2018 proved to be a very busy year for Harbour Inlet residents. The Harbour Inlet Association Board of Directors organized and managed many key activities throughout the year. Below is a roundup of some of the key happenings in the neighborhood from 2018.
Candidate Debates – our year started off on a political note with two separate candidate debates held for Harbour Inlet residents. The finalists for our new local commissioner and mayor of Fort Lauderdale participated in spirited debates. Residents asked questions and got to know the candidates better to allow them to make informed voting decisions.
Dolphin Statue – our beloved dolphin statue met a sad fate early in the year when a hit and run driver knocked over one of the palm trees in the roundabout which fell on the dolphin statue and knocked it over. Members of the board arranged for the dolphin to be repaired and reinstalled and the association treasury funded the repairs. Our dolphin is now back in its home and we hope it won’t be harmed again.
Annual Meeting – the Harbour Inlet annual meeting was held in April and our newly elected mayor, Dean Trantalis, joined the attendees. Dean spoke about his vision for the future of Fort Lauderdale, addressed specific issues and generously stayed around to answer questions from the residents. It was a unique opportunity to meet the new mayor in an intimate setting.
Gatehouse Landscaping – the landscaping around the gatehouse was showing its age and was in dire need of replacement. The Landscaping Committee solicited bids from several companies and worked with them on the design. The landscaping was finally replaced this spring and hope all agree that it is a much-improved entrance to our neighborhood. This was a major expenditure for the Harbour Inlet Association but one we felt was worth the investment. We now have a much more welcoming entrance to our lovely community.
Social Events – several social events were organized by the Harbour Inlet Social Committee during 2018, including the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Block Party and Chili Cook Off, Halloween Party and the Holiday Party. All were well attended and enjoyed by Harbour Inlet residents who enjoy the opportunity to meet new neighbors and catch up with others at these social events.
Pier 66/ Sails Activities – TavistockDevelopment Co, the new owners of the Sails property at 17th Street and Harbour Inlet Drive, filed a license request for temporary use of the property. The initial request was unacceptable to residents and our board spent a great deal of time working with Tavistock and the City to reach a compromise that was acceptable to both parties. Our neighborhood received strong support from our Commissioner, Vice Mayor Sorensen and Mayor Trantalis to allow an acceptable agreement to be reached. The board will continue to work closely with the developers and the city to minimize the impact on our neighborhood as construction begins and the property is opened to the public in late 2019. Website Relaunch – the Harbour Inlet website was completely redesigned and relaunched in late 2018. It now has a video and other images of Harbour Inlet as well as general information for residents. It is designed to be the source of information about the neighborhood, upcoming activities, issues that affect the community and more.
Be sure to visit www.harbourinlet.org often to keep abreast of neighborhood happenings.