The Oakland Park City Commission will hold a public workshop on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. to review and update the city’s Strategic Plan. They want to hear from you! Public input will be critical to ensure the strategic goals reflect community priorities. Residents and business owners are encouraged to join the Zoom meeting on Oct. 21 to share their ideas, priorities, and vision for the future to make sure we’re focusing on what matters most to our community. For meeting details, visit bit.ly/OPCommissionWorkshop.

We are excited to share the new City of Oakland Park website with you! The fresh design launched Friday. If you haven't been, visit the city website at www.oaklandparkfl.gov. As a reminder, many City services are available 24/7 on the website including utility bill payments, public records searches, and Commission Meeting agendas. Residential permits for structural, zoning, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing can also be submitted on the City website. Save yourself a trip and avoid waiting in line, click here to learn more about the services available on the City of Oakland Park website.  

Our busy month continues, with several meetings coming up in October. Please see below a list of upcoming public meetings and opportunities to participate. Click on the meeting names below for details. Visit the calendar on the City website for more information on these and other upcoming meetings.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson Park Amenity Community Meeting

City Commission Strategic Planning Workshop

Local Business Spotlight: More Bedding & Bath

This week we'd like to welcome More Bedding & Bath to Oakland Park. Located at 1103 NE 34 Court, More Bedding & Bath is in the heart of our flourishing downtown and celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, October 9, 2021. They feature a wide selection of mattresses, adjustable bed frames, pillows, bedding, and everything you need to get a great night's sleep. They also have a variety of pet beds to make sure your furry friends get a great night's sleep too. Stop by their showroom, just off Dixie Highway, and visit their website at www.morebeddingandbath.com

If you know of an Oakland Park business that would like to be featured in an upcoming Local Business Spotlight, send us an email.

Fire Prevention Week, which took place from Oct. 4 thru Oct. 9, was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The tragic fire took the lives of more than 250 people, left 100,00 homeless, destroyed 17,000 structures, and scorched 2,000 acres of land. Oakland Park Fire Rescue participates in the annual Fire Prevention Week to raise awareness about fire safety in an effort to prevent a tragedy like the Chicago Fire from impacting our community. Throughout the week they visited local schools including Lloyd Estates Elementary, Oakland Park Elementary, and St. Mark’s to teach about 400 students from VPK to first-grade the importance of fire safety. This year’s theme was learning the sounds of fire safety. Oakland Park Fire Prevention and Fire Suppression Apparatus crews worked together to demonstrate safety tips including how to crawl low under smoke, get to know the sound of your smoke alarms, have an escape plan, get out stay out, call 911, and never play with matches or lighters. For more information on the Oakland Park Fire Rescue Department, visit our website.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is conducting a study for a commuter rail line in Broward County. The FDOT technical team has analyzed potential locations for train stops on the commuter line and recommends that a stop be located in downtown Oakland Park. A potential platform along Dixie Highway could support development and spur economic growth throughout the area. A rail stop could see downtown properties appreciate approximately 20 to 30 percent within three to five years. Oakland Park has pursued the goal of a rail platform in its downtown for more than a decade. The City Commission passed a resolution of support for a train stop in 2010 and 2019. In a recent citywide survey, 77% of residents expressed support for a stop in Oakland Park.

King of Dreams ruled supreme in Saturday's $60,000 Oakland Park, rallying from well off the pace to win his debut over Gulfstream Park's newly installed Tapeta racing surface at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track. Owned by former Major League Baseball star Victor Martinez's Victoria's Ranch, King of Dreams was coming off a pair of off-the-board finishes in turf stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. The 3-year-old son of Air Force Blue had previously won twice in five starts over Gulfstream's turf course. Read the complete article on the Paulick Report website.

The City of Oakland Park is pleased to offer free bulk collection once a month. Next week, starting Monday, Oct. 18 is the third week of the month. The area that will be serviced for bulk trash collection is north-central area of Oakland Park, see the area shaded in yellow on the enclosed map. Please place only accepted items curbside for bulk collection. Please do not include items such as construction material or demolition debris, lumber, dirt, rocks, sod, or tree stumps. Items not accepted or placed out too early may be tagged by Community Enhancement, in which case residents will be asked to remove the items within two days. Bulk trash collection information, including pick-up schedules and accepted items, can be found on the City website. For more information, call 954-630-4452.

The City of Oakland Park is accepting grant applications from Non-Profit organizations that serve the local community. The Non-Profit grant application cycle for FY2022 is open through Monday, November 1, 2021, at 5 p.m. Grants will be awarded this fiscal year in the amount of $10,000. Organizations that would like to apply for aid during the 2022 fiscal year should complete and submit an application to the City’s Financial Services Department by November 1, 2021. Review and award by the City Commission will be scheduled at a later date. Click here for more information and to download an application. For questions, please contact the City of Oakland Park Financial Services Department at 954-630-4203.

The City of Oakland Park is partnering with the Florida Department of Health to provide free COVID-19 vaccine boosters by appointment to seniors 65 and older. Appointments are available Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To schedule an appointment, please contact the City of Oakland Park call center at 954-630-4335, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you are an Oakland Park resident and need transportation to your appointment, please let staff know when you call. Click here for more information.

As a reminder, the City of Fort Lauderdale, which provides water to Oakland Park, has temporarily returned to using free chlorine in its drinking water system through Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Free chlorination is a common practice for water systems using combined chlorine disinfection. The chlorination period is anticipated to be transparent; however, there may be a slight change in the taste or smell of tap water. In addition, some customers may see water running from fire hydrants in their neighborhoods, which is part of the normal maintenance process. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is posted on the City website. For more information, please call 954-630-4430.