Victoria Park Times 2nd Quarter 2023 : simplebooklet.com

4 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONYou’re Invited!Join Us At Our Upcoming VPCA General MeetingsApril 5th and May 3rd at 7-8pm ETAttend in person at ArtServe or virtually via ZoomVisit vpca.org for more informationThe Victoria Park Civic Association newsletter is the ofﬁ cial publication of the Victoria Park Civic Association providing our local homeowners, residents, businesses and professionals in the Victoria Park area with relevant local news, civic updates and events information speciﬁ cally and exclusively focused on our own area. Written and produced by the Victoria Park Civic Association, it is published quarterly and mailed directly to residential and business addresses in our area. Additional free distribution is provided via the Victoria Park Civic Association member network, advertisers and special events. VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION PO Box 4472 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33338 Please note: The views and opinions stated in this newsletter are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board or the members of the Victoria Park Civic Association Editorial & Photo ContributorsRichard Van Berkel and Robert CantuOn the CoverPhoto by Robert Cantu Published on behalf of The Victoria Park Civic Association byS.MARK Graphics, Inc500 NE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301Tel: 954.523.1980www.smark.com PublisherMark Budwig publisher@smark.com Creative DirectorNick Scalzonick@smark.com Copyright 2022, S.MARK Graphics, Inc., Publisher, and The Victoria Pork Civic Association. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in port, regardless of technology used, without express written consent from publisher. The Victoria Park Civic Association and publisher reserve the right to reject any editorial submissions, advertising or copy either may deem to be unacceptable or inappropriate for ony reason at their sole discretion. Every effort has been mode to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of this publication and no liability can be attached to or be accepted by the publisher or The Victoria Park Civic Association for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies.CONTENTS6 VPCA President’s Message Richard Van Berkel, President, VPCA 8 Mayor’s MessageCity of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis 10 Commissioner’s MessageCity of Fort Lauderdale District 2 Commissioner Steven Glassman 12 VPCA names Robert Cantu as Secretary & Communications Chair 12 Member Spotlight: Diana Prkacin, Treasurer 13 New & Renewing Members 14 Recipe Of The Month 16 Kids Corner 17 Pet Corner 18 Parker Playhouse Schedule 20 Minute-by-Minute Draft minutes from the VPCA 2/1/2023 General Meeting 22 VPCA Member Discounts VPCA members’ discounts & special offers from local businesses

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6 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONPRESIDENT’S MESSAGEVictoria Park Civic AssociationOFFICERSPresident Richard Van Berkelpresident@vpca.orgVice President Megan Probstvicepresident@vpca.orgSecretary Robert Cantusecretary@vpca.orgTreasurer Diana Prkcantreasurer@vpca.orgCOMMITTEE CHAIRSAestheticsOlivia Nugentaesthetics@vpca.orgChildrenNicollette Hageychildren@vpca.orgCommunicationsRobert Costavpnews@vpca.orgEventsAnn Ventoevents@vpca.orgFinanceDave Bartolﬁ nance@vpca.orgMembershipMelissa Carbonellmembers@vpca.orgMerchandiseSeeking Volunteervpcamerch@vpca.orgPlanning & ZoningHoward Elfmanplanning@vpca.orgRecyclingDon Gillinrecycling@vpca.orgSocialMaria Benitezsocial@vpca.orgTrafﬁc and Crime WatchSeeking Volunteertrafﬁ c@vpca.orgUnderground Utility ProjectMoises Worthhalterunderground@vpcaUtilitiesSeeking Volunteerutilities@vpca.orgWelcomeMelissa Galfond, Co-Chairwelcome@vpca.orgLiaison to Fort Lauderdale Council of Civic AssociationsMegan ProbstCFLCA@vpca.orgContinued on page 17Hello Victoria Park Civic Association Members. I am very excited to be your new President, along with a completely new Board with Megan Probst, Vice President, Diana Prkacin, Treasurer, and Robert Cantu, Secretary. While we are new to these Board positions, both Diana and I held committee and Board positions previously. We are looking forward to continuing prior Boards actions as well are planning some changes and additions to hopefully make your membership more rewarding and beneﬁ cial as a resident of Victoria Park.To begin with, we will be sending out a Survey later this month to elicit your input on items such as meeting attendance, events, the newsletter, and other activities. One new event coming soon the 100th anniversary of Victoria Park. With the Survey’s information, the Board and Committee Chairs will have a Retreat in April to better learn and understand what our members want. In addition, the Retreat will produce a Vision and Mission Statement as well as objectives to help guide and focus us in reaching the new goals.Since the impact of COVID began, we have seen a decrease in our meetings attendance, whether in-person from pre-COVID as well as on-line for the Zoom meetings. While Zoom can make attendance easier and safer for some, I believe there is nothing like being together to meet other members, network, and welcome our presenters, which recently have included our Mayor at the March meeting, and our Councilman, at our February meeting. In the future we will have other elected ofﬁ cials in addition to updates on the major projects within and around our neighborhood, such as the new medical building along North Victoria Park Road and Sears Town at Federal Highway between 9th Street and Sunrise Boulevard. The new Board has also met to think about what other events (in addition to our Spring Festival and Halloween Neighborhood Party). These could include continuing to participate in the Holiday Park Summer Movies, regenerating the Holiday Trolley, and having an Easter Egg Hunt, Doggie Derby, Tennis Tournament, and a Lighting Tour. We are looking forward to you Survey input and participation at the events. In my opinion, this will help our entire neighborhood of about 4,000 properties and 5,000 residents in making everyone more friendly and knowledgeable with and about our neighbors. We also want to have a bigger presence at other events of the city to let others outside of our neighborhood know about VPCA and what we are doing. This is in addition to participating as a member of the Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations, which was formed in 1980. The purpose of the Council is to “focus on the issues relating to preservation of the present and future welfare of the City of Fort Lauderdale and its neighborhoods and citizens, be proactive and reactive to those issues, communicate any recommendations to the proper authorities, strive to every improve communication and create a stronger partnership between City Government and the neighborhoods.” This membership is vital for VPCA to understand and relate to the same, similar, and different issues and challenges of over 40 civic associations.Lastly, included below is the current list of Board and Committee Chairs. Please make use to notify, send questions, and work with our team. And please

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YOU DO! YOU DO! Make a difference in YOUR neighborhood through VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION membership Victoria Park is a diverse collection of residents who enjoy a special place in our rapidly growing city. We all desire and deserve a safe, clean, and well-maintained community in which to live and raise our families. The Victoria Park Civic Association is dedicated to giving you a voice to make that happen. Make your voice heard on vital issues concerning YOUR neighborhood • Neighborhood Safety, Crime and Traffic • School Zoning • Planning and Development • Recreational Amenities • Code Violations and Zoning • Enhancement of Neighborhood Parks Help strengthen and support YOUR neighborhood • Your membership helps maintain the beauty of our neighborhood parks and entranceways • Your membership supports popular neighborhood events throughout the year. • Shop local using your VPCA Member Card and receive special discounts from over 50 businesses. Membership Levels:Individual: $25 (Age 62+ $20) • Household: $35 (Age 62+$30) • Business: $35Additional contributions to the Green Space Maintenance Fund and/or the Capital Improvement Fund to help defray ongoing neighborhood improvements are greatly appreciated.To JOIN or learn more, visit us online at:www.vpca.org/membershipVICTORIA PARKCIVIC ASSOCIATIONVICTORIA PARKCIVIC ASSOCIATION

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8 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONMAYOR’S MESSAGEThe ﬁrst part of 2023 has been marked by signiﬁcant progress on some major initiatives at the city, including a new police station, new water treatment plant, plans for a park at DRV PNK Stadium and upgrades to Las Olas Boulevard. In March, the City Commission approved the construction of a new police station. This has been in the works since voters approved a bond issue for the project in the spring of 2019. The current police station was built 60 years ago. It has grown out of date given the needs of modern law enforcement and is too small to accommodate the size of the city’s current police force. Voters understood the need when they made their decision on the bond issue. Shortly after the bond issue was approved, the city retained AECOM to design the new station. The police station will be three stories and will include a parking garage and indoor ﬁrearms range. It will be built on the existing site with the current building demolished at the end of construction. We have hired Moss & Associates to undertake the work. The plan is to break ground soon and move in by late 2024. A month before the police station decision, the commission ﬁnalized plans to build a new water treatment plant — a decision that will be important to our residents for generations to come. Like our police station, the existing Fiveash water treatment plant has reached the end of its lifespan after 70 years of use. It needed extensive upgrades, would not withstand the impact of a major hurricane and could not provide our community with clear drinking water. The city spent the last several years researching our options of continuing to repair Fiveash or pursuing new construction. We also investigated what type of treatment system would make the most sense. We landed on a public-private partnership for a new plant as the best option to pursue. We are harnessing the talent of world-renown experts to build and operate a top-of-line plant that will produce crystal clear water that exceeds current drinking water standards. The new plant will be located next to our existing well ﬁelds at the executive airport. The new water plant should take about 42 months to design and build, with operations beginning in late 2026. There has been a lot of buzz recently around the ﬁnal pieces of the city agreement with David Beckham’s Inter Miami soccer team. The agreement signed in 2019 resulted in the construction of DRV PNK Stadium as well as the location of the team’s training facilities and corporate headquarters next to our executive airport. It has been a real boon for Fort Lauderdale. DRV PNK has become a great spectator sports-entertainment opportunity for our citizens, attracting thousands of fans regularly to home games and bringing international attention to our community. Even after Inter Miami completes its permanent stadium in Miami, they will keep Dean TrantalisMayor, City of Fort Lauderdale Dean J. TrantalisMayordtrantalis@fortlauderdale.govCity Hall, 8th Floor100 N Andrews AveFort Lauderdale, FL 33311Ofﬁce Contact:Scott WymanChief of Staff to the Mayor95 4 - 828 - 5314swyman@fortlauderdale.gov

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VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION • SECOND QUARTER 2023 9their training and corporate operations here and locate their minor-league team here.They also started a program on site to train and recruit the best young players from throughout South Florida. The deal came at no cost to our taxpayers. Rather, Inter Miami invested some $165 million to build the facilities. They even went above and beyond the written agreement. They built a second stadium to accommodate local and regional high school athletic events and championships. They also have been faithful community allies, allowing us to operate a COVID-19 vaccination site on the campus at the height of the pandemic. Still, there are a couple ﬁnal details to iron out. We are prepared to work as partners in this undertaking.First, there are issues of some outstanding expenses — whether the city or the team agreed to cover the cost of demolishing the old stadiums that were on the property and whether the city or team agreed to pay for the necessary building permits. The team and city have now agreed to mediation. Former Mayor Jack Seiler has agreed to serve as mediator, and it is our hope we can resolve these questions in the next 60 days. The second outstanding matter is Inter Miami’s pledge to create a public park on part of the site. The City Commission reached consensus at our ﬁrst meeting in March to design and price out the concept created in a series of meetings between city ofﬁcials, nearby neighborhoods and our park consultants. This will include athletic ﬁelds for public use, a dog park, playground and walking trails. Inter Miami will pay for items speciﬁcally listed in our agreement with them, while the city will pay for any other items that we want such as a community center. Las Olas Boulevard is also the center of some exciting developments -- both in the shopping district as well as the residential areas. The construction of Tunnel Top Park is nearing completion. The Florida Department of Transportation has been constructing the park as part of its renovation work to Federal Highway’s Kinney Tunnel under the New River. We expect the park to be ﬁnished by the end of May. We continue to work with FDOT on plans to create an iconic sculpture garden in the park. As part of the recent Las Olas Mobility Study, the city committed to adding crosswalks in the residential area of Las Olas Isles. Design work has been completed, and we shortly will be seeking bids for the work. The crosswalks will be midblock between South Gordon Road and Bontona Avenue and midblock between Fiesta Way and Nurmi Drive. The city also committed to installing dual left turn lanes for trafﬁc going from Southeast 15th Avenue to Las Olas. Design work has also been completed on this, and we are now procuring a contractor. We hope this will help relieve some of the congestion experienced heading toward the barrier island from downtown. The city is also in process of addressing the impact of rising sea levels on the Las Olas area with plans to replace ﬁve seawalls. Work on the Hendricks Isle seawall is underway, while construction will start this spring on seawalls on Lido Drive, San Marco Drive and Coral Way as well as one in Merle Fogg Park.

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10 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONCITY COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGEOn February 16, after more than a decade of discussion, we celebrated the groundbreaking for DC Alexander Park, which will soon be transformed into a vibrant, beautiful, and welcoming spot for locals and visitors alike. Nestled between Seabreeze Boulevard and A1A just south of SE 5th Street, the 1.2-acre oceanfront park is in an ideal location and just across the street from the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center and International Swimming Hall of Fame where an iconic renovation project is underway.Following a recent unanimous vote from Fort Lauderdale’s City Commission to hire Shiff Construction & Development Inc. to lead the project, work at D.C. Alexander Park will begin late February and continue with an anticipated Spring 2024 completion date. The current site, which includes an asphalt parking lot, will come alive over the next year with improvements that include an elevated section offering views overlooking the ocean, a new playground, improved lighting for pedestrians, landscape beautiﬁcation, a signature playground, improved ramps and walkways with increased accessibility and trafﬁc ﬂow improvements that will add to the beauty of our world-class city. The new vision for DC Alexander Park is just one part of this Commission’s bigger effort to preserve, improve and add to the city’s parks and open spaces. On March 12, 2019, the City of Fort Lauderdale voters approved the Commission’s initiative for a $200 million bond to improve City parks and recreation facilities. A portion of the parks bond, approximately $30 million, ($7.5 million per district) was earmarked for land acquisition. A challenge to this initiative is that for the past several years, land prices are through the roof. Staff and Colliers continue to search for properties for park space with a strategic focus on suitable spaces for specialty uses such as a kayak launch, skate park, dog park, etc. Speciﬁcally in District 2, there was one purchase that I am extremely proud of. On October 6, 2020, the Commission purchased 1016 Waverly Road in Sailboat Bend for $2.5 million. As a part of the discussion to approve the acquisition, the City Commission requested that an application be initiated for local historic designation as an archeological site and to submit a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. On February 16, 2021, the City Commission adopted a resolution approving the historic designation of the property known as “Rivermont” as an archeological site in the city of Fort Lauderdale. On February 3, 2022, the State o Florida’s National Register Review Board made a favorable recommendation for listing “Rivermont” in the National Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Ofﬁcer forwarded the National Register nomination to the National Park Service and on April 20, 2022, Rivermont was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Thank you to the neighbors of Sailboat Bend for their feedback and support to make this project a reality. It is a milestone accomplishment that we are preserving this archeological Tequesta site and midden.In addition to land acquisition, the City Commission has worked diligently to expand the city’s green space in each commission district and has coordinated with Development Services and Parks and Recreation to rezone numerous properties to Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (P) zoning district. The rezoning of City owned properties that are used and maintained as public park space Steven GlassmanCity Commissioner District II City Hall, 8th Floor100 N. Andrews Ave.Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301Phone: 954.828.5003/5004SGlassman@fortlauderdale.gov

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VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION • SECOND QUARTER 2023 11protects those properties in three signiﬁcant ways. First, by rezoning a property to Parks, Recreation, and Open space it creates a record of the City’s intended use for the property. Second, the zoning limits the use of the property to those uses typically associated with public parks and open spaces. Lastly, the City’s Charter provides protection to lands zoned Park, Recreation, and Open Space by limiting the sale, transfer, or lease for more than (1) year without a unanimous vote of the entire City Commission. I am happy to report the progress in this regard in District 2 as the Commission has recently approved the below properties to be rezoned to the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (P) zoning district. There will be to come.• North Seabreeze Boulevard - 19,166 square feet (.44 acres) from Planned Resort Development District to Parks, Recreation and Open Space District. • 2 North Victoria Park Road - 41,046 square feet (0.94 acres) of land rezoned to ensure consistency and continuity with the existing use, which is Victoria Park. Another unique element of the Fort Lauderdale Parks Bond Program is the joint-use parks initiative. On May 3, 2022, the City Commission adopted a resolution approving the Parks, Recreation and Beaches Advisory Board’s recommendation for approval of 12 parks improvement projects, including 11 joint use parks within Broward County Public Schools. City staff along with the program manager will work to ﬁnalize the improvements for each site. I am pleased that the City Commission restored total funding to all these joint-use parks in our city as it is important that what the voters voted on in the Parks Bond becomes a reality.The groundbreaking at DC Alexander Park and the recent rezoning efforts by the City are just the beginning. Fort Lauderdale is a community that will continue to boast superior parks and recreational facilities that highlight its unique identity. Research shows that people use parks more when they have easy walking access to them which drives the renewed effort to provide quality parks within a 10-minute walk for every person in the United States. This is a good standard that we are trying to adhere to as well. As our city grows, the increased density necessitates increased park spaces. That is why I so look forward to the One Stop Shop Arts Park in Flagler Village, the reimagines Huizenga Plaza downtown, and all of the park improvements throughout our City. Because of this and so many of the other reasons I have just talked about, I am VERY proud to be part of a Commission that is dedicated to improving access to and enjoyment of our beach, waterways, parks and open spaces for our neighbors and visitors to enjoy for many, many years to come.

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12 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONVPCA NAMES ROBERT CANTU AS SECRETARY & COMMUNICATIONS CHAIRMEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DIANA PRKACIN, TREASURERHello Friends and Neighbors! My name is Robert Cantu, a resident of Victoria Park since 2020 and originally from Texas. I have been seeking a way to get to know more of my neighbors, and what better way than to become a part of VPCA. I am excited for my new roles as Secretary and Communication Chairman for the neighborhood and will be providing current content to the residents and members of the Association.Enhancing the involvement of our neighbors of VPCA is important to me, which is why I applied to take on the role of Communications Chair. One of my goals is to attract more residents and have them become members. As a Licensed Real Estate Broker and former Community Association Manager, I have gained knowledge and experience with being able to communicate to members and residents through all types of Internet platforms.In 2016, my partner and I moved to South Florida from Austin, TX to escape the Texas heat. We could not have made a better decision for ourselves! We discovered Victoria Park during the pandemic while out exploring other neighborhoods in South Florida. We immediately fell in love with the tree-lined streets and wonderful character of the neighborhood. Not even a year later, we sold our place in Miami and now live in an Art Deco residence at the corner of 14th Ave. and 4th St., one of Victoria Park’s most recognized properties. If you see me in the yard, please say hello to me.During my free time, you will ﬁnd me enjoying the outdoors, grilling BBQ, or taking the dogs out for a walk with their little red wagon. I also love to play tennis and am always looking to play a round at Holiday Park. I am excited to be a part of this community and am looking forward to serving the beautiful neighborhood that we live in.Diana was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario. She is the third child in a line of four children, from Croatian immigrants. From the age of 2 - 16, Diana would enjoy family vacations in the great state of Florida, mostly in Madeira Beach & Cocoa Beach. Upon high school graduation, Diana attended University and earned a Bachelors degree in Engineering Science, from the University of Western Ontario. This degree helped land her a job in the Energy, where she has been for most of her career. It was Diana’s dream to live in California, so when an opportunity came to move to the United States, Diana jumped on board and relocated with Siemens to Philadelphia. Siemens relocated Diana three more times: to Orlando, then San Francisco and back to Orlando. The California dream came true and when the choice came to stay or leave, it was a fast decision to move back to Florida. People at Siemens gave Diana an opportunity to work in Clean Technology, and grow and develop into leadership positions. She ﬁnished her MBA from Rollins College in Orlando, where she met a fabulous friend, and one who moved to Victoria Park. Visiting the area, it seemed it was a great place to be, and shortly thereafter Diana had a job offer in Fort Lauderdale, FL. From volunteering with Big Sisters and Junior Achievement, to being an HOA President; volunteering is in her DNA. Giving back to the community and bringing people together is a passion, and Diana will work hard to help guide ﬁnancial decisions on growing the VPCA membershipDiana can be found on LinkedIn. She has not joined social media as she loves to meet with people in person. You will not ﬁnd her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. She is on LinkedIn because her friend’s son worked for LinkedIn and he convinced her to join.

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VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION • SECOND QUARTER 2023 13Alan & Stacy BurkeAlan Rosenthal & Dale FultonAngler Lawn and Landscape Inc.Brook LochrieChelsa Trotta & FamilyCraig Engel & FamilyDavid & Eve GiertzDiana PrkacinDowntown Jewish Center ChabadEd EthridgeGeorge Palaidis and FamilyHilton Wolman & FamilyHoward & Marc TauleKarla PerezKathleen ThrasherKenneth ChappleKevin BaconMichael Hughes - FamilyMorton Roberts & Ray BennettNicola Worsnop & FamilyPaul & Declan CzerwonkaPeter Woolf & FamilyPress & Grind CafeRichard Van Berkel & Bruce KarpRussell SelmanStefﬁ Paskow & Susan DatoSteve & Maryellen KahnVictor CabanVictoria Park Animal HospitalNEW & RENEWING MEMBERSCALLING ALL ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS!Have a creative idea about what Victoria Park means to you?What it represents to us all? Then VPCA is looking for you! Open to all artists with interest in designing an image that represents Victoria Park for our new VPCA MERCHANDISE Design.*Interested in submitting your design? Visit vpca.org for more details or email VPCAmerch@vpca.org!*Artist must sign an assignment of ownership to VPCA for artwork to be considered.VPCA is Seeking a Volunteer to Lead VPCA Merchandise StoreNo Experience Necessary • 2-3 Hours Initial Set UpPlease welcome our new and renewed members for 2023Live Beautifully at Allegro Fort LauderdaleWe offer state-of-the-art resort-style senior living options in beautifully appointed residences featuring exceptional dining, loving care, vast activities and amenities, and attentive personal services. Whether you are looking for Independent Living or are considering Assisted Living or Memory Care, Allegro Fort Lauderdale could be the right ﬁt for you.Assisted Living License PendingVisit our pre-lease center at 1137 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, call (954) 245-0727, or visit info.allegroliving.com/victoriato set up a tour!INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

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14 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONGUAVABERRY PIE Courtesy of Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop | 250 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 | www.ﬁremandereks.comINGREDIENTS• 1 Pie Crust• 2 c Mixed Berries (Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries & Blueberries)• 2/3 c Guava Paste or Sauce• 1/4 c Sugar• 1/4 c Brown Sugar• 3/4 tb Butter• 3/4 tb Lemon Juice• 1/8 tb Vanilla• 2 3/4 tb Cornstarch • 2 1/3 tb WaterPREPARATION• In a pot on medium heat add your berries, butter and sugar.• Allow berry mixture and sugar to breakdown and become liquid-like but make sure not to pulverize the berries. • Add guava, lemon juice and continue to mix together. • Add the cornstarch and water together in a separate bowl and mix until cornstarch is dissolved. • Make sure your berry mixture is hot and then add your vanilla, followed by your cornstarch and water. • Stir until mix thickens and removed from heat. • In a 350-degree oven, par bake your pie crust for 10-12 mins. • Remove from oven once crust baked but hasn’t turned golden brown. • Add pie ﬁlling and topping crust. • Bake pie at 350 for another 40-45 minutes or until top crust/lattice/streusel is nice and golden brown. • Allow the pie to cool before cutting. • Pie can be served with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. • Keep pie refrigerated to preserve the ﬂavor and shelf life of your pie.TIPS:• Mixed berries used are up to you. Derek prefers to use a mix of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. • Use pie weights if you have or use another aluminum pie pan on top to make sure the crust holds its shape.• Pie topping is totally up to you. You can make a lattice top, double crust or homemade streusel which consists of ﬂour butter and brown sugar. • Derek prefers to use an all-butter crust but using a high-quality store-bought crust is totally ﬁne. It should provide a nice ﬂaky pie crust.RECIPE OF THE MONTHPhoto courtesy of Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop

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16 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONNeighborhood CrosswordGet ConnectedStuck at home? Check out these fun (and educational) websites ﬁlled with activities for all ages! For the Scientist: https://climate.nasa.gov/for-educators Click through different activities, games, guided lessons, and interactive learning through this database provided by NASA. For the Engineer: https://www.bestdegreeprograms.org/library/kids-engineering-games-resource-guide This website is ﬁlled with information, resources, and games provided by Best Degree Programs. For the Artist: https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/spring-steam-activities-preschool Get crafty for Spring or explore the rest of the website for more art and STEAM projects brought together by Left Brain Craft Brain.ACROSS1. Picnic under shady trees at _________ Park.2. Since 1951 you can catch the latest ﬁlms and now enjoy $5 Tuesdays at the _________ __________ .3. Enjoy access to the _________ on weekends at Virginia Shuman Young Elementary.4. _________ House preserves art, history, and nature in a historic home on the water.DOWN1. Enjoy open ﬁeld play while we wait for a new playground at ______ _________.2. Explore our neighborhood _________ at Las Olas Paddle Boards, Boats & Kayaks.3. Walk the hidden pathway along the water at _____ _____ Park.4. Park & ______ serves outdoor lunch and music across from the beach.11233442DOWN: 1. Victoria 2. Gateway Theater 3. Playground 4. BonnetACROSS: 1. Holiday Park 2. Waterways 3. Annie Beck 4. OceanANSWER KEY

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VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION • SECOND QUARTER 2023 17Pet Corner Have a photo of your furry family member you’d like to submit for the newsletter? Email Secretary@VPCA.org with a photo and caption!Here is “Sir Skye, First Knight of Cuillin”, but he will be just as happy by calling him “Skye” or “The Mayor.” Skye’s 9-1/2 years old and constantly reminds people of the Cesar dog, but he’s cuter. But don’t let that smile fool you, he is a true terrier and will let you know who’s the boss.consider volunteering for any of the open positions by contacting me about what’s required in work and time. President Richard Van Berkel, president@vpca.orgVice President Megan Probst, vicepresident@vpca.orgTreasurer Diana Prkcan, treasurer@vpca.orgSecretary Robert Cantu, secretary@vpca.orgChair, Aesthetics Olivia Nugent, aesthetics@vpca.orgChair, Children Nicollette Hagey, children@vpca.orgChair, Communications Robert Costa, vpnews@vpca.orgChair, CFLCA Megan Probst, cﬂca@vpca.orgChair, Events Ana Vento, events@vpca.orgChair, Finance Dave Bartol, ﬁnance@vpca.orgChair, Membership Melissa Carbonell, members@vpca.orgChair, Planning & Zoning Howard Elfman, planning@vpca.orgChair, Recycling Don Gillin, recycling@vpca.orgChair, Social Maria Benitez, social@vpca.orgChair, Trafﬁc & Crime Watch OPEN, trafﬁc@vpca.orgChair, Utilities OPEN, utilities@vpca.orgChair, Welcome Melissa Galfond, welcome@vpca.orgMerchandise OPEN, vpcamerch@vpca.orgUnderground Utility Project Moises Worthhalter, underground@vpcaIn closing, I want every member to feel conﬁdent that VPCA is working for them each and every day, and striving for an open communication environment. I future articles I will “talk” about the various actions and activities of our committees and provide proﬁles of our Board, committee members, and members.PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Continued from page 6

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18 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONEVENTSMAR 17 - JUN 12, 2023NEW DATE - Gordon LightfootAPR 1, 2023HITS! The MusicalAPR 5, 2023SARAH MILLICAN: BOBBY DAZZLERAPR 7, 2023An Evening with Live - UnpluggedAPR 9, 2023Celebrating David Bowie: Live in ConcertAPR 12, 2023Don FelderAPR 13, 2023Legacy Reunion: Earth, Wind & Fire AlumniAPR 14, 2023Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox: Life in the Past Lane TourAPR 15, 2023An Evening of Spirit Messages with James Van PraaghAPR 18, 2023The Martin & Lewis Tribute ShowAPR 19, 2023Leonid & FriendsAPR 20 - 21, 2023RESCHEDULED - Taylor Tomlinson: The Have It All TourAPR 23, 2023Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida: 25th Anniversary GalaAPR 26, 2023South Florida Symphony OrchestraAPR 28 - 29, 2023Djavan - The D Tour USAAPR 30, 2023CARMENMAY 5, 2023The Cream of Clapton BandMAY 6, 2023RAIN - A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLESMAY 9, 2023THE CONCERT: A Tribute to ABBAMAY 13, 2023Leslie Jones: LiveMAY 18, 2023Margaret Cho: Live and LIVID!MAY 24, 2023Deive LeonardoJUN 4, 2023Latrice RoyaleJUN 14 - 15, 2023Ryan Adams & the CardinalsJUN 24 - 25, 2023Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida: “Disney PRIDE in Concert”THE PARKER SCHEDULEVPCA April General MeetingWednesday April 5th, 2023 at 7pm ETOption to join in person or via Zoom!In Person: ArtServe1350 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale FL 33304Plenty of ParkingDoors Open at 6:30pVia Zoom: Register at vpca.org/eventsVPCA May General MeetingWednesday May 3rd, 2023 at 7pm ETOption to join in person or via Zoom!In Person: ArtServe1350 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale FL 33304Plenty of ParkingDoors Open at 6:30pVia Zoom: Register at vpca.org/eventsVolunteer Ushers Play a Vital Role!Join our team and meet exciting people who share your passion for live entertainment, while giving back to the community. Ushers help welcome our audiences, make them feel at home and ensure that everything runs smoothly from lights up to curtains down. APPLY TODAY!PHONE 954.468.2684EMAIL volunteer@browardcenter.orgWEB BrowardCenter.org/USHER

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20 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONMINUTE BY MINUTEMinutes of February 1st, 2023 General Membership MeetingIt’s only one hour...on the ﬁ rst Wednesday of every month!(except August when no meeting is held)Attending Board:Stefﬁ Paskow, President (Zoom)Richard Van Berkel, Treasurer (In Person)Rebecca Kendig Rohrbach, Secretary (Zoom)Meeting Opened at 7:06pm ETHousekeeping: The meeting is recorded for the sole purpose of recording meeting minutes and is not distributed via any avenues. If you have a question, please add to the chat and we will attempt to address during our meeting. If we are unable to address due to time or additional research needed, one of the VPCA volunteers will reach out to you after the meeting. Welcome new members: Please say “hi” in the chat box or if you are calling, state your name and where in the neighborhood you live. Motion to appove minutes from February 2023 – Motion ApprovedPlease note the previous month’s meeting minutes are sent via email with the meeting reminder and meeting agenda.Fort Lauderdale Police Update: Sgt. Perkol, Ofﬁ cer Rodriquez, Ofﬁ cer Giraldo, PSA SchilterFor January, we have 14 incidents: 1 sex assault (which was found to be unfounded), 4 vehicle burglaries, 1 resident burglary, 4 retail burglaries, 2 frauds, and 3 cases of auto theft. Question around noise speciﬁ c to auto enhancements – There is an action plan active since end of last year to address the noise. When vehicles are driving around with loud music and enhanced mufﬂ ers, we were originally giving warnings but recently have been giving citations. It’s an ongoing issue that we’ll need to continue to address. The way it used to be about 10 years ago was the police would issue a citation or if any issues the ordiance was arrestable. With the new procedure, the goal is go out and educate, then warnings, and then enforcement with citations plus escalation. They are aware of the trafﬁ c issues on Victoria Park Road and they have been doing trafﬁ c enforcement. They will look for the speciﬁ c truck mentioned. Most of the trafﬁ c issues they see are drivers going through stop signs. They will be getting one more person which will assist with manpower to increase visiblity. February 16-5:30p is neighborhood support night. Flyers left at in-person meeting.With the new unit, we have a new initiative to clean up the grafﬁ ti in the community. We are currently working on a new program to get it off the ground but we are in the discovery phase to identify where the issues are so please reach out to us if you see an issue especially if the messaging is offensive. Question regarding the homeless population at Annie Beck Park and the walkway on 16th Terrace where a lot of people are hanging out after dark. The activity on the walkway at 16th Terrace, the ofﬁ cers asked for more detail on what activity is actually happening after dark so they can develop an action plan to address. If there is a gate on private property that you’d like to have locked, it would need to be addressed with the property owner(s). We’re happy to have a conversation but we can’t enforce. Regarding Annie Beck Park, the homeless population can hang out there because it’s a public park. If you see anyone doing anything illegal, please report to the police department. The police department does patrol through there and unfortunately, it’s a public park so we can’t just start kicking people out. Fort Lauderdale Code Enforcement: Paulette DelGrosso Congratulations to the new board and thank you to Stefﬁ . From November 1st to February 1st, there have been 157 code cases. 125 are now closed and 29 are pending compliance and 1 is scheduled for special magistrate. List of violations include advertising compliance, vacation rental homes operating without a certiﬁ cate, trash, and landscaping overgrown. Next Thursday night, Feb 16th from 5:30-8:30p at City Hall for the annual neighborhood support night. There’s food and giveaways. Goal is to introduce the community to various departments within the city and there will be a fashion show for the ﬁ rst year where I’ll be modeling our new uniform. Paulette will be absent next month as she’ll be in Japan. VPCA Board Election:An uncontested slate of ofﬁ cers of President-Richard Van Berkel, Vice President-Megan Probst, & Treasurer-Diana

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VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION • SECOND QUARTER 2023 21Prkacin. Call for any additional nominations from the ﬂoor or Zoom and none presented. Motion from the ﬂoor to close the nominations – approved. Motion from the ﬂoor to elect the uncontested slate to the ofﬁcers of the VPCA for the next election year – approved. Still seeking a Secretary. VPCA President Updates:VPCA is seeking a Secretary to volunteer to keep meeting minutes and all ofﬁcial documents of the organization. Time commitment is about 2-3 hours a month.Congratulations to the new board! Welcome to Robert Cantu as the new Communications Chair. Quick reminder that businesses in our community will often offer discounts to VPCA members. Keep an eye out for stickers that you’ll see around our community in the near future. The Utility Chair & CFLCA & Trafﬁc Chair are still available for volunteers. Please reach out to president@vpca.org if interested. Commissoner Glassman:War Memorial is moving along. This is NHL All Star weekend and even though the main event is out West, there are still a lot of events happening in our backyard. I know our community is concerned about trafﬁc and parking and our police dept and mobility team will be monitoring. There has been discussion about a possible parking garage, especially with the coming YMCA. Other projects near Victoria Park – 627 N Federal is a commerical building and 319 NE 7th which is a 52 residential building. The staff is advocating for trafﬁc measures on Victoria Park Road and speed humps. TAM is working on so many projects. Also looking for speed volume studies on Victoria Park Road but will require a survey and approval from the neighborhood. The city commission recently had their goal setting meeting and will continue around infrastructure, trafﬁc, public safety, homelessness, and parking. Additional updates provided on projects around the city. There’s a mini golf temporary installation at A1A and Las Olas with a Pixar theme. Suggest tickets in advance. Following week is Pride of Americas on the beach and the upcoming St Patricks Day Parade. There are some challenges with the Tunnel Top project. Suggestion to do the route on A1A on the 11th of March. The Kinney Tunnel project completion date is end of 2023. Tunnel top park should be completed very soon. The city commission just approved the reimagining of Huizenga Place, which will be a 15m project. It’s not being utilized and not very attractive. Plans have been distributed via my email blast. Holiday Park bond – Phil will be getting together with us soon to show what AECOM has been discussing. Right now the city is going through the seawalls they own for height and we’re planning on coming into compliance with what the county is going to do. Ashley will get details on this topic. Committee Chairs Updates:VICE PRESIDENT: Megan Probst No report for this month.SECRETARY: Rebecca Kendig-Rohrbach No report for this month.COMMUNICATIONS: Seeking a volunteer No report for this month. PLANNING/ZONING: Howard Elfman No report for this month.TRAFFIC & CRIME: Richard Van Berkel Trafﬁc – No additional report. Crime – No additional report.AESTHETICS: Olivia Nugent No report for this month.UTILITIES: Seeking a volunteer. No report for this month.CHILDREN: Nicollette Hagey No report for this month. MEMBERSHIP: Diana Prkacin & Melissa Galfond No report for this month.SOCIAL: Maria Benitez No report for this month.PARKS BOND & CFLCA: Seeking volunteer No report for this month.EVENTS: Ana Vento No report for this month. TREASURER: Richard Van Berkel No report for this month.RECYCLING: Don GillinNo report for the month.50/50 RAFFLE WINNER – No rafﬂe this evening. Meeting adjourned at 7:51pm ETNext Meeting: March 1st, 2023 at 7pm ET (Zoom & ArtServe)*NOTE: Details contained within these meeting minutes are accurate as of the date of this meeting. Speciﬁcs with respect to improvement project timelines and other details may have changed after the ofﬁcial documentation of these minutes. If you believe there may be an error, please email secretary@vpca.org.

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22 SECOND QUARTER 2023 • VICTORIA PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONVPCA MEMBER DISCOUNTS Thank you to our local business community for your discounts and exclusive special offers to our Victoria Park Civic Association members!VPCA Members receive valuable discounts and special offers from our local business community. Featured below are local business community members who offer discounts and special offers to VPCA members! Just present your VPCA membership card and start saving!ANGLER LAWN & LANDSCAPE, INC. 2501 N. Federal Hwy.954.448.6394anglerlawn.com BIG LOUIE’S PIZZERIA1990 E. Sunrise Blvd. 954.467.1166 biglouiesfortlauderdale.com $5 off order of $35+ (at this location only) BUILDING INGENUITY ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN305.302.8724buildingenuity.com50% Discount on Consultation FeeCAFFÉ EUROPA 910 E. Las Olas Blvd. 954.763.6600caffeeuropalasolas.comComplimentary cappuccino with entree Christina Wan’s 664 North Federal Highway95 4.527.0 228christinawansrestaurant.comCOASTAL PREFERRED PROPERTIES 105 N Victoria Park Rd.954-768-9066coastalpreferred.comCOOKIES BY DESIGN 1.855.COOKIEScookiesbydesign.comDOWNTOWN CHIROPRACTIC CENTER1601 E. Broward Blvd. 954.463.1166fortlauderdalechiro.com$99 ﬁrst visit; 45-minute consult ($250 value. Some exclusions apply.DREW’S BEACH BOOT CAMP 700-790 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd (near lifeguard stand #3)AndrewKuecher@gmail.com330.401.7580Receive One Complimentary BootcampFIT FACTOR916 NE 20th Avenue 954.522.5250www.ﬁtfactortraining.comFLAGLER PIZZERIA 656 N Federal Hwy.954.368.5443ﬂaglerpizzeria.com Dine in Only - Free Draft Beer with Every $10 Food PurchaseJADE OCEAN CLEANERS 608 N. Federal Hwy.954.462.6677jadeoceancleaners.com 10% off dry cleaning servicesLAS OLAS CHABAD JEWISH CENTER1302 E. Las Olas Blvd. 954.780.6770jewishﬂl.com 10% off all merchandise LAS OLAS PADDLEBOARDS934 NE 20th Ave. 954.848.4189Lasolaspaddleboards.com 10% off all merchandise LIV FOR GEMS954.494.7172livforgems.com LOCHRIE AND CHAKAS PA 1401 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 30395 4.7 79.1119lochrielaw.comMELISSA GALFOND, PA | REALTOR® KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY PROFESSIONALS2419 E. Commercial Blvd, Suite 101954.559.1515melissagalfond.kw.comComplimentary coffee consultation regarding your selling or buying goals MONSTER SUBS 1978 E. Sunrise Blvd.954.463.799710% off any order, including plattersPEAK PERFORMANCE PHYSICAL THERAPY632 N. Federal Hwy. 954.302.7717peakperformance.rehabAsk about our free ‘discovery visit’ for VPCA members PRESS & GRIND CAFE 474 N Federal Hwy.954.909.5316pressandgrindcafe.com REBOA LAW 12 SE 7th Street, Suite 704 954.530.9781reboa.law SERAFINA RESTAURANT 926 NE 20th Ave. 954.850.9959serabythewater.com $10 off dinner for two SHOE DOCTOR 1930 E. Sunrise Blvd. 95 4.76 9.116 0bestshoedoctor.com10% off any service and/or productSUAN THAI & JAPANESE RESTAURANT290 N. Federal Hwy.954.870.6169suanrestaurant.com10% offcheck, dine-in onlySUNSET PET GROOMING929 N Federal Hwy.965.525.6988sunsetpetwellness.com10% off all groomingTIM SINGER & ASSOCIATES 901 East Las Olas Blvd.954.463.1373ﬂaliving.netVICTORIA PARK ANIMAL HOSPITAL 626 North Federal Highway95 4.617.8724victoriaparkanimalhospital.comColor listings denote VPCA Business members and our Ad Sponsors who provide discounts or special offers for our VPCA members! Our thanks to all of you for your participation and for support of VPCA!

Victoria Park Times 2nd Quarter 2023

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