Changes to ACW team

Just to let everyone know, Shea Jones, who has been handling the ACW site, and keeping us all up to date on the EPA's plans and actions, will be handing over her duties. Please see a copy of her email below.


Hello Everyone,

My section is going through the process of balancing workloads. It was
decided that I should transition the ACW Site to Peter "Pete" Thorpe.
Pete has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and a Master's
degree in Geology. He has 9 years experience working as an
environmental consultant and is a former START contractor with Dynamac
Corporation. He has experience working on groundwater plumes and
hazardous waste sites and will be a great addition to the ACW Team. It
has been a pleasure working with each of you. I'll continue working on
this project for the next few months as Pete comes up to speed. A
conference call and face-to-face meeting will be scheduled soon to
introduce Pete to all of you.

-Shea

The "Official Name"

It's official, the City council unanimously voted the new name on the sign of the community center "Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Community Center".

The reason the name was changed is the fact that funds, FEMA and insurance, were combined from the Sanders Beach Community Center, the Corrine Jones Center, and the Bayfront Auditorium. I was invited to attend a meeting January 7th 2009 on the 4th floor of City Hall with other Pensacolians.The others attending the meeting were Dixie Chancellor, Rita Jones, Horris Jones, Leroy Boyd, David Mayo , and City Parks and recreation Director David Flaherty . The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the new name for the community center. The first proposed name was "Corrine Jones-Frank Sanders Community Center". After some discussion it was determined that Sanders Beach should take first billing in the new name thus the new name was born.

I believe everyone in the neighborhood, and anyone, like myself, who visited the center as a kid will still refer to the center as "The Den".

If anyone has any questions for me please do not hesitate to contact me directly. 850-554-1553

Highest Regards,

Blake Jochum

Sanders Beach Community Association-Chair

EPA updates and naming the community center.

Shea Jones from the EPA will be doing a presentation for our neighborhood association Tuesday night 3-10-9 at 6:30pm to give us an update.

Shea will also be doing a presentation for the City Council on 3-9-9 Monday approx 3pm 2nd floor of City Hall. The purpose of the presentation is to update the City about the ACW site.

The name change of the Community Center will be a subject at the City Council Committee meeting Monday and the City Council Thursday night meeting.

Our neighborhood association board voted that we would not like the name changed but if it is changed we will support the name "Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Community Center". We also would like to see the nickname "The Den" somewhere on the sign or inside the center. We would also like the City's support with events held at the new center in he form of adequate police, parking enforced, no drinking in the park, and trash pick up after events.

News for the New Year

CRIME UPDATE
There was a burglary in the neighborhood performed by two of our own neighbors. I wont mention names, click HERE and you can check the address and figure it out.

EPA update-

Shea Jones from the EPA is tentatively scheduled 3/10/09 to give an EPA update to our neighborhood. She may also be doing a presentation for the City Council.

I have personally requested City Council and staff to consider adding a new zoning option available to our city named "Parks". "Parks" zoning could have various limitations conducive to a park, not, say-- a Home Depot. If the ACW site in our neighborhood was rezoned "Parks" then we would stand a much better chance of the site becoming what is listed on our city's web site as "Recommended Reuse Alternative". Click HERE and look at Section 7 to see the city's design for the site. This was chosen out of the 10 Alternatives of the Cities Conceptual Reuse Plan. If that is the plan, then we should get ready to move in that direction.

At the last EPA update meeting Shea Jones informed us that a Ethanol company had asked the EPA if they could buy the property. I don't know about you but that scared me! The ACW site is currently zoned M-2 Industrial, perfect for an Ethanol plant.

The land at The ACW site is scheduled to be turned over after remediation around 2013 but there are no funds for a park on the ACW site currently. So I have also requested that the City consider altering the Parks budget that has been set through 2017 to include the ACW site.

The City also assures me that they will pursue acquiring the land now, so that after the remediation process is complete they will be ready. I have been told that City staff will help us with this process as well as help us with the EPA.

The sign at the new community center-

David Flaherty with the parks department wanted me to get feedback on the proposed name on the sign for the new community center. It would read "Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Community Center". It may also contain below that "The Den" as the location has been nicknamed for many, many years. He explained that the FEMA and insurance funds from the destroyed and never-to-be-rebuilt Corrine Jones center will be used at our center thus the addition of her namesake.

Please send me an e-mail - blakeandlaura@home.gccoxmail.com - and give me your feedback to pass along to Mr. Flaherty.

Thank you for your time and attention,

Highest Regards,

Blake Jochum

Sanders Beach Community Association-Chair

Christmas Party

Yep, it's that time of year again and we will all be busy for the next few weeks getting ready for the Holidays.
Don't forget to add the Sanders Beach Christmas party to your busy schedules!
We will be holding the party at the Joe Patti Restaurant on South B st. Sunday Dec 7th Starting at 4:oo pm. Lots of good food and fun with the Dirty Santa game and raffle.
If you are planning to bring a dish, please let Laura (469.9042) or Deloris (438-1861) know. (so we don't end up with fifteen apple pies)
Also, the Suchys are sponsoring a family with two girls ages 7 and 8. If anyone would like to contribute, bring a toy, or non-perishable Christmas dinner-type food item to the party.
We also need to get a rough head-count, please let us know if you plan to attend!

Nov Meeting... Christmas is nigh!

Well, it's almost that time again.... Christmas is fast approaching and plans need to be discussed and made. Our next meeting will be held the SECOND Tuesday of November, which is the 11th. Please remember to bring a stuffed toy or canned goods to donate to Grotto Hall. They have been very kind to let us use their building, so let's return that kindness!
Also, in preparation for next summer's grand opening of the community center, please hold on to any used books you might have. It would be great to have a nicely stocked library right off the bat!
Hope everyone is enjoying this great weather! See you soon.

Community meeting summary

Hi All, for those of you who couldn't attend last weeks meeting, here's a quick rundown. David Flaherty for the City's Parks and Recreation dep. spoke about the new community center. The center will have a ballroom, two meeting rooms, exercise room, weight room, library/computer room and a crafts room. We have a copy of the plans if anyone would like to see them, just email Blake and we can send you a copy.
David also talked about the Sanders Beach Park. He is planning to put in a wheelchair accessible play ground and bathrooms/ concession stand. The concessions area would sell simple things like ice and chips. He added that as they got closer to building the playground he would come back to get community input on the area.
Also, he announced that all boat launches in the city will begin charging a $5.00 fee.

The new community center should be open in about a year. (July-Sept of '09) It was suggested that some time between now and then, the community should do a book donation drive so the library can be well stocked! So everyone save your extra books!

Also, be thinking about what activities you would like to see at the center! Dance classes? Art classes? Computer skills? Gardening workshops? Be thinking about what we can do to enliven the community and bring neighbors together. Do we want to do a fall festival? An Easter egg hunt? Do any of you have a skill and would like to donate your time to help or put on a workshop?
Think about it, the next meeting we have with Mr. Flaherty will address these issues.