>>
TERRY SERVED TWO TERMS AND A FOURTH-GENERATION FLORIDIAN WHO LIKES HIS WELL-KNOWN NEIGHBORS TO A POINT.
>> IS IT HIM -- IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE OTHER TOWNS THAT ENCIRCLE THEM?
>> VERY MUCH, WE DON’T WANT BE BOCA OR FORT LAUDERDALE OR SOUTH BEACH.
AS ARE GREAT CITIES AND HAVE THEIR POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES BUT THAT IS NOT US.
LONG BEFORE IT BECAME A CITY, DEL RAY WAS INHABITED BY NATIVE PEOPLES AND EARLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN FARMING FAMILIES WHO COME FROM THE BAHAMAS AND OTHER STATES.
THE FIRST WHITE SETTLERS CAME FROM MICHIGAN.
>> A LOT OF THE EARLY SETTLERS CAME AROUND 1895.
IT PROVIDED LAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SETTLEMENTS AND FARMING THAT IS WHEN YOU START TO GET A LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE.
>> HISTORICAL SUPPLIED HE COMPRISES A CHARMING CAMPUS OF MANY MUSEUMS, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND BRIMMING WITH WELL CURATED AND EXHIBITS.
VISITORS TO THE CASE AND COTTAGE CAN LITERALLY WALK THROUGH THE YEARS 1915 THROUGH 1935.
>> SO IS THIS MOSQUITO NETTING A NECESSITY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SOME MIGHT MISTAKENLY BELIEVE THE FLORIDA BIRD IS THE MOCKINGBIRD, IT IS THE MOSQUITO.
THEY WERE HORRIFIC.
THEY DROVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AWAY FROM FLORIDA.
>> AND TIME MAPS WERE MASTERED AND PRINTED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DROVE BACK TO FLORIDA.
>> PROBABLY THE 190’S THROUGH THE 40’S WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE GOLDEN AGE.
THAT’S WHEN IT TOOK OFF.
AFTER AIR-CONDITIONING CAME IN, THAT IS ALL SHE WROTE.
>> TODAY, DEL RAY HAS SHAKEN OFF ITS OLD IMAGE WHERE ONCE AN ACTUAL PINEAPPLE GROVE PRODUCED A CASH CROP, THE GROVE ATTRACTS LOCALS AND TOURISTS ALIKE TO SPEND MONEY ON THE ARTS,
ENTERTAINMENT AND FOOD.
THE CITY HAS WORKED HARD TO BALANCE GROWTH WITH ITS NON-WEST PALM HEATH OCE.
NEW LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS LIMIT BUILDING TO JUST FOUR STORIES.
>> YOU CAN RUIN THE CHARM AND CHARACTER OF A PLACE.
IT IS IT STRUGGLED TO KEEP THAT PEDESTRIAN SCALE THAT WE HAVE GOT.
>> IT DOES SEEM TO ENCOURAGE WALKING AND CYCLING.
>> WE WANT TO KEEP THE VILLAGE BY THE SEA ATMOSPHERE.
CANNOT THEY HELP FORM THE HUMAN POWER DEL RAY, A NONPROFIT MAKING IT EASIER AND SAFER TO WALK AND BIKE IN DELRAY BEACH.
WE MET UP WITH JIM, THE FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER AND A FELLOW FOUNDER OF DEL RAY.
>> THE SMALL VILLAGE ATMOSPHERE REALLY APPLIES TO BIKING AND WALKING.
IT IS PERFECT.
>> THE CITY HAS NARROWED ROADWAYS AND IS CRATING A NEW NETWORK.
LONG-RANGE PLANS CALL FOR THEIR OWN GREENWAY.
>> WE HAVE A VISION FOR THE CITY AND A MASTER PLAN OF WHAT IT CAN BE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
>> IT IS BOUND TO EVENTUALLY BRING YOU BY THE BEACH ITSELF WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED NEXT.
>> JIM RAN FOR MAYOR IN 2018 BUT DIDN’T WIN.
>> HE IS INVOLVED WITH THE INITIATIVE, AND THE MASTER PLAN FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY OF DEL RAY, AND THEY ARE NOW LOOKING FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
GRANTS TO PAY FOR THAT.
THEY WILL IMPLEMENT IT DOWN THE ROAD