Improving River Access: RAM Docking Facility Opens

[Noone]

What are the TIF projects that have us in the hole till 2017? The RAM dock is one. The parking garages two? 2010-674. This was discussed at the last DIA/CRA meeting.
Jacksonville Waterway Commission members still had concerns about the restrictions of access to the taxpayer subsidized Public dock.
River Access is a Huge issue for our new DIA/CRA in the USA.
Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting and DIA Board meeting 8 days out with HUGE back room announcements occurring at both meetings. Anyone going?

[Noone]

2012-732 legislation on Hemming Plaza. Brand new.
2011-364 Legislation on Ram and the dock. Withdrawn.
Anyone see a pattern here?
Feel free to add your own Examples.
A new Authority.
Embrace it.
Or
It will Embrace us.

[Noone]

Special noticed meeting to make up for the non noticed meetings is 2 days out 4th floor city Hall at 10 am 1/7/13 on the Super Duper 2013 FIND grant application cycle. Will anyone from the new DIA/CRA in the USA be there? Will any council member be there? There was only one person from the Public at the last meeting with 100's of 1000's of dollars on the line. It's a good thing we passed 2012-402.

Palms Fish Camp you made your million and you never even opened up the door.
Show up.
May the Vision continue.

2013 is 2025

PS. Is that a Public or Private sidewalk next to the new Bulkhead at the Cummer that was never before Waterways.
PSS. Anyone want to kayak and fish under the brand new No Fishing signs that was never before Waterways?

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[Noone]

In celebration of the opening of RAM and wanting to be All In it was mandatory to provide a spark by Making a Scene on our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our newly created DIA Zone.

So where are you allowed to participate and launch a kayak? There are options and more to be announced by the Administration. But in the spirit of the current 2013 FIND grant application process that we are currently in and with the opening of RAM I launched at the beautiful sandy beach that doesn't have a Mayor Brown Kayak logo Sidney Gefen Park. Somebody. Wake UP!

Conditions were sporty to say the least. I brought a bike and left it at Metroplolitan marina that has a Mayor Brown Kayak Logo. I had a wet suit on and used a touring kayak that would cut through the waves and swells. It was a high outgoing tide and I was able to just glide under the bridge. You could feel the vibrancy of the people right from the start. River traffic was light and that's understandable. The paddle to RAM was tough there were some good gusts at times and you just kept paddling. I took it to the other side of the Fuller Warren snapped a few pics and then it was time to make the journey down to the food trucks.

Congratulations to RAM.

With the music playing and breaks in the wind it was now a nice paddle going with the tide. I touched my paddle to the RAM dock then I took it under the TU on McCoys Creek and went to the fallen trees. Didn't see any herons. Lots of garbage though. Back in the river I just hugged the Northbank, Missed the train traffic which is too bad. I was about a 100' from shore and besides the river taxi I just encountered maybe 3 boats.

The wind was picking up a little bit and I kept a coarse close to shore. Again it's an outgoing tide which is a plus but also my destination is the Mayor Brown Kayak logo at the Metro Park Marina. I would have loved to have been able to put in at Berkman or the Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel floating dock compromise that was misrepresented by OGC at the last Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting that is identifying projects for the 2013 FIND grant application cycle. But NO. I'm being compelled to take it around the Shipyards Pier and so I'm more exposed to the channel and the swells are definitely larger and the bow of the kayak is slightly underwater (I also need to drop a few pounds)as I'm riding and breaking these waves. Once past the piers it was time to take in to Hogans Creek

Out of the channel you can relax. I just went up Hogans as far as the Maxwell House Plant. The aroma of the coffee was a pleasant break that allowed the senses and the body to rejuvenate. the paddle back out to the channel was met with the same constant wave action along with the wind. the bird activity was extremely strong and to watch the extra flap in their wings as they to we're figuring out the wind.

Once in the empty sheltered marina it was smooth paddling. With the kayak out it was time to now ride my bike back to Sidney Gefen Park. Nice ride back. Just took Bay St. To the Riverwalk. The Food trucks were still there and I was hungry. Saw First Coast Outfitters, Tony Allegretti, tufsu1 and although I wanted to stop I needed to get my kayak loaded up.

Once loaded up and by the time I made it to the parking lot things were wrapping up. I'll be back. Going forward the Administration will be announcing new kayak locations. Dave Roman- He's the man.

Ben-JCCI we need to kayak Downtown before 2025

Who's next?

[Noone]

Great meeting of the LOST just 8 hours out 4Th floor city hall at 1 pm. What is really changing? The Public Trust just crushed. The RAM dock is only open when RAM is open. Wake Up Jacksonville!

2012-202- Robbing from 4 accounts to pay for free parking for city council members.
2013-214 - And some of you MJ'ers who were at city council witnessed this first hand. $20,000 for 20 new city council chairs without Public Comment and taken up as an emergency. Cha Ching!
Palms Fish Camp! Palms Fish Camp! Palms Fish Camp! Wake Up Jacksonville! Next to a FIND project. Who from OGC wrote the contract? A million bucks and they never even opened the door. how do you sign up for this stuff.
Who gets the FBI RICO award for the Waterways? the Public Trust destroyed let me show you.
A pension for a convicted child molester by a Board with community support in Jacksonville.
Then you can bet your No Trespassing sign that someone has for immediate direct personal gain has circumvented our ad valorem property tax revenue for personal benefit.
So many more examples feel free to add your own.
Anybody want to donate a buck to 2009-442?

Each launch is a Spark.

Ben- JCCI we need to kayak Downtown before 2025

[Noone]

River Ruckus starting now at RAM.  Anyone going?

[Noone]

Right now, there is no weekday access for the dock.

Will the recent success of River Ruckus now have this taxpayer subsidized dock opened for everyone?

Mayor Brown is holding a meeting today in Springfied in less than 11 hours. Open to the Public. There is now pending legislation before the city council 2013-384 Auth. A license Agreement with Sons of Confederate Veterans for a buck a year. Will there be a friendly amendment that will allow 24/7 access to Hogans Creek that is next to this city property?

Or will we continue our BOLD (Building Our Local Divide) legislative handouts that legislatively restrict Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new highly restricted DIA zone.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[Noone]

DIA noticed meeting 5 hours out. Anyone going?
The RAM dock is relevant.
it's all about Downtown

[Noone]

On the water yesterday 8/4/13 and there is noticeable damage to the RAM dock.

[Noone]

Jacksonville Waterways Commission Meeting 3 1/2 hours out. Will there be an update on the RAM dock damage? Has anyone seen an agenda? Open to the Public.

Went to the Chart House last night for supporting the Eat Up Downtown promotion.  Fantastic Experience except for the parking lot. We had a waterfront table. Counted 3 boats going by in our empty Downtown During our experience. Saw a dolphin. The food and dining experience was great.

[cline]

^So you saw 3 boats and a dolphin and you consider that empty?

[acme54321]

Yeah Tuesday afternoon/night isn't exactly a hot time to be out on the boat...

[Noone]

Right now, there is no weekday access for the dock.

Will the recent success of River Ruckus now have this taxpayer subsidized dock opened for everyone?

Mayor Brown is holding a meeting today in Springfied in less than 11 hours. Open to the Public. There is now pending legislation before the city council 2013-384 Auth. A license Agreement with Sons of Confederate Veterans for a buck a year. Will there be a friendly amendment that will allow 24/7 access to Hogans Creek that is next to this city property?

Or will we continue our BOLD (Building Our Local Divide) legislative handouts that legislatively restrict Public Access and economic opportunity to our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new highly restricted DIA zone.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

One day out from the last Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting with new city council leadership and a number of dominoes that can fall and the message from our Waterway is Don't Visit Jacksonville!

On the agenda is 2014-305 new docking Rules. Also we now have a new CRA/DIA in the USA and potential super duper restrictions in how all of us going forward will be able to participate in economice opportunity on our St. Johns River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in this positive zone.

MJ'ers still have an open contest if anyone can take a picture of the new Waterway signage that was never before Waterways. I will treat you to Chopstick Charley's and we will use Uber. Scott Wilson feel free to jump in on this one. We talked about it last week.

My favorite is the Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel, 26 ' Berkman floating dock compromise (Shipyards III) misrepresented by OGC to the Jacksonville Waterways Commission during the 2013 FIND grant application process. our ad valorem property tax money. This is also a CRA project submission that may or may not be part of the final CRA/DIA in the USA.

So MJ'ers should an amendment be attached to this active legislation 2014-305 that would allow for 24/7 Economic access 10' for example the RAM dock or 10'for the new yet to be built Southbank floating dock? At the 4/2/14 noticed meeting it was announced by Tera Meeks and Paige Johnston that 1 vendor will be getting a 10 year no compete clause for this new floating dock. Should there be an ordinance number for this? Pick and choose the winners and losers. Anyone else feel sorry for the water taxi guys?

So many more examples.

The opportunity to tell the world to VISIT JACKSONVILLE is being legislatively created.

Planning a RICO paddle.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[tufsu1]

City Council will be discussing the water taxi at its meeting tomorrow night.  Public comment will be permitted at the meeting which starts at 5pm

[Noone]

^Is there an ordinance number? Remember the No Bid, No Public Comment for 20 new comfy chairs?

Visit Jacksonville!