Festival helps forge a sense of home

Neighbors learn more about one other and their city in a week's events.

By CHRISTINA HEADRICK, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 15, 2002

CLEARWATER -- The city's third annual festival to celebrate Clearwater neighborhoods offers a week of events ranging from neighborhood block parties to a teenage open mike night at the North Greenwood Library.

The events start with an overview for new city residents today.

"The goal is to reach out to as many residents as possible and involve neighborhoods in city activities," said Julie Gomez, Clearwater's neighborhood services coordinator.

Seventeen neighborhoods are planning block parties for Saturday, which is dubbed Clearwater Neighborhood Day, and another four are hosting parties the following weekend, Gomez said. City officials plan to hop into vans, drive across the city to visit the parties and talk with residents about their concerns.

"It's a great way for us to reach out and see who are we serving," said Gomez, who helps oversee a city initiative that was started several years ago to energize neighborhoods.

Last year, the city expanded its festival from a day to a week, including events such as a workshop about landlord and tenants' rights, and creating the open-mike night for teens.

This year, there is also a "Welcome to Clearwater" information session for new residents and a workshop about public speaking skills to help develop neighborhood leaders, Gomez said. Events are being advertised in Spanish as well as English.

Lucile Casey, co-president of the Coalition of Clearwater Homeowner Associations and head of the Del Oro Groves Estates Homeowners Association, said she's looking forward to this week's events, especially her neighborhood's annual picnic.

"It's definitely a good way for city officials to make themselves known in the neighborhoods," Casey said.

Residents also have a good time sharing potluck dishes and hanging out in Del Oro Park, she added.

Celebrate Clearwater Neighborhoods Week

From today through Saturday, the city will hold its annual festival to celebrate city neighborhoods. Here are the week's activities:

TODAY: Welcome to Clearwater -- New city residents are invited to learn about programs and services available to them, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Clearwater East Library, 2251 Drew St.

TUESDAY: Express Yourself Teen Coffeehouse -- An open mike night for poetry, music and thoughts about diversity, 6 to 7:30 p.m., North Greenwood Library, 1250 Palmetto St.

WEDNESDAY: Landlord and Tenant Training -- Learn about Florida law and ways to improve your life as a renter, as well as strategies to become a homeowner, 7 to 9 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, 1201 Douglas Ave.

THURSDAY: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills -- Learn from trained speakers how to become a better public speaker, 5 to 6 p.m., City Hall, 112 S. Osceola Ave.

SATURDAY: Seventeen neighborhoods hold block parties during which residents and city officials mingle on Clearwater Neighborhood Day. For information about where parties will be or about Neighborhoods Week, call 562-4585.

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