Fossil Park Neighborhood

City Award Event

Dec 01, 2004

Jerry Wooldridge, Debbie Mitchell, and Carol Santure, representing Fossil Park Neighborhood, attended the City of St. Petersburg?’s Neighborhood Partnership Awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 6th at City Hall. Delicious refreshments were served in the main floor meeting rooms. The award presentation took place in the City Council chambers with standing room only. It was very impressive. Only three from each Association were invited to attend because of lack of space.
It was last year?’s event when FPNA received Neighborhood of the Year. Bill Foster presented Fossil Park with the award for the effort of keeping the drug/prostitution under control. Results: Best Western is now building where the Park Motel was located. This year?’s neighborhood of the Year went to Historic Uptown N.A.; Riviera Bay Civic Association won several awards; Edward White Hospital won the Partnership Award with the Kenwood Estates. A school?’s principal was there to receive the other partnership award for her and the past principal?’s work in securing permission to use the play ground for a multipurpose: School use during the week day and public use the remaining time. It took them about two years to accomplish the feat.
Mayor Rick Baker lent an excitement to the presentation by pointing out how everyone in the City Neighborhoods work diligently in keeping their neighborhoods safe by fighting drugs and crime, holding special/social events, etc. Each Council member, when introducing one neighborhood for an award from their district, reiterated what Mayor Baker expressed about the importance of the Associations and appreciation for all the hard work and how it made the City of St. Petersburg a model for other communities to empower themselves to do the same. Their voices are heard. The City Fathers are listening.