BOCA FESTIVAL DAYS: August 1 to August 31

BOCA FESTIVAL DAYS: August 1 to August 31

Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce President Troy McLellan said that, “our main goal these days is to contribute to the various non profit charities in the area… it’s all about giving back to the community.” Thirty-five years ago the month-long citywide series of events were intended to help boost business during August, a traditionally slow month. Now there are a huge variety of activities and about 40 events are scheduled, with thousands of participants. In 2005, more than $200,000 was raised.

Events being held include:
August 1, 5:30 – 7:30: 2nd Anuual Splash of Gold Fashion Show at the Marriot Boca Raton Center with local celebrities participating and modeling. $40 per person in advance, $60 at the door. Marriott Boca Raton at Boca Center. Raffle prizes, dj, h’ors d’ouvres, libations and drinks. For more info call Kate Volman at 561-395-4433 or kate@bocaratonchamber.com.
July 31 through September 8: Juried art exhibition sponsored by the Artists Guild of the Boca Raton Museum of Art and Coneca Properties, open to all Florida artists (Courtyard Building, 5301 N. Federal Highway). Awards Reception is August 5, 2-4 pm. For information call Gloria Berger, 561-738-4842 or Roni DiSabello at 561-487-3362.
August 5: Mr. Boca Legs Competition at Mizner Park
August 7: Seminar in love and relationships at the Kabbalah Centre, 7 pm. Call 561-488-8826 for more details and registration.
August 8 at noon: Boca Raton Public Library, 200 NW 2nd Avenue, will hold a book discussion of “The Great Fire,” a romance novel by National Book Award Winner Shirley Hazzard, who will speak about the book. For more information, call 561-393-7968.
August 8, 8 pm: Kabbalah Centre will present food, dancing and more to celebrate Tu B”av, The Holiday of Love. For more information and to register, call 561-488-8826.
August 9, 5:30 – 8:30 pm: PIP Printing & Document Services at 1200 S. Rogers Circle, Unit 8 will hold their “2nd Annual BBQ For A Cure” with minimum donation at $20 per person to support the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” event. BBQ fixins, fun ,games, karaoke, entertainment, chance drawings with prices and more. Country & Western attire is welcomed, rain or shine.
August 11m 6-8 pm: Sweet Jazz by Steve Gryb and ensemble along with Chablis, Red and Chardonnay wines among friends – dance and mingle at this wine tasting party at the Boca Raton Resort & Club’s Mizner Center, 501 E. Camino Real with complimentary on-stie self parking. $50 tickets must be purchased in advance at www.bocaratonchamber.com (events calendar) or at the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce at 1800 N. Dixie Highway. Call Jo Scannell at 561-395-4433, Ext 21 or email at jo@bocaratonchamber.com.
August 11, 7-9 pm: Marshall Turkin and his Classic Jazz Ensemble present Gershwin music at the Mizner Park Amphitheatre, with a free concert under the stars- bring your chairs and blankets. Chair rentals are $2 and food may be purchased. For more info call 561-393-7806, selection 2.
August 12: Sea Turtle Conservation Day, a family affair, 10 am – 3 pm at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center on North Ocean Blvd (A1A) below Spanish River Road. For more info call 561-338-1473.
AUGUST 12, 11-3: Skating Competition at Tim Huxhold State Park, 400 Crawford Blvd. For ages 5-17. Early registration began July 29 at 10 am. For more info call 561-393-7818. $10 registration fee.
August 13, 2-3 pm. Boca Museum and FAU South Florida Storytelling Project will hold an educational program demonstrating how to create and tell effective, entertaining stories, using voice momevment, eye contact andimagination. Free with paid museum admission, children 12 and under are free. Go to www.bocamusuem.org for more info.
August 17: Sports Fans & Family Night at Wilt Chamberlain’s is free
August 1, 15, and 29: free skin cancer screenings – advance appointments can be made by calling sponsor Boca Raton Community Hospital at 561-95-LEARN.
Saturdays August 5, 12, 19, 26, 2-4 pm: Guided Tour of the historic Boca Raton Resort & Club on Camino Real. Cost is $12 per person, $10 for BRHS members, $9 per car valet parking, and benefits the Boca Raton Historical Society. Not for children under 12. For more information call 561-395-6766 Ext 100, or go to www.bocahistory.org.

Some of the charities who will benefit from Festival Days are Boca Helping Hands, Kids in Distress, March of Dimes and Hospice by the Sea. Included as event sponsors are the Boca Raton News, Boca Rton Resort & Club and West Boca Medical Center.
For more information call Myles Kornblatt, Director of Communications for the Chamber at 561-395-4433, Ext. 235 or email: myles@bocaratonchamber.com.

POSSIBLE $30-MM BOND ISSUE ON BOCA’S PROPOSED “SPINE”

The possibility of developing a pedestrian walkway along the route between Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place will be decided by City Council, yes or no, in the near future. Three plans have been drawn up by an architectural firm, each showing either low- medium- or high density solutions..

“Sixty years of Boca history is contained there,” said Mary Csar, the executive director of the Boca Raton Historical Society, whose group hopes to retain the historic nature and “flavor of the 1950’s” for the Boca Raton Road area east of Sanborn Square.

This idea was first presented in the late 1960’s, and again in the 1980’s. The second proposal was adopted by the City Countil, but opponents forced it onto a referendum question, which voters rejected.
City Manager Leif Ahnell said the bond issue would be intended to cover costs of the project.

CAMINO REAL BRIDGE TO BE REHABILITATED

Designated as a Historic Landmark in 1997, the Camino Real Bridge will be rehabilitated in 2007 with a new deck and painting and repair of the beams. Some are afraid if it is not fixed now, it will pass the stage where it still can be repaired and a new bridge will be necessary. Camino Real Boulevard was also designated at the same time as a Historic Landmark.

The roadway was designed by Addison Mizner in the 1930’s, but he did not design the bridge. That was built in 1939. Palm Beach County is responsible for the bridge and it’s bills. In 1998 the County spend more than $100,000 to replace gearboxes at the bridge.

MONEY MAGAZINE RATES BOCA AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE US for 2006

MONEY MAGAZINE rates BOCA RATON as 30th BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE US for 2006, and #1 for FLORIDA. No other Florida cities placed in the TOP 100.

HOA and CONDO laws

FL OFFICIALS DECIDE CONDOS MUST HAVE GENERATORS and HOAS CAN CONTINUE OPERATING WITHOUT RESERVE FUND TO PAY EMERGENCY CLEANUP AND OTHER EXPENSES
While the lack of reserves last year forced many association to impose huge special assessments on owners, the mandatory HOAs can continue operating without a reserve fund to pay emergency cleanup and other expenses.

High-rise condos must install sprinklers in hallways and lobbies by 2013, and associations must provide a generator for at least one elevator in each building by 2007 for at least 5 days after a disaster, so that the elderly and infirm residents won’t again get trapped on upper floors.

The length of time a condo owner or association can file suit against the buildrer for construction defects has been reduced from 15 years to 10 years.
State condo law is 93 pages, compared with 30 pages for the homeowner law. Governor Jeb Bush has ordered the state Department of Business & Professional Regulation to recommend by October 1st whether the state should consider combining laws for all “common interest communities,” include HOAs, condos, co-ops and timeshares.