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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA MEMORANDUM TO: Jason E. Brown County Administrator FROM: Phil Matson, AICP Community Development Director DATE: March 8, 2021 SUBJECT: A Resolution of The Board of County Commissioners of Indian River County Supporting the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Historic Museum and Cultural Center It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners formally consider the following information at the Board's regular meeting of March 16, 2021. BACKGROUND With a legacy spanning over 100 years, the Gifford Community is the center of Africa n -America n culture and history in Indian River County. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, located in the Gifford Community, is home to the Old Macedonia Church and Historical Museum and is flanked by a number of key area institutions including Gifford Middle School and the Gifford Health Center. This balance of the "old" and the "new" makes MILK Park arguably the spiritual and communal heart of Gifford. Recently, the Gifford Community Cultural and Resource Center, a non-profit organization composed of esteemed local leaders, approached the county with a vision to both honor the park's namesake and to develop a center for culture, history, and understanding that will foster creativity while fitting into the environment of MLK park. In response, staff developed the attached Resolution of Support for the project (Attachment 1). ANALYSIS The Center anticipates that the proposed facility will be constructed and maintained by private donations. Consequently, the attached resolution is a pledge of commitment by the Board of County Commissioners to coordinate with the Community on the planning and development of the project and to identify appropriate locations within MLK park to lease to the Center for project construction. Based on preliminary discussions with staff, the project may include a library, art and music studios, community meeting rooms, and other amenities.: The Center is hoping to enlist the aid of professional design planners from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and similar organizations to help turn the vision of the Community into a reality. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners considerthe proposed Resolution ofSupportfor the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Historic Museum, and Cultural Center and approve the resolution. ATTACHMENT 1. Resolution of Support for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Historic Museum, and Cultural Center 138