By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
I must say that the 2024 Corridor of the Year Celebration last Thursday was fun, enjoyable, and full of energy.
I gave out dozens of awards. My team honored the mandatory HOA’s or neighborhood leader who participated in the Corridor of the Year Contest through organizing clean-ups or even just asking their landscaper to make improvements. Each of the four streets – Votaw, Sheeler, Rose, and Powers had several miles of entranceways and frontage to improve. The corridors were evaluated by a team of judges on their grassy right-of-way area, condition of the wall or fencing, signage, and landscape beds, and adherence to law enforcement safety standards – tree limbs cut up, bushes cut down, and proper lighting.
Each of the four streets had a top scoring neighborhood. These folks worked hard on improving their frontage and regularly picking up trash. They care very much about their community and making it safer, more engaging, and prosperous. These individuals were resoundingly cheered on by their respective teams for their successful revitalizations.
Votaw Road representing People of Wekiwa Springs – Lori Thompson & Lk. McCoy Forest
Sheeler Road representing People of Southern Apopka – Sharon Lusk & Royal Oak
Rose Avenue representing People of Lockhart – Susan Branan & Rose Cove
Powers Drive representing People of Clarcona-Ocoee – Fred Ray and Horseshoe Bend
One neighborhood took a significant amount of time to improve. This subdivision required new fencing, wall repair, significant tree trimming, gutted landscape beds, tree planting and a new entranceway sign. And thus, I awarded the Most Improved Neighborhood to Tealwood Cove on Rose Avenue. The neighborhood leaders were Larry Branan, Greg Mellowe and Judy Clark. Judy Clark loves filling beds with native plantings and has maintained her entranceway for over seven years. And after applying for a Neighborhood Grant and recognizing the new signage wasn’t in keeping with the style of her native plantings, she made her own sign. Judy is truly an inspiration to all of us. Greg Mellowe keeps up with necessary advocacy with local governments, and Larry Branan was the very active Corridor Chief for all of Rose Avenue. He organized no less than six clean-ups, fence repair and staining, and the painting of three dozen roses on the fencing just for this one neighborhood. I would say it took a team, but in the case of Tealwood Cove, it took an army. I’m now seeing, internal to the subdivision, fewer code violations, greater care and concern for front yards, and I hope collegiality. Next steps include organizing social events to bring greater comradery.
As part of Orange County’s Neighborhood Services Department, which incidentally, gives out $15,000 grants to neighborhoods for making improvements to walls, signage, irrigation, etc. I chose a gentleman as the District 2 Person of the Year for the annual conference. This man, his wife and crew stained much of the Tealwood Cove fencing. He, regularly and without remuneration, mows a large pond area near Riverside Park and Magnolia Homes Road and pressure-washes portions of sidewalk along Rose Avenue. He cleaned up all the residual Hurricane Milton debris along Rose Avenue the day before the judges arrived. I would like to recognize the District 2 Person of the Year – Pastor Mike Bardwell.
And finally, the granddaddy award for the program is the 2024 Corridor of the Year trophy. Four teams competed with the following corridors - Votaw Road, Sheeler Road, Powers Drive, and Rose Avenue. The program runs February through November with two months off during the high heat of summer. Monthly or weekly in October clean-ups took place, correspondence or personal visits to all property owners along the corridor, recruitment of auxiliary groups for assistance where residents wouldn’t engage (Apopka Professional Firefighters, students from Apopka High School, Deveraux, Dismas Charities, and other non-profits) and monthly collaborative planning meetings. Yes, it was a full year’s worth of improvement.
The ultimate winner started out near the bottom in initial scoring. They had to cajole property owners to replace fencing, clean up dozens of individual yards for elderly or infirm residents, replant entranceway landscaping, convince HOAs to participate, trim up areas of severely neglected natural tree canopy, contend with blighted businesses along an industrial section, and paint dozens of flowers to hide the true condition of fencing.
The 2024 Corridor of the Year winner is Rose Avenue represented by the People of Lockhart. It is their second win in four years. The 2021 winner was Wekiwa Springs Road. The 2022 winner was Magnolia Homes Road. The 2023 winner was Clarcona-Ocoee Road. Southern Apopka is still in search of a win – the team just ran out of steam at the end.
For my final year as county commissioner, we are only allowed to serve two consecutive terms, the teams will focus on commercial areas. POWS will work on the north side of SR 436 from Line Drive to Lake Pleasant Road. POCO will improve US 441 from Rose Avenue to Clarcona Ocoee Road. POL will work on Edgewater Drive also from Rose to Clarcona-Ocoee. POSA will work on Clarcona or Park Avenue from Keene Road north to US 441. I will also be trying to recruit and pull together members for a North Apopka Team with the goal of working along Rock Springs Road from Rock Springs Ridge to Welch Road.
All in all, it has been a great year. Thank you to the over 300 volunteers who made it all happen.
