QuoteCity plans big party
450th anniversary celebration plans taking shape
By PETER GUINTA | More by this reporter | peter.guinta@staugustine.com | Posted: Sunday, October 25, 2009 ; Updated: 12:01 AM on Sunday, October 25, 2009
Everyone knows a big party for St. Augustine's 450th birthday is coming because the invited guests include the King of Spain, Queen Elizabeth II of England and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
But Dana Ste. Claire, executive director of St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission smiled last week when asked if the pressure of planning for this major event is getting to him.
"People see this event as the programs (that will be offered)," Ste. Claire said. "But the reality of this event will be measured in parking spaces and bathrooms."
The Sept. 8, 2015, party is expected to draw millions of people from around the world to experience a first-class cultural and historical bash.
But the party really begins in 2013, the anniversary of Ponce de Leon's sighting of Florida.
Until then and afterward, art, music and cultural festivals, historical lectures and exhibits, infrastructure improvements, a new visitor's center at Castillo de San Marcos and construction of a 16th-century Spanish ship will keep the city alert to the coming event.
All will be under the slogan, "First America," a not-so-subtle reminder that St. Augustine was here before Jamestown, which celebrated the 400th anniversary of its founding in 2007.
The king, queen and pope were not just chosen by random. The city was, after all, founded by the Spanish, ruled by the British for 20-some years and is the location where the first Catholic Mass was heard in the New World.
Ste. Claire's been taking inventory and assessing and evaluating all of the city's infrastructure.
"That's not as much fun as planning programs," he said. "We're aiming high to get the types of significant events and exhibits we (want). But we also must look at the city differently and figure out how it can host an event of this magnitude."
Try to visualize 100,000 people downtown for a three- to four-day period, he said.
"It would be like the Fourth of July every day," he said. "That many people will severely impact our infrastructure. So, having the community involved in this is critical."
All by himself, the Pope would draw millions.
St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles said the 450th Commission's plans "are still on track with everything we originally started to do. Once you create momentum, you've got to keep going. We want the world to be proud of St. Augustine."
City engineers and staff have been working on solving 450th birthday problems for a year, he said.
"We're like a small house having a big Christmas party," he said.
One of those helping plan the party is Former St. Augustine Mayor George Gardner, an amateur historian himself. The mission of his group, the 450th Community Corps, is to "contribute to the success of the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission" by being an information and idea conduit, he said.
"If people call us with an idea, we send it on to the Commission. We're focused on the community elements of (planning)," he said. "We're starting a data base and speaker's bureau to tell the story of what the 450th Commemoration Commission is putting together."
Jamestown's 400th planning employed 150 different committees, he said.
"We can envision an awesome festival bound together by a common spirit," Gardner said. "It's a multi-faceted ball we're dealing with, but it will all come together."
St. Augustine Record publisher Derek May said the event's planning and aftermath will "elevate permanently the standing of St. Augustine among cities with historic tourism," such as Jamestown, Charleston and Savannah.
"We were here first," May said. "This is where America was born. Jamestown is a complete re-creation, not a living city like St. Augustine."
He said The Record is encouraging public and private partnerships with the commission.
"We all need to work on a common theme," May said. "It's going to have to be done on a shoestring."
Ste. Claire echoed May by saying Pedro Menendez began the oldest permanent settlement in the U.S.
"He didn't just plant a flag," Ste. Claire said. "We want the nation to celebrate with us and understand the role St. Augustine played in the history and cultural development of America."
Makes the need for Amtrak on the FEC tracks even more pressing. Visitors can fly into JIA, ride a shuttle bus to a train station near Duval Road, then Amtrak to St. Augustine.
Certainly something to put on the calender, and party like its 2015 or 2013, but do we really need a party to celebrate our fantastic heritage?
I think its worth celebrating. Plus the worldwide exposure should be a small boon to the economy.
Hopefully by then Amtrak will be up and running, Sebastian Inland Harbor will be nearing completion, and some sort of public transportation loop conneting the Amtrak station to the garage/visitors center via the historic core will be circulating.
Quote from: mtraininjax on October 27, 2009, 08:51:22 AM
Certainly something to put on the calender, and party like its 2015 or 2013, but do we really need a party to celebrate our fantastic heritage?
Um...yeah.
Where's The St. Johns Electric Railway, we we'll really need it?
The last remains of which are probably rotting away in some St. Augustine backyard, serving as a shed, packed full of lawn mowers, ancient folding beds, boxes, and mice...
450 years and we still haven't got it right!
OCKLAWAHA
This is going to be epic. The points about commuter rail and JIA are great. St Augustine is going to be swamped. It should help everywhere from the Golf Village to PV and southside.
IMO, this will be another "Super Bowl" for the First Coast. I wonder if Jax has any plans to capitalize on the festivities?
seems like a big waste of time... i heard the world is ending 12/21/12. ;)
Quote from: Johnny on October 27, 2009, 04:00:42 PM
seems like a big waste of time... i heard the world is ending 12/21/12. ;)
dont belive everything you hear
Amtrak scares me big time. (I pay taxes) Why doesn't CSX take the lead?
CSX? They are a freight company. Unless you want to travel by boxcar Amtrak is the way to go. Furthermore, the line through St. Augustine is owned by Florida East Coast (FEC) not CSX.
I pay taxes to and welcome Amtrak with arms wide open.
What's wrong with traveling by boxcar?? It used to be a regular way of life... (http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2000_O_Brother,_Where_Art_Thou/2001_o_brother_where_art_thou_006.jpg)
I think a private train company that could be profitable would be better. If that is not possible, then we will go with a government ran system.
When is the last time SR 16, San Marco Avenue or King Street turned a profit? Why hold rail to a higher standard?
Quote from: thelakelander on October 29, 2009, 11:02:57 PM
When is the last time SR 16, San Marco Avenue or King Street turned a profit? Why hold rail to a higher standard?
I have seen this stated before. It would be interesting to know the actual subsidized cost per ride/mile of rail vs roadway. I'm sure someone has done such a comparison here before, but I would not know where to look.
QuoteJaguars to promote 450th
President: Partnership with city to help make event 'as successful as it could be'
Posted: July 23, 2012 - 11:24pm
By PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Jaguars to promote 450th
PETER GUINTA
July 24, 2012 10:42 AM EDT
President: Partnership with city to help make event ‘as successful as it could be’
The Jacksonville Jaguars plan to jump on the ever-expanding celebration that will be St. Augustine’s 450th Commemoration in 2015 by becoming an official ally of the city, team President Mark Lamping said Monday.
“We have many fans in this area,†Lamping said. “We are going to use our promotional tools to make (the event) as successful as it could be.â€
Lamping said the team hasn’t finalized what its support programs are going to look like, but added he got “fired up†after hearing about the project from city officials.
“We want to play a small role in one of the most significant events happening in St. Augustine for many years,†he said.
Read the rest at St. Augustine.com
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-07-23/jaguars-promote-450th
Quote from: buckethead on October 30, 2009, 08:50:15 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 29, 2009, 11:02:57 PM
When is the last time SR 16, San Marco Avenue or King Street turned a profit? Why hold rail to a higher standard?
I have seen this stated before. It would be interesting to know the actual subsidized cost per ride/mile of rail vs roadway. I'm sure someone has done such a comparison here before, but I would not know where to look.
I'm your huckleberry!
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS - PER MILE:
$2,388,108.27 Rural 2 lane highway with 5' paved shoulders
$4,793,671.06 urban 2 lane urban arterial highway with 4' bike lanes
$8,874,542.46 urban 4 lane FREEway with barrier wall and 10' shoulders.
Costs are for an unobstructed flat roadways without real estate. Unless it is tolled, it has zero cost recovery from users. The highway's will have to be resurfaced every 10 years.
$432,346.91 milling and resurfacing 2 lane rural highway with 5' shoulders
$420,987.25 milling and resurfacing 2 lane urban arterial with 4' bike lanes
$845,824.25 milling and resurfacing 4 lane FREEway
SOURCE: FDOT generic cost per mile models
$3,000,000 single track railroad with bi-directional capacity of 2.5 highway lanes.
Requires resurfacing every 50-100 years at a cost of around $248,485
SOURCE: MODOT
Corridor passenger rail on existing trackage:
Amtrak 'VERMONTER' = $17.76 per train-mile
Amtrak 'DOWNEASTER' = $27.70 per train-mile
SOURCE: AMTRAK
High Speed Passenger Train on existing railroad = .10 cents per passenger mile
SOURCE: CALIFORNIA WATCH
COST OF AUTOMOBILE OPERATION ON EXISTING ROADWAY
Small sedan........41.5 cents per mile $6,758 yr
Mid-sized sedan...57.3 cents per mile $8,588 yr
Large sedan........73.2 cents per mile $10,982 yr
4WD SUV...........75.9 cents per mile $11,382 yr
Minivan..............63.3 cents per mile $9,489 yr
SOURCE: AAA
Passenger rail will have cost recovery through the farebox, except for taxi's, automobiles won't.
A commuter rail demostration project from Jax to St Augustine is needed.
YES!! That would be fantastic.
Sadly, the average St. Augustinian sentiment towards rail is no different than in Jax, if not worse. People around here just don't get it.
St Augustine citizens don't get it because they haven't had it since 1968, when the last FEC RY passenger train left the station. I've been in most of the meetings RE the Amtrak service proposal and believe me the CITY GOVERNMENT and TOURISM INDUSTRY gets it big time.
Jacksonville hasn't had train service to it's downtown since 1974, so again, it's pretty hard for people to grasp the enormity of the potential impact until they experience it for themselves. Sadly with the speed the city moves, the speed that Amtrak moves and the general 'tea party' mentality of the local media, the answer may still be sometime off in the future.
Quote from: fsujax on July 27, 2012, 01:45:31 PM
A commuter rail demostration project from Jax to St Augustine is needed.
Are you talking about something that would operate for a limited time just to give people an understanding of what commuter rail service could be?
Not necessarily operate, but a "touristy" train ride up and back and then an open house for the public to stop in and take a look.
Yes Doug, it is exactly how Tri-Rail was implemented.
I would think a detailed grant request explaining to the FTA and/or FRA the fact that the Queen of England, King of Spain, and The Pope will inundate the area with more traffic then it has EVER seen. We need help and need it fast... It really is the PERFECT storm to create an opportunity called RAIL.
OCKLAWAHA
So - what do we need to do to for this to happen? Who are the players that need to be contacted?
Quote from: Ocklawaha on July 27, 2012, 01:43:19 PM
Quote from: buckethead on October 30, 2009, 08:50:15 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on October 29, 2009, 11:02:57 PM
When is the last time SR 16, San Marco Avenue or King Street turned a profit? Why hold rail to a higher standard?
I have seen this stated before. It would be interesting to know the actual subsidized cost per ride/mile of rail vs roadway. I'm sure someone has done such a comparison here before, but I would not know where to look.
I'm your huckleberry!
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS - PER MILE:
$2,388,108.27 Rural 2 lane highway with 5' paved shoulders
$4,793,671.06 urban 2 lane urban arterial highway with 4' bike lanes
$8,874,542.46 urban 4 lane FREEway with barrier wall and 10' shoulders.
Costs are for an unobstructed flat roadways without real estate. Unless it is tolled, it has zero cost recovery from users. The highway's will have to be resurfaced every 10 years.
$432,346.91 milling and resurfacing 2 lane rural highway with 5' shoulders
$420,987.25 milling and resurfacing 2 lane urban arterial with 4' bike lanes
$845,824.25 milling and resurfacing 4 lane FREEway
SOURCE: FDOT generic cost per mile models
$3,000,000 single track railroad with bi-directional capacity of 2.5 highway lanes.
Requires resurfacing every 50-100 years at a cost of around $248,485
SOURCE: MODOT
Corridor passenger rail on existing trackage:
Amtrak 'VERMONTER' = $17.76 per train-mile
Amtrak 'DOWNEASTER' = $27.70 per train-mile
SOURCE: AMTRAK
High Speed Passenger Train on existing railroad = .10 cents per passenger mile
SOURCE: CALIFORNIA WATCH
COST OF AUTOMOBILE OPERATION ON EXISTING ROADWAY
Small sedan........41.5 cents per mile $6,758 yr
Mid-sized sedan...57.3 cents per mile $8,588 yr
Large sedan........73.2 cents per mile $10,982 yr
4WD SUV...........75.9 cents per mile $11,382 yr
Minivan..............63.3 cents per mile $9,489 yr
SOURCE: AAA
Passenger rail will have cost recovery through the farebox, except for taxi's, automobiles won't.
Did you factor in the Amtrak subsidies?
FTA is not going to fund a "tourist" service it would have to billed as a mitigation to traffic, but between them, FHWA, JTA, COJ, St Johns and St Augstine, it might could happen.
Quote from: fsujax on July 30, 2012, 02:02:09 PM
FTA is not going to fund a "tourist" service it would have to billed as a mitigation to traffic, but between them, FHWA, JTA, COJ, St Johns and St Augstine, it might could happen.
I think it is a good idea and one that I am willing to advocate for. However, we will need to know specifics:
1. Duration and frequency of service
2. Cost
3. Coordination/approvals required between agencies/operators
4. Who are the decision makers?
5. Potential funding sources?