Clearwater Beach Association Receives RecognitionBy Anne McKay Garris
Some of the people responsible for the recent beautification of Triangle Park on North Clearwater Beach gather in the park to celebrate the awards from the city which make more beautification possible. Second from left, Ron Delp, chairman of the CAN Committee, congratulations David Ramos, chairman of the Triangle Park Committee, as committee members, Susanne MacNamee, Candy Zimmerman and Ray Massieu applaud their success. The Clearwater Beach Association (CBA) was recently chosen number two in the city for the Mayor's Award of Excellence in the annual Clearwater Awards for Neighborhoods (CAN) competition, out of a field of thirteen Clearwater participating neighborhoods. First place went to the Edgewater Drive Association. The Beach Association was also given the award for most attendance at civic meetings, partly because the CBA committee on illegal short-term rental use has been exceedingly busy this year. Ron Delp, chairman of the Association's CAN committee, says, "The real heroes who made these awards possible are the 255 members of the Beach Association who have put in over 10,000 volunteers hours, not only for the Association, but throughout the city; hours that make the quality of life a bit better for everyone!" The CAN committee call themselves the Pelican Consulting Group because, they say, "We had our meetings on the beach. Also, it has been our observation that consultants are hired for a project so that, if things go right, the committee gets the credit. If they go wrong it can be blamed on the consultants." In this case the consultants were nick-named Petey, Zeke, Roscoe and Super Hero Pelican. The pelican theme was carried out in the colorful report submitted to the city for judging. The pelican names are alias for Beach Association members, Ron Delp, Candy Zimmerman, Ray Massieu, Jerry Murphy and Sandy Britton who put together the Association's entry. They were assisted by "presentation coaches;" Susanne MacNamee, Bette Failor and Lois Davis. The cash prize for the two awards amounts to over $2,000 and will be used by the Association to pay for further enhancement of "Triangle Park," located between Narcissus Street and Bay Esplanade on North Clearwater Beach. The park, which the Association and other Beach groups use for outdoor activities, has been recently landscaped in a CBA project, led by David Ramos and paid for by last year's CAN winnings. David worked with the city's Parks and Recreation Department to provide plantings that maintain the wide open usability of the park, using Magnolias, Myrtle, Hibiscus and Live Oaks in the landscaping, and the Recreation Committee of the CBA are looking forward to holding the annual neighborhood picnic there this year.
|