Public Communications - C-VIEW

Every month our Public Safety Public Information Officer, Beth Daly-Watts, gives us some safety tips.  This month Beth talks about Spring Break and how to stay safe while swimming at the beach.

Progress on Beach Walk continues ahead of schedule.  Work on South Gulfview Boulevard should be done this month and pedestrian walkways will be fully open then.  There will be one northbound land and one southbound lane open for traffic, which is the final configuration of the road.  Once South Gulfview Boulevard opens, work will return to Cornoado Drive to complete on-street parking, final asphalt and lighting.  This will take 2 to 3 months.  New sand volleyball courts are open just south of Pier 60.  The targeted date for substantial completion of the Beach Walk project is before Super Bowl 2009, but work should be done in July, well ahead of schedule. Visit myclearwater.com/beachwalk for more information.

The City and its contractors are also looking out for other living things during construction.  Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1st and continues through October 31st.  Newly hatched turtles find their way to the sea by following the natural light reflected from the water.  If other light distracts them, they can lose their way and die.  Because of this, specific lighting requirements are being followed in parking lots, on streets, and on the Beach Walk promenades.  If you discover an unmarked turtle nest call the Clearwater Marine Aquarium at 441-1790, ext. 224.

There's a lot going on in Clearwater.  The Public Works Department is on the front line ensuring that we have the infrastructure to meet these new demands.  Shaping Clearwater is a segment on C-NEWS where each month we highlight some of the many Public Works projects happening in Clearwater.  This month's segment features the city's new type of parking meter, which has been available at Clearwater Beach since November 2007, and now we're taking them to South Beach. Twenty multi-space pay & display parking meter units will be installed in the south beach parking lots, now operated by parking attendants.  These lots include Pier 60, South Gulfview, and two temporary lots.  The state-of-the-art meters run on an online system and are easy to use.  They are pre-programmed in English, Spanish, German, and French. First, insert your payment; they accept bills, coins, and credit cards.  Then, decide how long you plan to stay at the beach.  Select from one hour to all day.  And that's it; just print the ticket, place it on your dashboard, and head out to the beach!  Call 562-4704 for more information.

Darden Rice joins Doug Matthews in the studio to discuss the upcoming Pinellas Living Green Expo.

• One way the city is working to conserve resources is by providing reclaimed water to Clearwater neighborhoods.  Reclaimed water is the liquid product from wastewater treatment that is purified for reuse, rather than discharged into the bay or other surface waters.  It’s used for non-potable needs, like irrigating golf courses, parks, and lawns.  The Skycrest area is next on the list of neighborhoods to get reclaimed water.  If you are interested in getting reclaimed water, call the Utilities department at 562-4960.