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JANUARY 1, 2002 NEWSLETTER


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THE GALT MILE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Published quarterly in cooperation with local merchants serving the area east of the Intracoastal

Edition 002 January 1, 2002

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
PREQUEL TO THE HISTORY
OF THE GALT MILE

Today, the Galt Ocean Mile is lined with high-rise condominiums, a remarkable concentration of luxury dwellings valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. But more than a half century ago, it was far from a prime property. The politicians that ran the city in those days, during the days of racial discrimination, considered it so expendable that it was the only beach area that Fort Lauderdale's black population was allowed to use.

The story and the name of Galt Ocean Mile began in 1913, when Arthur Galt, a Chicago lawyer, bought the property. It took him 40 years to sell it. Galt was the son of the law partner of Hugh Taylor Birch, who at one time owned most of what is today's Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Incredibly, the Galt Ocean Mile was only part of the land that Galt purchased, most of the 8,000 acres that was included lay west of the Intracoastal Waterway. It was during the 1920's, the glorious days of Florida's land boom, that the “Countess of Lauderdale”, Gwendolyn Maitland, decided to create a resort to rival Palm Beach in Fort Lauderdale.

The slim, refined-looking Scot formed the “British Improvement Association” which promptly began acquiring property, principally a successful subdivision called Oakland Park and 8,000 acres from Galt. The down payment for Galt property was one million dollars, a fraction of the total the Countess laid out.

She had assembled an impressive group of partners: two Lords, a Viscount, an ex-King of Greece and her fellow aristocratic Palm Beachers, including society's ruling Grande dame, Mrs. E.T Stotesbury.

The new resort town, incorporated on November 25, 1925, was called Floranada, a combination “Florida” and “Canada.“ The cornerstone was laid for Florinada Inn, a golf course was built and a narrow-gauge railroad was ordered.

Then came the bust, the inglorious end to Florida's great land boom. The company had sold only a few lots and the money on these was refunded and the land reverted to Galt.
At this point, no one was interested in buying, but when, in 1927, the last remaining oceanfront public beaches in the city of Fort Lauderdale were declared off limits to blacks, by default they used the Ocean Mile, which became known as the "black beach”. Galt was choosy about selling his land. Prospective buyers had to promise building programs that met his standards. He once turned down a good offer when he found the land would be used for a trailer park.

After World War 11, James S. Hunt and Stephen Calder formed a partnership and persuaded Galt to sell them a parcel of land between Middle River and the Intracoastal. They called it Coral Ridge and dubbed their company Coral Ridge Properties. This brings us up to the beginning of the story as published in the October edition. So - “Now you know the rest of the story”

This information comes from an unidentified reader, a long time resident of the area.

 


 

BEACH COMMUNITY CENTER

THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY ON THE GALT family event was celebrated on Thursday, December 13th at the BEACH COMMUNITY CENTER and in the surrounding areas of the Galt Ocean Village Shoppes just north of Oakland Park Bouveland and A1A.

This family charity event was offered in partnership with the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Fire Department Toy and Food drive and the Broward County Firefighters Children’s Education Fund, The City of Fort Lauderdale’s Parks and Recreation Department, Sun Trust Bank, Dan O’Flaherty Re/Max Realty, San Francisco Puff and Stuffs and Florida Skating Productions all joined in and made this event the best ever.

Featured were Holiday crafts, food and drink, ice skating, rock climbing, pony rides, bounce house and the “Children’s Holiday Kingdom” in the City of Fort Lauderdale’s NEW BEACH COMMUNITY CENTER. The City of Fort Lauderdale’s “Show Mobile” offered a variety of entertainment and contributed to the success of the occasion.

This event also provided residents of the area the opportunity to see and know our new COMMUNITY CENTER and recognize the potential of this facility to the Galt Mile Area and it’s residents.

 


 

GALT OCEAN SHOPPES
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC.

On September 2001, a new group was formed in the neighborhood for the purpose of improving and promoting the business community in the Galt Ocean Village Shoppes. The membership in the new group was expanded to include merchants, business property owners, and residential property owners all of whom will benefit from a thriving and safe shopping environment.

The group has met with the City of Fort Lauderdale in several "Charets" at the Beach community center and discussed what the community would like their shopping area to look like and the type of anchor stores, hotels, luxury condos that the community would like to attract. The group applied for a $25,000 business capital improvement fund to start the process of creating a Master Plan for the area.

The new group also partnered with the City of Fort Lauderdale on December 13th in sponsoring the " Holiday on the Galt" at the Beach community center.

The enthusiasm of the new group and the vision of change for the area has caught the eye of the City and they are working hard with us to create a business community that we will all be proud of.

The officers of the Galt Ocean Shoppes Improvement Association, Inc. are: President Dr. Alex Leeds, First Vice President Gabriel Palotas, Second Vice President Lawrence E. Blacke, Secretary Noel Brown, and Treasurer Marty Sullivan. –Other members of the Board of Directors are: Dennis Matson, Candy Colby, Annette Sweet Palotas, Ralph M. Hammaker, Ken Vincent, James Rainey and Robert Rozema.

If you would like to join the group and be part of the team that will create the New Galt Ocean Village Shoppes, call Marty Sullivan at 390-6081.

 


 

AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS SAVES LIVES!

Every minute of every day sudden cardiac arrest claims another victim. A heart attack occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked, the flow of blood which carries oxygen to the heart is slowed, and the muscle fibers contract chaotically rather than in sync with each other as they normally do.

Historically, only trained medical professionals were able to interpret the heart rhythms on manual defibrillator devices. However, today’s new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDS) use embedded computer chips to analyze the rhythms instantly and accurately, making it possible for non medical individuals to provide vital service with minimum risk.

The Red Cross and /or the manufacturers of the devices will train you and your employees in the use of AEDs at your site, at your convenience. Red Cross training is a comprehensive course and includes:
  • Interactive training and certification in adult CPR, (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation which should always be the first act of caring for a heart attack, while awaiting use of the AEDs.)
  • Thorough, interactive training and certification on the proper use of AEDs.
  • Intensive practice scenarios.
AEDs have evolved to the point where non medically trained personnel can be trained to use them and, in coordination with CPR, give the best possible care to a victim before paramedics or other professional assistance arrives. Through the years, it has become evident that the best chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest is through early defibrillation, and it has been proven that these patients so treated have a higher survival rate and do very well thereafter. However, if more than ten minutes have elapsed, the opposite is true. If you question whether your staff is capable of using a defibrillator, you must look back on how CPR evolved. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) began as an advanced procedure that only doctors could perform. Since then, we have found that the public can perform CPR safely. It is taught widely, even to grade school children.

A CONDOMINIUM IS AN IDEAL PLACE FOR AN AEDS. LIKE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, YOU NEED TO HAVE ONE, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL NEVER HAVE TO USE IT.

(The above information comes from the American Red Cross and other published sources and organizations endeavoring to promote the AEDs use by the private sector. These devices cost about $2,500 , - - - A few dollars might save a life!)

If you are seriously interested, simply Click Here to access the AED Page of the GMCA Web Site. - editor!

 

 


 

The President’s Column

The October edition of our Newsletter was so well accepted that we have decided to enlarge it in order to allow more comprehensive coverage.

As President of the Galt Mile Community Association, I am proud that, in a few short months, we have established a web site for all the world to see, available to all member buildings, as well as this Newsletter. Also available on the web site is a “forum” which might prove helpful if you have a question.

These electronic and paper media are designed to establish and cement neighborly relations and provide meaningful communications among all residents of the Galt Mile.

I have to say at this point that the Web Site is not getting the action we expected. Out of 24 member buildings, 10 have not yet taken advantage of our web site to show and publicize their building. Bob Rozema

This publication will accept a limited number of advertisements for businesses Located East of the Intracoastal for the next issue, of April 1, 2002. Limited space is available. Please contact the numbers shown below for more information.


 

Publisher:
The Galt Mile Community Association

Editor:
Robert Eagan

Associate Editor and Treasurer:
Leah Glickfield

Contributing Editors:
Members of the Board of Directors of the
Galt Mile Community Association

E-Mail: [email protected]
Phones: 563-1001 or 563-5876

[The editor of the Galt Mile Community Association�s web site and newsletter is currently Eric Peter Berkowitz. Click Here to access more complete information on the Contact Page of the GMCA Web Site. The obsolete contact information above was reprinted from the original newsletter - editor!]




 

MEDICAL MIRACLE?
�VERTEBROPLASTY�

It happened to me, so I can verify that it is possible to have a broken back on Monday and walk pain free on Tuesday! The combination of osteoporosis and lifting too much weight is a no-no. I did just that. Afterward, the only part of my body that functioned properly was that part of my central nervous system devoted to recognizing and transmitting excruciating pain.

Later, in the hospital, after X-rays and an MRI, a fractured, crushed vertebra was confirmed. I began imagining what it would be like taking narcotic painkillers the rest of my life. But then Dr. Linda Anne Hughes of Holy Cross Hospital�s �Interventional Radiology Department� visited me in my hospital room and described my MRI as a �textbook case� for what I later came to know as Vertebroplasty. The doctor offered to perform the procedure and I readily accepted.

After a painless two-hour operation, using local anesthesia, with no side or after effects, I was able to move without pain later that same day. And the next day I was able to get out of bed and walk absolutely pain free!

In layman�s terms, the procedure involves injecting the same cement/glue mixture that the orthopedic surgeons use to fix broken bones in other parts of the body. This compound is injected into the fractured bone in the spine (the vertebra) using a small needle, which immediately cements the fracture back together. The bones have a thin covering with many nerve endings. The pain from a fractured spine is the result of the tiny broken bone chips rubbing and irritating this lining around the bone. This procedure �glues� the bone back together and prevents the small broken bone chips from rubbing together and thereby eliminates the pain. Only a band-aid is needed to cover the “wound” made by the needle! Four hours in bed for the cement to harden and you are ready to dance!

This procedure is not widely known about in the US: a number of the medical professionals are not yet aware of it, much less so the public, although it has been used in Europe for several years. More information is available from:

Dr. Linda Anne Hughes
Office Telephone: 954-492-5791
The Editor

 

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