History of Surfside Florida

History of Surfside Florida

The history of Surfside starts on May 18, 1935 when it was founded. Surfside was established by members of the Surf Club, a private club in Town where it was incorporated through the signatures of only 35 people.

Surfside began to take form after World War II and by 1957; it had grown too large for its original Town Hall. Surfside’s Town Hall, completely renovated in 2001, is the center of municipal operations. These facilities serve as a core of public services, and include the Town Commission chambers, the offices of the Town Manager, Town Clerk, the Solid Waste Department, Water and Sewer Department, Public Works Department and the Police Department. Surfside's new Town Hall and Police Station has already become a widely acclaimed and respected public facility, and it will be part of its history and community for many years to come.

The Community Center was built in 1962, on 93 Street right in front of the ocean. This multi-purpose facility houses the Surf-Bal-Bay Library, the Tourist Bureau and the Recreation Department and includes an Olympic size swimming pool, a toddlers' pool, public beach access, a snack bar, meeting rooms and an auditorium for special events and receptions. The Town recently purchased a lot next to the Community Center to insure that there will be additional open space oceanfront property for the future of the community. The Community Center is open 7 days a week, is used for many activities and functions day and night.

Surfside has several other community recreational facilities including:

• · The Tennis Center
• · Surfside Park
• · Hawthorne Park Tot Lot

Which have been extensively renovated in the last few years.

While all of these community assets stand out on their own, the thing that makes Surfside most impressive is its strong and consistent commitment to the quality of life of its residents.

The present Mayor and Town Commission have enacted zoning policies and ordinances that have protected the character of the community. In addition to effective growth management and zoning policies the town's officials have also implemented traffic control measures that provide high levels of peace and protection to all residents and visitors in the town.

The efficiency and effectiveness of Surfside's town services is at an all time high. Emergency police response time is approximately one minute. Entertainment and recreation programs are offered throughout the year. The town operates on a balanced budget, and the property tax rate has not been increased one bit for over a decade. This setting has produced pride in the community's record of positive results and achievement in the public interest.