California date palms to grace Redington Shores
The $6,000 trees will be planted along medians within the town limits
By WAYNE AYERS
| Article published on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 |
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REDINGTON SHORES – With county funding for the beautification of Gulf Boulevard not available until 2011, the town is moving forward with its own plan to make the thoroughfare more attractive.
Within the next several weeks, California date palms worth $6,000 each will be planted along the medians within the town limits, Commissioner John Branch reported at the Aug. 13 Board of Commissioners meeting.
The trees, which have an estimated total value of $150,000, are being paid for through a Florida Department of Transportation grant obtained two years ago.
Compliance with engineering regulations have delayed planting of the palms until now, Branch said.
The project is 100 percent state financed, Branch said, adding the town was fortunate to obtain the money while it was available. “Had we decided to do the project this year, we would not have gotten the grant,” he said.
The existing queen palms on Gulf Boulevard are being moved to Del Bello and Constitution parks. Adding palms along Del Bello Park’s boulevard frontage satisfied part of the requirement for Redington Shores to obtain its $1.7 million share of county funding for undergrounding utilities and beautification of Gulf Boulevard. Mayor Jody Armstrong said that money is not due to be released for three years.
Sea oats planted along the beach
A number of volunteers turned out to help plant 15,000 sea oats plants in the Lee Avenue vicinity, Commissioner Casey Wojcik reported.
Wojcik called the planting effort a huge success.
Burglars hit unlocked vehicles
Following a trend in other local communities, the town was hit by a rash of car burglaries during the past month, Vice Mayor Bert Adams said.
Ninety-five percent of the vehicles were unlocked, according to police.
Adams said the message to residents is clear: lock up your vehicles or risk having them broken into.
Park fees raised for nonresidents
People who do not live in the town will pay more to reserve the pavilion at Constitution Park.
The commission voted unanimously to raise the nonresident fees from $70 to $100 for a gathering of up to 50 people, and from $100 to $150 for larger crowds.
Armstrong said the park is heavily used and the fees bring in “a good chunk of change.”
“We need to raise revenue where we can,” she said.
Beach trolley to add hybrids
Diesel-electric hybrids are being added to the beach trolley fleet, PSTA community relations manager Bob Lasher told the commission.
The new vehicles are more energy-efficient and much quieter than the existing trolleys, Lasher said.
The noise factor caused Wojcik, an advocate of the Americans With Disabilities Act, to question how blind people will know when the trolley arrives. Lasher said the driver would honk the horn.
Seven new trolleys will be added during the first few months of 2009. There are 16 trolleys currently in use.
Lasher also said the beach trolley would not see any of the service cuts planned for other PSTA routes. Cuts are being made throughout the county bus system due to Amendment 1 and budget reductions.
July 4 fireworks looking brighter
A Fourth of July fireworks display may once again be a reality next year, Armstrong said.
A fireworks committee was appointed at the meeting, and the mayor said North Redington Beach had agreed to share the expense if a barge can be obtained for the event.
Armstrong said North Redington Beach Mayor Bill Queen had agreed that their city would contribute $8,000 of the display’s estimated $18,000 cost, contingent on the barge being obtained.
Finding a suitable barge may be a challenge. Adams said a barge used by Treasure Island this year for that city’s fireworks was part of the John’s Pass Bridge project and would not be available to Redington Shores.
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Article published on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008
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