I went to an Eola Heights Community Meeting which was held at the United Methodist Church two blocks from my home / studio. I pass the Methodist church any time I walk my roommates dog, Boo-Boo. The meeting was at 7pm and it was already dark out. The front steps of the church were illuminated. I figured that meant the church was open for the meeting. My hope was to get a sketch of the meeting held in a gorgeous church interior with large stained-glass windows. Since it was dark outside the stained glass windows would be less colorful. The front doors of the church were locked.
I tried a second set of doors and they were locked. After trying a 5ths set of doors, I started to wonder of the community meeting was canceled. I started considering sketching at Lake Eola. When I got to the back of the church there were plenty of cars in the parking lot, and there was an entrance to the basement from the parking lot. I could hear a booming voice form down a ling hallway and I knew I was in the right place.
Commissioner Patty Sheehan was addressing the full house of people gathered. There was an American Flag and a small child’s bicycle on the stage. I wondered if the bicycle was part of a community drive to offer free bikes to children. The bike was never mentioned.
On Lake Eola there is a gorgeous old Mediterranean-style historic home that was threatened with demolition. The Eola Heights historic commission had fought to keep it standing. The building next to the beautiful old home had already been demolished. It was used as a 7-11 when it was torn down. I had sketched many arts events in the building prior to it becoming a 7-11. A buyer was making an offer on the Mediterranean style building and so it may have a future. Orlando is an infant of a city that is prone to demolish any hints of it’s past. Unlike Europe, America in general does not recognize the importance of preserving it’s past.
A police officer got up to the podium to report about crime in Eola Heights. One home thief had been caught in the act and arrested. The crown clapped it’s approval. Another speaker got up to the podium and spoke about the garden tour through Eola Heights. At past garden tours, there had been up to 400 people who toured homes to see gardens.
Signage had been added to Eola Heights to identify the neighborhood for people passing through. A motion was made and approved to add more signage. A raffle was held and one person won a $100 home improvement gift card. My general impression sitting in on the meeting is that Eola Heights is a proud and vibrant community that is fighting to it’s historic past a live. The community has old cobble stone streets which are now being refurbished in places. Homes tend to date back into the 1920s or earlier. My home studio feels old and has probably seen many family ‘s pass through its rooms. I feel fortunate to be in such an old home instead of some steel and glass high rise condominium.