Tuesday, September 4, 2007

From Swamp to second business center in the county

It may seem hard to believe but what started as an idea for a country club and golf course over 40 years ago turned into one of the fastests growing cities in Dade County. Doris and Alfred Kaskel bought the land when it was basically nothing -- 2,400 acres of swamp. I guess the swamp part is not too hard to believe because all Florida was probably a swamp at some point. The Kaskels built the Doral Country Club and Hotel in 1962, which still exists and has been the host of the PGA Tour since. Not bad. The name Doral is a combination of both the couple's names (Doris and Alfred). I never would have guessed. I thought it was some legend about the Fountain of Youth or something like it. But anyway, I'm sure Doris and Alfred did not expect that their land would be a booming city filled with businesses and a great variety of people groups. In 2003 Doral became a city and since it has become full of life with a mix of residential and business areas. Recently Doral opened its first high school - Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High School. The school opened August 14th for 9th and 10th graders, approximately 750 of them. I'm not sure well all those kids came from but then again South Florida is over-populated. The school is offering studies in the areas of communication, technology anc Cambridge. Uniforms are enforced...something parents will probably appreciate.

--Jen

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