From The Parks and Recreation Department

The West Park Hurricanes Football Regular Season came to a close in November and all seven teams made it to the playoffs of the Miami Extreme Youth Football League. The competition was fierce and 5 teams made it to the final round. We were able to have three of those teams reach the championships; all three teams represented the City and its residents with pride. Not only did they make it but they all won! The Pee-Wee’s were named the Miami Extreme Invitation Champions and the 75lb and 90lb teams won their respective Miami Extreme Championships. Each will represent the League as we play in the Orange Bowl Championship game.

At the culmination of the season, the best of the best can look forward to the OBYFA Championships presented by Sports Authority and the right to play for the famed Orange Bowl Trophy at FIU Stadium on the campus of Florida International University. The stadium seats 45,000 people and is the only on-campus Division I stadium south of Orlando in Florida. The two-day championship event, televised by FSFlorida/Sun Sports, pits champions from the different leagues against each other to crown winners in eight weight-class divisions. This year’s event is scheduled to be held on December 10 and 11.

Wish our teams luck as they play for the title!

For more information on Hurricanes Football and other programs, please call the Parks and Recreation Department at 954- 985-1990.

From the Parks and Recreation Department

Every Saturday during fall the Orange Bowl Committee honors participating parks of the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance presented by Sports Authority as “Park of the Week”. Selected parks are presented with a plaque to commemorate their efforts to provide quality programs for the community.

On Saturday, October 1, 2011, the Orange Bowl Committee members visited the Hurricanes during its Park of the Week program. As a reward for the hard work and dedication of the Hurricanes athletes, coaches and Parks and Recreation staff, the Orange Bowl and POWERADE partnered to surprise the Hurricanes with a POWERADE Takeover, which awarded the park with new coolers and water bottles to ensure proper hydration throughout the season.

McTyre Park was honored to receive a “Park of the Week” designation this year and we hold this honor in high regard.

For more information on programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, please call 954-985-1990.

By Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson….
I send greetings to all those in West Park celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of lights.

During Hanukkah, people of the Jewish faith around the world mark the triumph of Jews against tyranny and oppression more than two millennia ago. With courage and unfailing faith, the Maccabees secured the Jewish people’s freedom and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. As they prepared to rededicate the Temple, there was only enough oil for one day, but the light continued to burn for eight days. Today, the lighting of the Menorah represents this ancient miracle and brings a message of hope and freedom to the Jewish people.

The first day of Chanukah is the start of a celebratory period in which a four-sided toy called dreidel is used for games.  The dreidel is a toy that is popular during the Chanukah celebrations. It is a spinning top with a different Hebrew letter inscribed in each of its four sides – the four letters form an acronym meaning “a great miracle happened here”. The first night of Chanukah (or Hanukkah) starts with special blessings at sunset the day before the 25th of Kislev.  Many Americans of Jewish faith also eat food fried in olive oil, such as potato cakes, and different fried breads. Chanukah dishes include sufganiot (Hanukkah donuts), potato latkes (pancakes), mandelbrot (this can be sliced like a hard bread), and rugelach (pastry that with different fillings). The first night of Chanukah is also a night when people sing traditional songs to celebrate Chanukah. Gift-giving is also popular at this time of the year.

The hanukiah (or chanukkiyah) is a type of candelabrum that holds eight candles to commemorate the eight days that the oil burned and a ninth candle that sits apart, known as the shamash, or servant candle that lights the others. One candle is lit on the first night, another on the second, and so forth until all candles are lit on the last night.
As West Park families and friends share in the joyous traditions of Hanukkah, we recognize the power of faith to accomplish miracles and bring light from the darkness. We join in giving thanks for the blessings God has granted to our City. May the joy of Hanukkah and the peace and goodwill of the season fill our hearts and inspire us to lead lives of compassion.  Wishing all residents of West Park- Happy Hanukkah!

HAPPY KWANZAA!
I send greetings to those in the City of West Park observing Kwanzaa!!!
Celebrated by millions across the world, Kwanzaa honors the history and heritage of Africa. Kwanzaa is a holiday honoring the culture and traditions of people of African origin. It is celebrated by people from a range of African countries and their descendants. Kwanzaa consists of a week of celebrations, which ends with a feast and the exchange of gifts. During the celebrations, candles are lit and libations are poured. A libation is the name given to a ritual pouring of a drink as an offering to a god. During Kwanzaa, a wooden unity cup is used to pour the libations.

A Kwanzaa ceremony often also includes performance of music and drumming, a reflection on the Pan-African colors of red, green and black and a discussion of some aspect of African history. Women often wear brightly colored traditional clothing. Some cultural organizations hold special exhibitions of African influenced art or performances during the period of the celebrations. Originally the people observing Kwanzaa did not mix any elements of other festivals into their celebrations. However, in recent years, it has become increasingly common for people to mix elements of Kwanzaa with Christmas or New Year celebrations. For instance, a family may have both a Christmas tree and a Kwanzaa candle stick on display in their home. This enables them to include both Christian and African inspired traditions in their lives at this time of year.

The main symbols of Kwanzaa are a mat, on which to put the things needed for the celebration, the unity cup used to pour libations, a candle stick holding seven candles, the seven candles, ears of corn, the Kwanzaa flag and a poster depicting the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: unity; self-determination; collective work and responsibility; co-operative economics; purpose; creativity; and earth.

The colors of Kwanzaa are red, black and green. The Kwanzaa flag consists of three blocks, one in each of these colors. Three of the seven candles are red, three are green and one is black. Each candle represents one of the principles of Kwanzaa. The candle holder is carved from a single piece of wood and its shape was inspired by the form of the Ashanti royal throne.

During this joyous time of year, residents renew their commitment to hope, understanding, and the great promise of our City. In honoring the traditions of Africa, Kwanzaa strengthens the ties that bind individuals in West Park, our country and around the world.  Wishing all residents of West Park- Happy Kwanzaa!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
As Christmas Day is draws closer and we prepare to end another year, I wish you a happy and safe holiday season. We are truly blessed to live in a wonderful City that continues to accomplish much and move forward. We have faced disappointments and difficult times this past year—as individuals, as families, and as a City. The beauty of Christmas helps us find a calm and inner peace and bring to life the words, “Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright.”  Christmas instills warmth in the hearts of people everywhere. For many, 2011 has brought them more than their fair share of trials. As so often in our lives at times of tragedy, just as on occasions of celebration, we look to each other to bring solace. We come together as a city, as a community of family, friends, and neighbors. I believe that strong and open communities matter both in good times as well as bad. We all have something to learn from one another, whatever our faith whatever our background, whether we be young or old.

I hope that over the coming days, you will be able to slow down and remember the true meaning of this season. Once all of the hustle and bustle is put aside, family, friends, and those we love are what is really important and add real value to our daily lives. As families and friends gather to celebrate Christmas, we remember all the blessings that fill our lives, beginning with the great blessing that came on a holy night in Bethlehem. For Christians around the world, the birth of Jesus is a central event – an example of God’s profound love for humanity; and the pathway to hope and to new life. Today, the Christmas story still speaks to every generation.

I would like to pay tribute to many of you who work selflessly for others within our City. Christmas is the perfect opportunity to recognize the valuable work undertaken by so many people in service to our community. Our police and fire department and City staff make a difference in the lives of our residents.  We also pray for our brave men and women in uniform as they sojourn back home to us. We are grateful for their service to our country, and for the support and sacrifice of their families. And we thank you West Park for being the caring and giving community that you are. I thank each and every one of you for your dedication.

There is an important lesson for all of us to learn during this festive season.  Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal, which remains a powerful symbol of hope for a better future – a time to take a moment as we face the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.  So as we come together among family and friends, I look forward to the coming year. I hope that in the months to come, we shall be able to renew our pride within our City, a sense of sharing a common heritage enriched by the cultural diversity of our community. I, as well as your Commission and Staff, hope that each of you find peace, hope, happiness, and health, as we continue to serve you to the best our abilities each and every day.

I am hopeful that you and your loved ones have a joyful and blessed Christmas and that the New Year brings peace, and happiness. I look forward to the New Year with optimism and a true sense of duty to continue working with my fellow City Commission members and staff to ensure that West Park continues to be prosperous and progressive.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012!

Remember to contact me at City Hall with your ideas, suggestions or concerns. I represent you and appreciate your input into the continued success of our beloved city.  I can be reached at (954) 889-4164 or email fbrunson@cityofwestpark.org.

Starting in January, 2012 West Park will join the more than 80 other Florida communities currently using red-light safety cameras to enhance road safety. West Park will work with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office to deploy cameras at their most dangerous intersections. Florida was the third most deadly state in the nation for red-light running fatalities in 2009. Across the United States, red-light runners killed an average of 885 people and injured 165,000 each year for the past decade. Now, through its road safety camera agreement with American Traffic Solutions, West Park joins more than 500 communities across the nation using this lifesaving program.

“Although some have complaints with regard to red light cameras, I do believe that many lives have been saved because of the added awareness of being fined for running those lights,” said Mayor Eric Jones. “Those who stop when the light is red won’t be affected, only those who violate. It’s cheaper to pay a fine than to pay for a funeral.”

This year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found red-light safety cameras in 14 large U.S. cities saved 159 lives in a five-year period, and determined 815 more lives could have been saved if all 99 large cities had used these cameras.

“This program will free up deputies to focus on other crimes. Our resources are already stretched, any technology that allows us to do more with less is welcomed,” stated Broward County Sheriff’s West Park Chief Nichole Anderson.

For more information on the City’s red light camera safety program, please call 954.989.2688.