LauderBlog
Oct 31: Coming back fast
Posted On: October 31, 2005 11:21 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
Even after taking Wilma's sucker punch, we started to bounce back immediately.
Hotel owners, merchants, restaurateurs and residents began sweeping, hauling and piling up the storm clutter just hours after the winds died. Crystal clear sunshine, minus the humidity, rolled in right away too, temperatures in the 70s.
One day following Wilma, bicyclists and runners resumed their exercise routines around the beachfront and city streets. And Fort Lauderdale got water flowing everywhere within 24 hours, despite some broken mains.
Some downtown Fort Lauderdale restaurants were open by the day after. Many more, including upscale hot spots, unshuttered their windows and fired up their stoves within 48 hours, as power returned there.
On Thursday, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport got travelers going and coming once more. Incredibly, the freak hurricane barely delayed the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, knocking this huge event back just a week.
Damage, yes. Definitely! Devastation, no. Hardly!
The now-famous 14-story Broward education building, its west-facing windows blown out, was decades old and never built to current codes. Most of our skyscrapers, hotels, motels, restaurants and shops stood up to Wilma's fierce winds, their buildings relatively unscathed.
During the first weekend, nightclubs and bars prepped for Halloween revelers. Stretch limos parked near posh high-rise condos. Electricity returned to thousands more businesses and homes around greater Fort Lauderdale.
Here comes the sun!
And the cleanup continued, everybody eager to get back to normal life.
That's already happening, the familiar things replacing the post-storm strangeness. Today, of course, only one week after, we're not completely there yet. Cutting up downed trees, fixing power lines, replacing windows takes some time.
But we're getting there, and very quickly.
Obviously, there's little that's good about a hurricane hitting anywhere, whether in Louisiana or North Carolina or Florida. But sometimes what comes after the storm...that's what inspires optimism.
And so as greater Fort Lauderdale recovers its sunny lifestyle, all of us who love this place can take heart: If history shows us anything, we shouldn't have to worry about doing this again for another 50 years.
Hotel owners, merchants, restaurateurs and residents began sweeping, hauling and piling up the storm clutter just hours after the winds died. Crystal clear sunshine, minus the humidity, rolled in right away too, temperatures in the 70s.
One day following Wilma, bicyclists and runners resumed their exercise routines around the beachfront and city streets. And Fort Lauderdale got water flowing everywhere within 24 hours, despite some broken mains.
Some downtown Fort Lauderdale restaurants were open by the day after. Many more, including upscale hot spots, unshuttered their windows and fired up their stoves within 48 hours, as power returned there.
On Thursday, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport got travelers going and coming once more. Incredibly, the freak hurricane barely delayed the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, knocking this huge event back just a week.
Damage, yes. Definitely! Devastation, no. Hardly!
The now-famous 14-story Broward education building, its west-facing windows blown out, was decades old and never built to current codes. Most of our skyscrapers, hotels, motels, restaurants and shops stood up to Wilma's fierce winds, their buildings relatively unscathed.
During the first weekend, nightclubs and bars prepped for Halloween revelers. Stretch limos parked near posh high-rise condos. Electricity returned to thousands more businesses and homes around greater Fort Lauderdale.
Here comes the sun!
And the cleanup continued, everybody eager to get back to normal life.
That's already happening, the familiar things replacing the post-storm strangeness. Today, of course, only one week after, we're not completely there yet. Cutting up downed trees, fixing power lines, replacing windows takes some time.
But we're getting there, and very quickly.
Obviously, there's little that's good about a hurricane hitting anywhere, whether in Louisiana or North Carolina or Florida. But sometimes what comes after the storm...that's what inspires optimism.
And so as greater Fort Lauderdale recovers its sunny lifestyle, all of us who love this place can take heart: If history shows us anything, we shouldn't have to worry about doing this again for another 50 years.
RSSOct 30: Message from Nicki
Posted On: October 30, 2005 10:46 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
To Our Dear Friends:
Thank you so much for your heartfelt concern as we continue to see progresscleaning up from the winds of Wilma.
The Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport has resumed normal operation. Port Everglades is welcoming cruise ships. And more than 70 hotels have re-openedfor your business and pleasure. For current hotel information, visit www.sunny.org/hotelrooms.
Local, state, and federal agencies are working to fix the disruption of serviceto our residents and visitors. Power has been restored to more than 50% of theCounty.
Three Broward County parks are now open, for the first time since the storm. Experience natural wonders at Hollywood North Beach Park on A1A; Snake Warrior's Island in Miramar and Tradewinds Park South on Sample Road in Coconut Creek, the location of Butterfly World.
If you already have plans to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale in the next few weeks, please contact your hotel directly for information. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is scheduled for Thursday, November 3 through Sunday,November 6. For details, visit www.FortLauderdaleInternationalBoatShow.com
Again, we appreciate your support and look forward to hosting you in the near future along our 23 miles of Blue Wave beaches.
With warmest wishes,
Nicki E. GrossmanPresident
Thank you so much for your heartfelt concern as we continue to see progresscleaning up from the winds of Wilma.
The Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport has resumed normal operation. Port Everglades is welcoming cruise ships. And more than 70 hotels have re-openedfor your business and pleasure. For current hotel information, visit www.sunny.org/hotelrooms.
Local, state, and federal agencies are working to fix the disruption of serviceto our residents and visitors. Power has been restored to more than 50% of theCounty.
Three Broward County parks are now open, for the first time since the storm. Experience natural wonders at Hollywood North Beach Park on A1A; Snake Warrior's Island in Miramar and Tradewinds Park South on Sample Road in Coconut Creek, the location of Butterfly World.
If you already have plans to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale in the next few weeks, please contact your hotel directly for information. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is scheduled for Thursday, November 3 through Sunday,November 6. For details, visit www.FortLauderdaleInternationalBoatShow.com
Again, we appreciate your support and look forward to hosting you in the near future along our 23 miles of Blue Wave beaches.
With warmest wishes,
Nicki E. GrossmanPresident
