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TEAM Punta Gorda
March 2012 Judy Brentano, Editor |
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| DESTINATION PUNTA GORDA | | . . . VIA WATER |  Great news this week! Our City Council has revisited plans for the mooring field slated to be off Gilchrist Park. With input from TEAM, the Boaters Alliance and members of the boating community-at-large, the City has decided to expend its efforts instead to promoting this area as a natural anchorage site, thereby reducing a myriad of restrictions for use of this area.
In addition, pending approval by the Marine Advisory Council of a grant request covering dredging, floating docks and access ramp/sidewalk, by the Bayfront Center-Boat Club, this area will be greatly improved. We may finally see the long-awaited and much-needed dinghy dock allowing boaters to come to shore to visit our many restaurants and attractions! |
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DESTINATION PUNTA GORDA | |
... VIA LAND
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Punta Gorda has become one great destination for festivals, food and all out fun. A visit to Muscle Car City, Fishermen's Village, viewing our wonderful historic murals, or riding our free loaner bikes, we have so much to offer. But wouldn't it be nice to add another 'must see' to our repertoire!
We recently covered the idea of bringing Mote Marine to downtown Punta Gorda. The land acquisition is up to a group of savvy investors, but we citizens must show our support to help this become reality. An aquarium and aquatic research facility would not only be a great attraction for visitors, it would also add jobs to our economy.
TEAM Punta Gorda has added a link to its website to promote this endeavor, and we would like to invite you to be a part of it. It's very simple and takes just a couple of clicks.
Go to www.teampuntagorda.org Click on the "Sign up for our our Email newsletter" below the MOTE MARINE logo and fill in your email address.
You will get a message saying "Update Your TEAM Punta Gorda profile if you are an existing subscriber or want to re-subscribe to TEAM Talk." Hit SUBMIT.
You will then receive an email from TEAM with your profile listed. Follow the simple prompts check to receive TEAM Talk [it should already be checked if you are receiving this newsletter] and then check Mote Marine mailings.
By doing this, your name will be added to the thousands we hope to amass to show Mote how important a facility in Punta Gorda is to us and that we support it. At the recent seafood festival in Laishley, over 300 people signed up. Let's add your name to the list! |
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DESTINATION PUNTA GORDA | | . . . BY FOOT & MORE | Harborwalk awaits you! If you haven't taken a stroll along picturesque Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda, you have a real treat in store. The much-anticipated section of walkway in front of the old Best Western, now the Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel and Suites, long in limbo has cleared the Courts.  A Bankruptcy Court in Michigan opened the way for the property to be used for the completion of our walkway system along the harbor as originally agreed to by the property owner. The next step by the City will be engineering and permitting. Once complete, the Ring around the City will be a reality. So get those walking shoes out, bicycles dusted off, roller blades greased, leash up the dog and head on out! |
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BOTTOM LINE | | . . . PUNTA GORDA IS ON THE GPS | |
 If you noticed more people in town, on the roads, and dining out in our wonderful restaurants, there is a very good reason!
Tourism is up 19% over last year at this time! This is extremely good news for our local economy which has struggled, as we have seen many stores become vacant. Now the reverse seems to be happening.
Our Punta Gorda Airport wais seeing an increase in traffic until Direct Air suspended service on March 13. No question, this will have an impact for our area as they are not tentatively resuming flights until May 15. Our new air traffic control tower is staffed and fully operational, but it's definitely time to expand the terminal. Three flights going out at one time is way more than it can handle!
While we're out near the airport, the industrial park will see more construction activity soon. The County and Cheney Brothers food distribution services closed on the property February 14, for a whopping $2.5 million. What a Valentine that is! Cheney will create hundreds of needed jobs for our area. Thanks go to our local folks who helped make this happen.
For a more in-depth review of what's happening, mark your calendar for Mayor Bill Albers' 2012 State of the City, March 19 at 11 a.m. at the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association. Can't atttend? You can view the presentation on the City's website www.pgorda.us Click Reports on the home page. |
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CITY OF MURALS | |
. . . VIA SCOOTER |  Want to tour Punta Gorda on a motor scooter? With the price of gas, this may just be the ticket for some lucky winner. To help fund the Historic Mural Society's latest offering entitled "Sports Memories," you can purchase a raffle ticket for only $25 and enter to win a two-seat GMW R1 scooter. Tickets are available at the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, 252 Marion Avenue at the corner of Sullivan Street, and by telephone 941-637-7830 until 3 p.m. March 30th.
Only 200 tickets will be sold, so hurry!
The drawing will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 30, at the Chamber of Commerce. You do not need to be present to win. The mural will appear on the exterior privacy wall of the Punta Gorda Club, near the intersection of US 41 South and Aqui Esta. To date, the Society has created, funded, and maintained 24 murals. Ten murals were destroyed in Hurricane Charley and niine have been replaced thanks to this non-profit's hard work, with continuing support from the citizens like you.
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PEDAL & PLAY IN PARADISE | . . . IS ROLLING INTO PUNTA GORDA
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 | | 2011 version of tee shirt |
A quick reminder to get your application in to Pedal & Play in Paradise by March 21st if you want to receive a very cool - and free -T-shirt! The event launches from Laishley Park on Saturday, March 31, and offers a variety of distances for the avid and not-so-avid bicycle rider.
Visit www.pedalandplayinparadise.com for a complete list of rides and to sign up. Breakfast, lunch, free beer, friends, fun... a great way to spend another great day in Paradise.
As an added treat, the very popular and very entertaining "Here Come the Mummies" will be appearing in downtown Punta Gorda that evening at FunkFest. If you haven't seen this act, it is something to behold. *Visit www.herecomethemummies.com
[*This event is not related to Pedal and Play in Paradise co-sponsored by the Isles Yacht Club and TEAM Punta Gorda as part of their fundraising activities for The Lymphoma/Leukemia Society's annual campaign.]
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VOLUNTEER CORNER | . . . TPG ADDS NEW FACES
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TEAM Punta Gorda is pleased to welcome Mr. Robin Adair as chair of the newly created Community Development Committee. The committee, after careful review of the current economic development study  recommendations, is keenly interested in changing the "retirement community" mentality and direction to a more comprehensive appeal to future residents. This will directly affect the ability to attract not only younger residents but more workers, many of whom left the area and did not return after Hurricane Charley destroyed hundreds of businesses.
Two major projects the committee will actively support are, one, attracting Mote Marine as mentioned above and, two, creating a business incubator in the former IMPAC University building, which now stands dormant.
The Communications Team is thrilled to welcome Ms. Alison Layne as a member and contributor. Ms. Layne is currently head librarian at the Punta Gorda Public Library.
Her many talents include photography, art, and writing. Her knowledge of social media will help keep our Facebook page updated and fun! |
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SAVE THE DATE | |
. . . FOR A SPECIAL THANK YOU
| | TEAM Punta Gorda will be hosting its annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception on Tuesday evening, April 17, 2012.
The location is Ponce de Leon Park near the Peace River Wildlife Center at the end of Ponce de Leon Parkway which is at the end of West Marion Avenue.
A festive Happy Hour awaits you! Time 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Be sure to put this one on your calendar! |
| HAPPENIN'S ON THE HARBOR | | MARCH - APRIL | |
 March 17: St. Patrick's Day Celebration, Fishermen's Village, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Live Entertainment. Free.
March 17: Bayshore Live Oak park Community Dog Show, 9 a.m.-noon.
March 17: Sham"ROCK" in the Park presented by Smuggler's. Courtyard at Laishley Park, 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
March 17-18: Peace River National Art Festival, Laishley Park presented by the Visual Arts Center, 10 a.m.-5p.m.
March 17-18: Historic Homes Tour presented by the Punta Gorda Historical Society. Four homes, four buildings in the historic district. Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday noon-4:00 p.m. Tickets $10, 941-639-1887.
March 24: TEAM Punta Gorda Annual Golf Tournament, St. Andrews South Golf Course, 1901 Deborah Drive. Two foursome slots lift! Register by March 17th. www.teampuntagorda.org
March 24-25: Florida International Air Show, Punta Gorda Airport. See the Blue Angels perform! www.floridaairshow.com
March 31: 4th Annual BaseBALL Dinner and Auction, Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center. Meet Joe Madden and the Tampa Bay Rays. Tickets, call 941-979-8379. Benefits United Way of Charlotte County.
April 21: St. Vincent dePaul Golf Scrambles, one in a.m. one in afternoon. Supports St. Vincent de Paul charities. 941-575-8786 or email droderick@comcast.net
April 21: Annual Punta Gorda Block Party, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Admission $5. Headliner founder and lead singer for Three Dog Night. NO pets, NO coolers. Bring lawn chairs for concert.
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Judy Brentano, Editor
jbrentano@mindspring.com
TEAM Punta Gorda
941-637-8326 |  |
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