By Bari Auerbach

Ever since Sunny Isles Beach declared independence from Miami-Dade County in 1997, the city has flourished thanks to the dedication of elected officials, the expertise of city staff members, the vigilance of police officers and the contributions of concerned citizens. The following “old days” vs. “glory days” retrospective highlights just some of the reasons why there will be even more cause to celebrate “what’s really working” when fireworks light up the sky on July 4th… 

Old Days…“There were mostly seniors living here and families with kids could only choose from schools outside city limits.”
Glory Days…“One of the greatest new additions to the city is the K-8 Sunny Isles Beach Community School, where kids are getting a great education…Even more good news is that according to the state Department of Education’s recently released school grades, the Sunny Isles Beach Community School has received an “A Grade” for 2009 with 86% of students meeting high standards in English; 87% meeting high standards in math; and 97% meeting high standards in writing… The school is also helping to attract more permanent residents since a ‘good school’ is one of the primary factors families consider when moving to a new community.”    

Old Days…“It used to take Metro Dade Police a long time to respond to calls…there were so many people speeding down Collins…and crime was on the rise.”
Glory Days…“Establishing the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department was one of the best benefits resulting from the decision to incorporate…Now, there’s fast response times to police calls…people know they’re going to get tickets if they speed…and crime statistics are so low, everyone feels really safe walking around at night and enjoying community activities.”

Old Days…“Except for the beach, there really wasn’t any place to take the kids to play, have some outdoor fun with pet dogs, or sign up for all kinds of entertaining and enriching activities for residents of all ages.”    
Glory Days…“Now Sunny Isles Beach has many parks, including one with a designated area for dogs – and even more parks are coming soon …The new Pelican Park Community Center offers a fitness center, indoor gym, a little league field and great classes like karate, ballroom dance and fine art for youths…The Cultural and Human Services Department is always planning exciting trips, great concerts, movie nights, teen parties, holiday events and much more!” 

Old Days…“All the old motels were really rundown, the streets flooded when it rained, there wasn’t any pretty landscaping and ‘technology’ was far from advanced.”
Glory Days…“Today, luxurious developments have replaced the rundown motels…Shops on the west side of Collins now look much nicer because they have to have uniform signage…It’s also exciting to see Sunny Isles Boulevard being revitalized…The improvements just keep on coming as the city invests millions in capital improvements, undergrounding utilities, stormwater, streetscsape and beautification projects…And now, everything is so high-tech – from free WiFi at the parks – to the informative city website sibfl.net that’s always being updated and improved.”

Old Days…“Properties were falling into disrepair, the streets weren’t so clean and there weren’t any guidelines established to ensure developers would help improve the community.”
 Glory Days…“Now, Sunny Isles Beach code enforcement officers issue warnings and fines if properties don’t comply with regulations created to help maintain an upscale image for the city…the Public Works Department makes sure the city is ‘clean and pristine’…and the city’s Land Development Regulations help maintain optimal, controlled development while establishing guidelines for developers to provide amenities like beach access points, art in public places and green open space.” 

Old Days…“Before Sunny Isles Beach incorporated, there weren’t any elected officials serving on the City Commission to look out for the best interests of residents.”
Glory Days…“Elections are now held to elect a mayor and commission members so residents of Sunny Isles Beach are fairly represented… And now, to address population growth, charter amendments were passed by voters in an election held on Nov. 4, 2008 to convert the former At Large Commission seat to a Residential Area Seat and redraw the city’s three voting districts into four districts (195th Street to 178th Street; 178th Street to 172nd Street; 172nd to 167th Street; and 167th Street to Bayview Drive).”

Old Days…“People didn’t have opportunities to get involved with city government and help make the community a better place to live.”
Glory Days…Today, citizens are encouraged to attend City Commission meetings at Government Center and speak during public hearings to make suggestions and voice opinions… Residents can also volunteer to serve on civic committees and utilize the links ‘Ask City Hall’ and ‘eSIBi’ on the city’s website sibfl.net to make requests, submit questions, find answers and receive information from the city via email.”

Old Days…“Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to get to the supermarket, drugstore or even the mall without having to drive?”
Glory Days….“Now that Sunny Isles Beach has its own shuttle bus system, it’s so convenient to get around town if you don’t drive or want to save money on gas…and soon there may be a free shuttle to South Beach.”

Old Days…“Visitors from out of town didn’t know how to find out about the best places to eat, shop or enjoy the nightlife around Sunny Isles Beach.”
Glory Days…“Now that a new Visitor Center has opened at Sunny Isles Beach Government Center, it’s easy for tourists and new residents to find out answers to questions about things to do and places to go in the area…Guests can also learn about the city’s history and get souvenirs like T-shirts, beach towels and umbrellas (even though it’s almost always perpetually Sunny!)”

Old Days…“Following the heyday of ‘motel row,’ for many years, Sunny Isles Beach wasn’t considered a premier destination for tourists.”
Glory Days…“Twelve years of progress since incorporating earned Sunny Isles Beach the distinction of being named the ‘No. 1 emerging travel destination for 2008 in the United States’ by Trip Advisor - the largest online travel community…And today, with assistance from the Sunny Isles Beach Resort Association, the city is gaining international notoriety for special events like power boat races, jazz concerts and proactive initiatives perpetuating the city’s renaissance.”

Old Days…“Independence Day was celebrated with traditional barbecues, pool parties and fireworks.”
Glory Days…“Independence Day in Sunny Isles Beach has taken on a whole new meaning as the ‘old days’ prior to incorporation have segued into ‘glory days’ of progress and revitalization…Now, when fireworks light up the sky, the city illuminated is becoming renowned as: Florida’s Riviera.”