Bayfront Park Playground Reopens    Good news -- the playground at Bayfront Park is scheduled to reopen by 6 p.m. today (Fri., July 25).  It's been temporarily closed since March for public safety reasons after corrosion was discovered on some of the equipment.  Based on how the equipment is designed and where it was corroded, specialty parts had to be manufactured.  This playground is very popular with families and we appreciate everyone's patience during the temporary closure.  Enjoy! 

The playground at Bayfront Park is scheduled to reopen today (July 25).

  

Cured in Place Pipe - Avondale Project Update   The sanitary sewer system improvement project in the Avondale neighborhood that we told you about in last week's edition is progressing well.  This week, crews lined the 52-year-old sewer pipe with a polyester resin liner.  From a utilities standpoint, this is a critical improvement project which will extend the use of the pipe by another 50 years.  Visually speaking, it's a fascinating process.

The new polyester resin impregnated liner is installed in 300 foot

Preparing to install the polyester resin liner in a sewer pipe on Lincoln Dr.

segments from one manhole to the next.  When the lining process begins, the material actually is frozen and pulled from a refrigerated truck.  The liner is hoisted up, then guided into the manhole and filled with water, which causes the liner to expand throughout the length of the pipe segment.  Each segment end is sealed with a hydrophilic gasket.  Then, the process gets really interesting.

The sewer pipe is filled with water scalding at 180 degrees.  This searing heat causes the polyester resin to stick to the inside of the sewer pipe.  Over 8-10 hours, the material cures and thickens creating a lining within the pipe. That lining is essentially a new pipe, covering cracks and reducing groundwater infiltration, ultimately extending the life of the City's sanitary sewer system.  Check out the video below to see highlights of the process on Lincoln Drive earlier this week:

Video: Cured in Place Pipe Installation

Crews will be working on the final leg of the project near the intersection of Lincoln Drive and U.S. 41 tomorrow, Sat., July 26.  The work will require the outside lane of U.S. 41 near Lincoln Dr. to be temporarily closed for several

A contractor applies calcium aluminate to the interior of a manhole to help prevent decay.

hours starting at 6 a.m.

Another important aspect of this improvement project is manhole rehabilitation.  To prevent the deterioration of the manholes, calcium aluminate, which is resistant to the decaying effects of hydrogen sulfide, was applied to the interior of the manholes along Lincoln Drive.

Thanks again to residents for enduring this temporary disruption.  And, thank you to our utilities crew for doing what they can to lessen the inconvenience in the neighborhood.

Jr. Golf Camp    Our second Junior Golf Camp of the summer wrapped up this week with participants, ranging from 9 to 14 years old, playing a few holes at the Gillespie Executive Course at Bobby Jones Golf Club.  Day campers learn the basics of golf and sharpen their putting, chipping and driving skills with one-on-one interaction with our PGA golf professionals.  The next camp is scheduled for August 11-13.  For more details visit www.BobbyJonesGolfClub.com.

Junior golf campers on the Gillespie Executive Course.

New Van Wezel Marketing Director - Betsy Bender   We'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Marketing Director, Betsy Bender.  She has more than 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including most recently, as

Betsy Bender joins the Van Wezel staff as Marketing Director.

the director of marketing and sales at BIG ARTS on Sanibel.  Betsy will replace Julia Mays who is retiring August 19 after a remarkable 30 year career in the performing arts industry.  Over the next several weeks, the two will collaborate to ensure a smooth transition in the marketing department, which is a critical aspect of the behind the scenes work at the Van Wezel.  During her tenure, Julia implemented targeted marketing for shows and expanded the Hall's social media presence.  Her marketing achievements were an integral part of turning the Van Wezel around financially and creatively.  We look forward to Betsy taking the marketing baton and expanding the reach and excellence of the Van Wezel even further.  Welcome!

Fairwell - BOA Chairman Israelson     After serving an impressive six years on the Board of Adjustment, Paul Israelson left his position  due to term limits.  Last week, his fellow Board Members and City staff recognized his commitment to the BOA, which is an advisory board to the City Commission and has the authority to grant building and zoning variances.  Appointed by the City Commission in 2008, Paul served as Chairperson twice and Vice Chair twice.  After chairing his final meeting last Friday, Paul was thanked by the other four board members and staff for his dedication and was presented with an engraved travel mug, since he plans to spend more time traveling.  In this day and age, it's fairly unusual for someone to be so dedicated to a voluntary position in municipal government.  Thank you, Paul, for your service -- and enjoy life post-BOA! 

L to R:  Board of Adjustment members Mel Harner, Calvin Bryant, Paul Israelson, David Morriss, Leslie Loftus and staff liaison Gretchen Schneider

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