Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore.
By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
In Summary:
Christine Moore is positioning history and community identity as central to her campaign for mayor. She highlights past work on education initiatives, murals, and neighborhood engagement programs. Looking ahead, Moore proposes new efforts, including a historic preservation board and expanded community ambassador groups.
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When I wrote the book “Ahapopka” in 2015, the purpose was to help our 4th graders learn more about Apopka. Over the years, I taught the book to fourth-grade honors students who eagerly engaged with the lessons and visited historic locations such as Kelly Park/Rock Springs, the Museum of the Apopkans, City Hall, and Lake Apopka. I will continue to educate our students as mayor by reinstituting the annual field trip.
In several area elementary schools, you’ll see murals I curated with artist Lisa Mikler, dedicated to the city’s history. At Apopka Elementary School, four murals depict the rich soil surrounding Lake Apopka and how Native Americans and industrious settlers settled near the lake. Most importantly, students learn that our greatest asset is our kind and enterprising people.
Related: Christine Moore’s Vision for Apopka is to achieve the distinction as a Florida “Trail Town” and Spur Economic Development.
The history work began with curating and raising private funding for murals at Apopka, Dream Lake, and Zellwood elementary schools. Rock Springs received beautiful photographs of Rock Springs, and Phillis Wheatley Elementary was outfitted with a museum-quality exhibit celebrating poet Phillis Wheatley.
As a county commissioner, I curated murals at the intersection of Thompson and Votaw roads, on Edgewater Dr. in Lockhart, and in the North Pine Hills area, a mural celebrating the statewide Coast-2-Coast Trail.
The People of Wekiwa Springs, People of Lockhart, and People of Clarcona Ocoee. were formed early on in my first term as county commissioner to function as ambassadors and advocates for their respective communities. Members regularly cleaned up their neighborhood frontage, held social events such as Easter Egg Hunts, National Night Out celebrations, and offered festivals, like Lockhart’s 150th Anniversary Celebration.
Eventually, I began working with People of Southern Apopka and People of Northern Apopka, who advocated for infrastructure, installed placemaking cup art, created pleasant gardens, and reduced blight along entire corridors.
As mayor, I want to continue honoring Apopka’s history by creating the People of Downtown Apopka to serve as ambassadors for improvements. I will also form an Historic Preservation Board for citizens to determine how we should proceed in preserving and honoring our city’s historic assets. Currently, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), dedicated to helping Apopka invest in its central area, has begun aggressively impacting the downtown area. Over $900,000 CRA dollars were invested in façade improvements, wayfinding signage, the South Apopka trail, and the skate park. Congratulations to Mayor Nelson and the rest of the CRA Board.
I will actively assist the Apopka Rotary, Apopka Foliage Sertoma Club, Apopka Woman’s Club, South Apopka Ministerial Alliance, and VFW in all their community-building activities. My respect for our city's history is longstanding and foundational to my leadership style.
Please vote on April 14. You deserve Moore.
Political ad paid for and approved by Christine Moore for Apopka Mayor, non-partisan.
