By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
On November 21st, Orange County District 2 will celebrate an entire year’s worth of superb volunteerism by four community associations. I have written extensively about the Corridor of the Year Contest, which is a friendly competition intended to beautify rights-of-way, reduce crime, and raise property values on four corridors. The 2024 competing corridors include Sheeler Road, Rose Avenue, Powers Drive, and Votaw Road.
I endeavored to get the engagement of mandatory homeowner associations located up and down these corridors. These boards and their professional landscapers were asked to ensure their walls were clean, sidewalks pressure-washed, beds freshly mulched, and residents participated in a workday. However, I was only successful in getting about 40 percent involved. The board and property managers often failed to respond, and a member of the People of Lockhart, People of Wekiwa Springs, People of Southern Apopka, or People of Clarcona-Ocoee improved on their behalf.
Then, there were the neighborhoods without homeowner associations. In these neighborhoods, I would find residents to work alongside members of the associations. This work was a joy, and all thoroughly appreciated their joint efforts.
We also tackled what I call “segments.” Segments are sections of homes owned by individual property owners. Most times, auxiliary community groups or students would come and pick up trash, trim trees, or whatever was needed. Owners were written several letters encouraging participation as a corridor. One of the people groups even contacted individual owners along the corridor. After receiving permission, members mowed and edged yards thereby upping the standard on the corridor. In one case, I had the county install sidewalks, and the Apopka Professional Firefighter Union trimmed trees while county public works picked up the resulting debris. This collaboration produced transformational change along the northern portion of Sheeler Road.
Each year I add a new portion for the contest. Thus, in 2024, I added the Artistic Corridor of the Year (ACOY). Well, the “ACOY” didn’t turn into a competition, as I am simply donating funding to the non-profit to host a block party. Another goal of this work is to bring people together to develop a stronger sense of place, or as author Peter Kageyama says, to “love where you live.”
For the first year, all four groups completed a major art project. I’m so proud of them. Here is the list of their major accomplishments:
People of Lockhart – “Roses on Rose” – the association painted more than three dozen roses on the Tealwood Cove Subdivision fencing
People of Clarcona-Ocoee – “Coast-2-Coast Mural” – the association contracted with artist Delia Miller to paint a car-centric mural at the Rebel Gas Station Pond retaining wall at the northwest corner of Pine Hills and Clarcona Ocoee roads
People of Wekiwa Springs – “Welcome to Wekiwa Springs” Fence Art – the non-profit designed and installed “cup art” on the county’s pond fence just east of the Sprouts at the Wekiva Riverwalk Shopping Center
People of Southern Apopka – “Sheeler Community Garden & Fence Art” - the new organization stained a fence, added art, painted stems, and planted sunflowers on a City of Apopka blighted property at the corner of Sheeler Road and Apopka Blvd. All four groups used their creativity to create unique projects reflective of their communities. Very impressive for the first year of Artistic Corridor of the Year projects!
Together, we will celebrate the District 2 Person of the Year winner, the Most Improved Neighborhood, and the 2024 Corridor of the Year at Wekiva High School on November 21st at 6 PM. All are invited to attend. The special guest honoree will be Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, whose hour-by-hour coverage on social media so positively aided District 2 residents during Hurricane Milton.
