Friendship Fountain/Park Redevelopment Update

On March 11, 2010 I posted communications I received from Ron Barton, the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, indicating to contact him again in May for an update.

I emailed Ron on May 11, 2010 and today received a reply that Eric Lindstrom,
Redevelopment Manager for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, would be
contacting me with additional information, that email was received less then an hour later.

The Friendship Fountain improvements will be let for bid May 26. We will open bids June 30. I would anticipate a construction start date by August 1. I can give you a better idea on the actual start date in mid July. Contact me then and I can be more precise on the exact start date. Thanks.

Eric Lindstrom

So I want to thank the Mayor, Ron Barton and Eric Lindstrom for keeping us informed regarding this long overdue restoration and hopefully come July we will know the full exact scope of work and time frame for restoring this Jacksonville Downtown Centerpiece.

Edit: Eric provided additional information regarding the plans for the restoration which can be viewed by accessing the below link and clicking on "February 2010 (PDF 8.94Mb)"
http://www.coj.net/Departments/Jacksonville+Economic+Development+Commission/Downtown+Development/DDRB+Meeting+Information.htm

A direct link to the PDF file is below:
DDRB Meeting Packet February 2010.pdf

Stay tuned...

Bob

Protest Senate Bill 6 At Friendship Park

Deborah Gianoulis will be leading a protest against Senate Bill 6, also known as the Teacher Merit Pay bill, today, April 14, 2010 at Friendship Park starting at 4:00 PM ET followed by a march across the Main Street Bridge at 5:00 PM ET.
FirstCoast News Story Link

-Bob

Friendship Fountain Refurb Update

I sent an email to the Mayor on February 22, 2010 requesting any information on scheduling for the work that is to be done on the Fountain and Southbank riverwalk.

Today I received a reply from Ron Barton the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission as follows:

Hello Bob. We are still a 2-3 months away from any actual construction.
Just check bak with me via e-mail around May and I should have a
construction schedule updated and that can guide our start and progress.

Which I quickly replied to thanking him for the information and assuring him I would be checking back in May.

Later in the day I realized that the mail contained a Communication to Ron from the Mayor...

Ron, please respond on my behalf and copy me. Thanks.

Glad to see it appears I am off the freeze out list :)

Can't wait to get more information and will do my best to update images on the site once work commences...

-Bob

Finally some love for Friendship Fountian

It was just announced that the Jacksonville City Council approved the Mayor's plans for Friendship Fountain...
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-02-09/story/jacksonville_council_oks_downtown_projects

I cannot wait to see what actually gets done!

-Bob

Will 2010 be the Year? Finally...

Well after 2009 which started off with really horrible news regarding Friendship Fountain as far as I am concerned it seems 2010 is starting off with at least some positive remarks, now the question is will we see any real action?

Ron Littlepage Jan 5, 2010

Jacksonville's to-do list for 2010 includes Jaguars, economy"

Dec 18, 2009

Jacksonville can revitalize its core with minimal investment

Letters to the Editor Times Union Jan 3, 2010

Friendship Park: Make the fountain spectacular

Only time will tell and these "Impending Plans" for Friendship Fountain really are pretty vague...

Renovations Coming to Friendship Fountain

From a personal perspective if the City does nothing more then repairs the Fountain so that all three rings work again that would be a huge step in the right direction. Talk about sad, the shots of the Northbank from the Southbank through what is left running of the Fountain during the lone Televised home game this year...

-Bob

Taylor Hardwick In discussions with City of Jax?

Andy Johnson, a great Friend of Friendship Fountain brought this nugget to my attention yesterday by email.

"From the Financial News and Daily Record:
Architect Taylor Hardwick, who designed the Haydon Burns Library and Friendship Fountain, is working with the mayor’s office on the restoration of the fountain."

The article can be viewed here, it is just a snippet...
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/citynotes.php

It appears they Typo'd the Companies name that uses the Fountain Image on one of it's pages, the Company is Grohe Plumbing (Not Grone)
http://www.groheactive.co.uk/t/25_17829.html

I sent an email to an address listed for Taylor Hardwick asking if any additional information may be available, so if I get anymore I will post it as soon as I get it.

Here's hoping there is still hope for Friendship Fountain...

Bob

City Spin? Bought Air Time? CBS and FOX has the exact same story?

I received an email from Matt Saffer, Fox 30 News, today asking me to call in regards to a story they were planning regarding Friendship Fountain, which I did.

He asked if I had any comment regarding new City plans for the Fountain. I probably went on a bit of a rant regarding what the city has said and done in the past and mentioned the 3 Million RFP the city issued in 2006 and other instances where the city indicated the Fountain needed to be replaced...

RFP: http://www.jaxfountain.com/FountainProject/P1010040.JPG

Susy Wiles: "It can't be done at any kind of a reasonable cost," said Mayor's Office spokeswoman Susie Wiles.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/9771462/detail.html

Move Kids Kampus to the site of Friendship Fountain:
http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2006/03/06/story7.html

Matt also asked if I could possibly be available for an interview which I had to indicate I could not as far as on Camera and then he asked if I could possibly be available for a phone Interview which I indicated I could and provided my number...

No Call.

So I am watching TV tonight and catch the tail end of a Fountain piece on Fox and then while switching back and forth I find another piece on CBS news. I see only a mention that the City has 8 proposals for "revitlizing" the Fountain... Hmmm I seem to remember the City received 7 proposals in 2006? Are these the same?
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/050606/ner_21783751.shtml

The stories as I found and captured them, in the event they are altered...
TV30: http://www.fox30online.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=26aa92ac-622d-44a0-b3ef-9051efc162ca
TV 47: http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=26aa92ac-622d-44a0-b3ef-9051efc162ca

WOW I just realized that after the domain name both URLs are identical... AS are the stories...
http://jaxfountain.com/FoxNewsStory.gif
http://jaxfountain.com/TV47Story.gif

I guess I am the only one in town that didn't realize that FOX and CBS Local news was one... I mean I know that NBC and ABC are basically one but FOX and CBS?

Anyway for what it is worth it certainly appears to me that these two stories are 1: Identical, 2: written by the Mayors Office. and 3: 8 proposals when we had 7 in 2006... Maybe they aren't really new?... maybe just some new Spin?

Folks in these Economical Times lets just FIX the Fountain so when the next Blimp Shot is taken it looks impressive... Come on that is still the preferred shot to showcase Jacksonville for each home game even with only the outer ring running...

That is my take, what is yours?
-Bob