Waterways Master Plan Update
The Waterways Master Plan Status Report will be presented to the County Commission at 5 pm on Tuesday, March 24th, at the County Administration Building (Room 207). This presentation is the culmination of the Alachua Master Waterways Master Plan meetings which occurred over the past two years, bringing together the various stakeholder groups who use/live/work on the county's waterways. These meetings resulted in a list of recommendations that will be presented to the Alachua County Commission. While total agreement among all user groups was not reached, the list includes a wide range of topics that will affect the use of our waterways, including Lake Santa Fe, for many years to come.
The county's primary goal of the Waterways study was to "insure the county's natural water resources continue to provide enjoyable and productive experiences to residents for recreational and commercial users, and for safe and sustainable use present and future".
All Santa Fe Lake residents are strongly encouraged to make their personal experiences, concerns, ideas and recommendations known at this important meeting. The previous Quadrant meetings have involved significant influence and input from distant county groups that come to use our highly desirable waterways, who obviously lack the viewpoint that someone living on Santa Fe would have. Lake Dweller members are encouraged to inform their non-member neighbors to attend, as this public meeting is open to all citizens, whether living in Alachua County or not, and will likely have far reaching affects on residents of the Santa Fe lakes. |
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The Annual Santa Fe Lake Clean Up and Festival
Since the year 2000, annual lake-wide cleanups have been held each spring on Lake Santa Fe. On the last Saturday in March, local civic organizations, interested citizens, and volunteers living on the lake go out and collect trash (and sometimes water hyacinths or other invasives) along the shore.
Over the years we have had many successful clean ups, but in recent years the amounts collected have decreased dramatically. Hopefully this is because our past efforts have really had an impact. This year, we have decided to give the organized clean-up a break, but we do urge all Lakedwellers to continue to collect trash on your own, as so many have done these last ten years.
Foregoing the clean up means that our 2009 Lakefest will be bigger and better than ever. Please join us at the Melrose Bay Park on Saturday, March 28th, from 11AM to 3PM , for a fun day of hands-on activities and nature-oriented displays, with good food, kayak demonstrations, gardening and composting advice, free boat rides to the beautiful Reynolds Preserve, and some terrific live music. Local songwriter Whitey Markle, troubadour biologist Dale Crider, and luther/dulcimer afficionado David Beede will entertain with original tunes and musical accoutrements. Face painting, an art area, games and projects, live animals, and a poster show by local children will keep the youngsters busy. Florida Wildlife Care's Tina Brannen and her rescued raptors will once again fascinate us all. This year's festival is honoring the memory of Al Burt, renowned Melrose author known as "The Voice of Florida." We will also be celebrating the formation of the newest Audubon chapter, Santa Fe Audubon which will serve our multi-county area. Chapter members will lead a bird walk around Melrose beginning at 10 AM. And at 12 Noon, representatives of Historic Melrose will accept a donation from the Santa Fe Lake Dwellers Association, to help complete the Melrose Heritage Park. We hope to see you there!
For additional information please call Jill McGuire at 352-475-1567.
Boat Parade
A long-standing tradition on Lake Santa Fe is the annual 4th of July boat parade. Typically the circumnavigation begins in Melrose Bay at 11 am. Or when the brightly decorated boats motor by your place, feel free to jump in your own vessel and come along!
SFLDA Annual Meetings
Each summer the Santa Fe Lake Dwellers Association has its annual business meeting in Melrose. The 2009 Annual Meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 21st at the Trinity Episcopal Church on S.R. 26 in Melrose. This year's speaker is Neil Armingeon of the St. Johns Riverkeeper, a nonprofit advocacy group serving as "watchdogs" for the river and its watershed. Neil will discuss the latest efforts by his organization to address issues affecting the health of the river, including the recent ruling by the St. Johns Water Management District allowing the withdrawal of water for Seminole County.
Every winter we have a Social with less business and more time for interaction among members. Back by popular demand, our 2009 Winter Social, (our annual chili and cornbread supper), was held on Friday, January 30th at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Melrose from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. |
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