Parts of Liberty Tree Park will soon be temporarily closed as we install a new playground. The city received a $200,000 grant from the state last year to build an inclusive playground that features accessible elements for children of all abilities.

Along with the playground, we will improve the currently undeveloped parking area at Liberty Tree Park along Fifth Street. We are also adding a path from the parking lot to the inclusive playground to provide a wide, smooth route for safe, easy movement.

All County Paving will start work soon, and Miracle Playground's installation could begin by March 23. The project will take several weeks to complete. Some brick pavers are being removed, but only on the park's east side. Bricks that have been purchased, engraved, and dedicated for various reasons will not be removed from the park. The City’s Design Review Committee vetted the plans, just as it does for all major projects.

The current playground at the back of the park will be taken out, leaving only the new playground near the bathrooms and pavilion at the front.

Meanwhile, we are working on updating the bathrooms with fresh paint, new décor, and fixtures.

Parks and Recreation staffers Tierro Hampton and JoJo Atria will provide weekly updates on progress at Liberty Tree Park on Plantation Parks and Recreation social media.

The regular City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at City Hall chambers.

While no major projects appear on the agenda, Council will deliberate a variance approval for Chabad Daycare Center at 10359 W. Broward Blvd., and approval for Chow’s Country Buffet at 1823-1825 N. Pine Island Road.

Mark Wilson, President and CEO of The Florida Chamber of Commerce, addressed Broward County leaders at the 17^th Annual State of the County Forum Wednesday, March 4, hosted by Broward Workshop at the Broward County Convention Center.

“For not having a vision or a plan, Broward County is doing pretty good,” said Wilson, who warned his talk might not sit well with the 1,000 or so attendees.

He then cited statistics and goals from the Chamber’s Florida 2030 Blueprint.

This makes me proud that in 2023 we embarked on creating a strategic plan. (Thanks for the push, Council President Denise Horland.) The City Council, staff and I meet for a full day each year to review our long-range goals, priorities and progress.

You can read our strategic plan on our website.

The Plantation Police announced the 30-day warning period for automated school zone speed enforcement begins Monday, March 9. Those speeding will get warnings in the mail for the first 30 days, then the fines will begin.

Learn more about the school zone safety program on our website.

David Jones, a landscape plans examiner for the city, presented a lecture “From Distant Lands to South Florida Soil: The Legacy of U.S. Plant Introductions & Explorers – A World of Crops, A Nation Transformed” at the Landscape Inspectors Association of Florida meeting. It took place last week, Feb. 26, at Volunteer Park.

Jones notes that 85 percent of all U.S. plants were originally not native to the United States, but were vetted before their arrival by a government program.

You can see his slides here.

Plantation Middle School is closing to students this year, but the School Board is still keeping the property, Superintendent Howard Hepburn told me.

The school will be converted, and fortified, for a centralized IT Department, he said. Using the Plantation Middle property will allow them to surplus two other properties, he said.

Meanwhile, Plantation High School’s Assistant Principal Alin Andre updated the Educational Advisory Board on Monday, March 2, that the preparations and parent meetings are taking place to facilitate the transition to a 6-12 school.

Saturday, March 7: The Plantation Historical Museum re-opens at 10 a.m. after two months, with America 250 and Pirates: Beware the Black Flag displays. The exhibits run through Sept. 26.

Saturday, March 7: Rock the Park returns, with food trucks at 6 p.m. and the music at 7 p.m. at Pine Island Park. The band is Good Bread/Bread Zeppelin. Same band, but switching between rock favorites and Led Zeppelin sounds.

Saturday, March 7: Move your clocks forward an hour when you go to bed Saturday night. Daylight Savings Time begins. That means it’ll be darker Monday as school is starting, but sunset is at 7:26 p.m. Sunday. Please plan accordingly.

Also: The monthly car show is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Plantation Walk. Hundreds of classic to modern muscle cars and trucks, plus live music throughout the day.

March 6 & 7: Friends of the Library Used Book Sale. Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Helen B. Hoffman Plantation Library. Cash payment. All proceeds benefit the library. 

March 14: Touch-a-Truck from 9 a.m. to noon at Plantation Equestrian Center. Children can get up close and touch a fire truck, sit inside the bucket of a wheel loader and more. Horn-free hour from 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Mayor Nick Sortal's newsletter is dedicated to managing Plantation's matters, placing a special emphasis on our community and its residents.

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