March 17 Hogans Creek St. Johns River Celebration Cleanup

[Noone]

St. Johns River Celebration Cleanup from 8-11 behind the Old St. Lukes Hospital and Casket factory. Special thanks to Emily Lisska and the Jacksonville Historical Society for use of their parking lot for this special day.

Will have another drawing for participants just like last year. Have some gift certificates and prizes.

After the cleanup everyone will go over to RAM.

I'll bring some extra kayaks. Thanks in advance to all those who will participate in this cleanup.

[Noone]

Is there anyone else participating in this?  "Hogans Creek is not a fluff site." I love how Vivian Harrell describes this location.

23 days out and it was a small group that made an impact and put this location on the map for city leaders last year. If its a smaller or larger group this year that will be shown to the city leaders again.

We Khan Make It Happen.

[Lucasjj]

I cannot make it this year. I will be out of town that weekend.

[Noone]

Lucasjj thanks for the heads up. You will be missed. You are the ultimate rising tide.

This year I'm going to kayak and use the floating dock at RAM. It is the only time that you are allowed to use this facility. 

[Noone]

In an hour it will be time for an Epoch cleanup on Hogans Creek that will allow us all to reclaim access and use of this Historic Waterway that is a part of our Downtown and Springfield that leads into our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a Federal Initiative.

[Noone]

Happy St. Patrick's day to everyone.

[Know Growth]

Happy St. Patrick's day to everyone.

Never know what you will find,what can grow on the banks of Hogans Creek

Keep an eye out for        Trifolium dubium

(...annual plant that germinates in spring;three leaf clover that is considered the official shamrock)

We could consider the three leaves to represent Duval County trinity: Hogans/McCoys/Fishweir Trifecta

[Noone]

Today was an epoch clean up effort for all of those who participated in our cities attempt to reclaim an Urban Downtown Waterway Destination as it relates to Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a Federal Initiative.

I was the first to arrive and was immediately greeted by someone who was asking what I was doing. I informed him that we were getting ready to have a city wide cleanup and Hogans Creek was a designated site. At this time Keith Myers arrived and our reunion of doing these cleanups together continued.

One of the first to arrive and was just everywhere on Hogans Creek with his enthusiasm and scope of cleanup was Gary Anderson current member of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission. There was a boy scout troop that was there and they did an awesome job.

I brought two kayaks and took a paddle up to Washington and Beaver. It was an outgoing tide and the number of camps has been reduced. Keith mentioned that someone was interested in kayaking and we took to the water and paddled up toward Washington and Beaver. Cletus who is homeless and saw the sign was a walk up participant and we had a good paddle and cleanup as we headed back up toward Beaver and Washington. Stark contrast from the individual who I met upon arrival. We turned around at the rapids of Hogans Creek when the ripples were visible and Cletus comments that I'm hitting rocks and in reality they are concrete chunks.

On the way back we are filling up our bags. His plight is an interesting story that has me asking and wondering what could work to make our community better. He has been in Jacksonville for 6 mos. Has family. Been working on and off with lawn businesses. Doesn't have a computer and says that he can get a job but he would have to apply online. Problem is he has a $38 library bill outstanding for a book that his child lost. Until that is paid he can't get his library privledges reinstated. He then shares with me stories of the shelters and experiences of concerns.

We continue to paddle by and cleanup by the homeless camps and enjoy the rest of the beautiful day that we are having on this Urban Waterway. We are making our way back to what should be an announced kayak launch under Duval street and waiting on the bank was Field.

It was great to see him and he had just come from the Pottsburg cleanup with Mayor Brown. He had wanted to see what was going on with Hogans Creek and the dredge around Bay St. I was also curious to see this from the water as well. So the timing to get back on the water and switching gears from Cletus to Field couldn't have been written any better.

It was still an outgoing tide and the shopping cart depth meter chart was showing two wheels fully exposed and we each touched our paddles to the wheels as we entered the Maxwell House area. We went as far as Bay St. before we ran into a debris float. As we were sitting there in our kayaks looking from underneath Gary Anderson from the Waterways Commission is up above us. We are all wondering what is the plan. Remember none of this was before Waterways. What is the position of the Riverkeeper? We are all just asking what is going on.

Field and I make our way back to Duval St. and he picks up a grill. The creek is looking better. We as a community are at a critical point of access and economic opportunities as it relates to our river. Field tells me about the meeting of River Oaks Park and a kayak launch and the community is split. Can the same be said of Fishweir? How about Downtown? How about the pier?

Another great year. Thanks to Emily Lisska and the Jacksonville Historical Society for allowing us to use the parking lot.
Vivian Harrell you rock. Keith looking forward again to next year.
Can't wait to hear Gary Anderson's comments at the next meeting of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission.

As for paddling Hogans Creek.

Who's next?   

[Noone]

Wanted to bump another St. Johns River Celebration clean up thread.