Basketball, Youth Basketball Clinics and Flag football. Registration can be found at lakeworthbeachfl.gov 

• Registration is also open for Youth Baseball and Softball. Please visit Phippsparkbaseball.com for more info. 

• Season has started for Youth Soccer but we still have a few spots left. For more information please call Nick at (561) 221-1595 

• Save the Date- City staff are working on a Family Date Night on Saturday, February 13^th. More details to come soon. 

• We will be hosting a socially distanced Kids’ Field Day on February 27^th. We sure hope to see a lot of participation  

• The LWB Library is now renting wifi hot spots! Details below:

Check out a TMobile Hot Spot from the Lake Worth Beach City Library. If you have a City Library card you can check out a hot spot for 2 weeks to use at home or on the go.

Mobile hotspots can connect more than just a laptop to the web. They’ll work with a tablet, a camera, and pretty much any other Wi-Fi enabled device. With a mobile hot spot, you can bring Wi-Fi with you wherever you go.

A fully charged mobile hot spot’s battery can provide up to 17 hours of service. Video streaming and Zoom applications may drain the battery at a faster rate.

The Library’s mobile hot spots are provided through a 1 year grant from SEFLIN (South East Florida Library and Information Network).

* ** ** ** ** ** *

With all the changes going on in the neighborhood and the city we hope that you will join us in voicing your opinion and getting involved with local issues that matter to you. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas for the neighborhood. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Courtney Kline, Secretary and Marshall Pass, President

Bryant Park Neighborhood Association

--

Bryant Park Neighborhood Association

Artists to Begin Work on Lake Worth Beach’s Osborne Community “Unity Wall” During MLK Weekend

Wall with a history of separating white from black communities to be turned into a symbol of unity.

WHAT: The Whispering Palm Neighborhood Association and Healthier Lake Worth Beach, a Palm Health Foundation initiative, has come together to repaint and revitalize the Lake Worth Beach Unity Wall. This wall is a 1,100-foot cinder block wall that runs along Wingfield Street in the South end of Lake Worth Beach. There was a time when this wall represented separation. Today this wall will forever stand for people of all races and cultures coming together to break down the walls and barriers of hate, injustice.

Built in 1954, the wall served as an unofficial border between residents of the "Osborne Colored Addition" and their white neighbors in the Whispering Palms community at the city's south end. In 1954,the city's zoning code required Black residents to live in the Osborne subdivision. It remained that way until 1969. "For today’s generation and society, that wall does not represent segregation anymore,"said Retha Lowe, the city's first Black commissioner and a lifelong resident of the Osborne community.."It’s about bringing our city together — all types of people. That's what it represents today for our community — a wall of unity.”

WHEN: Saturday, January 16, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Work on the wall will continue each Saturday over the next six to eight weeks until the project is complete.

WHERE: Wingfield Street, near the corner of 12 th Avenue South, in Lake Worth Beach. The Unity Wall extends almost 4 blocks on Winfield Street in the Osborne Community in the city of Lake Worth Beach.