- by Barbara Jenness, website: http://BarbaraJenness.com

Greg Caldwell from St. Johns County engineering reported the following updates on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Vilano Beach Main Street meeting concerning the Vilano Beach Town Center infrastructure improvements:

The roundabout fountain by the fishing pier will be operational by this weekend (Memorial Day weekend).

It was operational on Thursday, May 22^nd. It looks great especially at night. Yes, it is shut off late at night. Have you noticed the nice neon lights on the bell tower by the fishing pier?

FPL's underground utilities are now hot, so work can start on removing the poles and overhead utilities.

Hopefully you have noticed the nice streetlights with the neon trim in the Vilano Beach Town Center

The conversion to underground utilities is happening now and is expected to be complete by the first week of June 2008. Hampton Inn and Ocean Blue II has already been converted. The county is working from west to east. Once conversion is complete they can start removing the power poles.

Once the poles are down I think our streetscape will truly shine. The poles should be removed by the end of June.

Glass tile on the entry feature will occur next week (last week in May) along with completing the new sign for Vilano Beach Town Center.

As this is the first thing visitors see when entering our Town Center this will be nice when complete.

And finally, what we have all been waiting for:

Final paving will begin the first week of June 2008 and should be complete by the end of the month. Paving by Ocean Blue II should happen next week, but Vilano Road won't be paved until the utility poles are removed as there will be some sidewalk repair that will need to be done after the poles are removed.

Friends visiting me in Porpoise Point have commented on the number of speed bumps we have on Vilano Road. I had to tell them those are crosswalks, not speed bumps. I can't wait for the final coat!