Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida November 16 2010
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$22.5 million to 'get it done' | |
From a new island fire station, to the seawall south of the Bridge of Lions, to Riberia Street, city commissioners are poised to go for $22.5 million in bonds to move forward on long awaited projects.
They'll act on the measure at their December 13 meeting.
City bond underwriter Mitch Owens told commissioners last week, "You could issue $60 million and still be within bonding parameters," while Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield said the list was pared down to move forward "without raising taxes or fees." Repayment will come from existing revenue streams.
Projects in the Utility Fund total $4.8 million, in General, Utility and Stormwater Funds $9.4 million, in the Stormwater Fund $2.6 million, in the General Fund $3.1 million, and in the Marina Fund $2.5 million.
The complete breakout is on the city website.
While $2.7 million in Entry Corridor improvements made the list, other potential projects for the upcoming commemoration period did not, including Alcazar Hotel rehabilitation, North Water Works Building restoration, exhibit halls, and a Bayfront band shell.
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City's 17th Annual Light-Up! Night
Unsung elves have been busy in the Plaza de la Constitución and around other city buildings for weeks - more than 100 locations, setting the stage for ten weeks of holiday brilliance, St. Augustine's Nights of Lights.
Saturday's 17th Annual
Light-Up! Night festivities begin at 4 p.m. with Showtime USA under the King's Balcony at the west end of the Plaza, and at 5:30, the 20-piece All Star Orchestra in the Gazebo.
At 6:30, Mayor Joe Boles officially opens the ceremonies from the King's Balcony with the countdown to flipping the switches at the Gazebo, first for the city's tree and then to light the city.
Nights of Lights is funded by the City of St. Augustine and the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council. |
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Florida Trust Insider's Tour |
The non-profit Florida Trust for Historic Preservation joins in this year's Nights of Lights and British Night Watch - Grande illumination with a 2010 Holiday Insider's Tour of St. Augustine Friday-Sunday, December 3-5.
Waterfront reception, trolley excursion,and private tours are on the full agenda.
It's sponsored by Flagler College, Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront Hotel, St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, Pirate & Treasure Museum of St. Augustine, Old Town Trolley Tours of St. Augustine, and TCH Consulting Group, Inc.
Cost: Member $175, Non-Member $200 before November 26, $200 and $225 later.
Details here.
And Tolomato Cemetery Tours
Begin your Nights of Lights Saturday in Tolomato Cemetery, where you can enjoy free guided and self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Tolomato Cemetery Preservation Association (TCPA) promises trained docents for tours or to answer questions.
The recently formed TCPA will be showing off modest improvements made in recent weeks, including benches and repainted informational signs. |
| Consider those in need |
National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week November 14-20 reminds us, as we open a festive holiday season, of those in need in our community.
A proclamation has been issued by the City Commission, recognizing "as its highest priority the desire to help our community establish housing and services designed to assist homeless individuals and families in achieving permanent housing and self-sufficiency." The proclamation will be part of Thursday's annual Homeless Coalition community covered dish dinner, beginning at 5:30 at First United Methodist Church, and welcoming homeless and formerly homeless citizens as special guests. |
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| Honoring Miss Sally | 
Sally Walton was honored Sunday afternoon in the G&G Building hall filled with students and friends garnered in more than 55 years of dance instruction and performances.
Sally, who taught dance to hundreds in studios in St. Augustine and Palatka and provided many performances gratis, was praised for her contributions to the community, her accomplishments spread on tables and easels filled with photos and mementoes.
While retiring from active dance instruction, Miss Sally - as she's affectionately called, insisted she'll continue to be active in her community.
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The UF Strategic Plan
Delivering the St. Augustine story | |
One in a series of summaries from the University of Florida's St. Augustine Historic Area Strategic Plan for management of 34 state-owned properties here. The plan was developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local officials.
The University of Florida strategic plan envisions "educational programs that are interactive, immersive and engaging.
"A strong consensus was expressed (in surveys and vision sessions) around the idea that the educational program for historic St. Augustine must be hands-on and immersive, not static pictures or even standard technology such as audio tapes and movies," according to the plan.
"Rather, the experience should be state-of-the art, adaptable to different visitor interests and to new research foci. 
"Living history and reenactments were often cited as important components of the educational program. An immersive experience may be created by restoring a contiguous area, such as a street, block or cluster of buildings, into an authentic recreation of living history.
"Engaging the public in archaeological explorations was also seen as an important way that people can be immersed in St. Augustine's history. The Colonial Spanish Quarter already provides the foundation of a living history experience based on findings of archaeological excavations. This area could be enhanced, and possibly expanded, with new interpretive components."
The plan acknowledged, "Integrity is extremely important to the educational program, however, the educational message must also be fun and engaging for families to reach beyond the audience of 'history buffs.'
"One suggestion to engage people in historic St. Augustine is to identify a daily signature event, such as a changing-of-the-guards or ceremonial cannon firing, that becomes a 'must see' in the eyes of locals and tourists alike.
"Furthermore, if this signature event took place in the late afternoon or early evening, it could bring visitors to the historic area in time to have dinner at local restaurants. Similarly, annual events can celebrate specific milestones or aspects of St. Augustine history that become a draw for visitors worldwide.
"Other suggestions for delivering the 'Story of St. Augustine' included printed tour guides, consistent interpretive signage, and the Internet." |
History's Highlight
With Ponce's discovery, expeditions begin
One in a series of historic features for our 450th, researched by George Gardner
4 years, 9 months, 24 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
With Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida in 1513, the flurry of exploratory voyages began.
Among the earliest, in1526, Don Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón, a wealthy colonial judge and slave trader, contracted with King Carlos V of Spain to explore, settle, and govern the area around present-day Winyah Bay, SC. In mid-July, Ayllón and some 600 persons - mariners, soldiers, clergy, and doctors - departed Puerto Plata, Hispaniola (today's Dominican Republic) in six ships. Also on board were women, children, and African slaves.
They landed in the Santee-Winyah Bay area in early August, although their flagship was lost on a shoal. Based on information from native sources, the Spaniards believed they were on the border of Du-a-e, a land of gems, pearls, and tame herds of deer. Stories of this wealth gave rise to the legend of "Chicora," which influenced the location of later French and English colonies.
A survey of the area revealed few food resources and no natives, both essential to the colony Ayllón planned to establish. Exploring parties were dispatched, while work began to build a ship to replace the lost flagship. This vessel, la Gavarra, built on the banks of the Río de Jordán (now the South Santee River), was the first ship known to be built in the continental U.S.
Based on his scout's reports, Ayllón moved his colony south. Evidence suggests that Ayllón's new site was near today's Sapelo Sound, GA. There, on September 29, 1526, the municipality of San Miguel de Gualdape was founded in the territory of the native Guale.
The late summer arrival of the colonists prevented planting crops. Short on food and unable to obtain it from the Guale, the Spaniards began to sicken and die. The colony degenerated into chaos. Seeing their opportunity, in October the slaves set fire to some of the colony's buildings under cover of night and staged a mass escape - the first recorded slave revolt in what is now the continental United States.
Ayllón was among the fatalities, and his San Miguel de Gualdape survived his death by only a few weeks. Of the original 600 who set out from Puerto Plata, some 150 survived to return to the Antilles. The Africans were resettled along the north Florida/south Georgia coast when Pedro Menendez de Aviles established the first successful European colony, San Agustin, in 1565.
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The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com |
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