Association Meeting, 6:45 - 7:45 PM, at the Ponte Vedra Beach branch library. Speaker: Mary Finnan, a five year volunteer at the GTM Reserve (Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve). She has led education programs, assisted biologists with monitoring programs, processed specimens in the lab, and served as a docent guide in GTM's Visitor Center. She serves on the Friends of the GTM Board and is a Florida Master Naturalist

There will also be an important update about our neighborhood park.

Get those small bills, setup by 7:30 with prices marked and have fun!

St. Johns County to Host Series of Sales Tax Educational Town Halls - Over the next two weeks, St. Johns County will host three educational town halls to provide the community with facts about the one-cent sales tax referendum. The town halls are not to advocate for or against the one-cent sales tax but rather to provide the public with information and separate fact from fiction. St. Johns County staff will cover the most frequently asked questions, give a presentation of the County's current infrastructure backlog, and allow an opportunity for the community to ask questions.

The first town hall will be live-streamed via GTV. GTV is also available on Comcast Cable in southern St. Johns County on Channel 3 and northern St. Johns County on Channel 29 or 261. GTV is also available to U-verse subscribers on Channel 99. Note that one or more County Commissioners may be present. No action will be taken at the town halls. The dates and locations for the two remaining town halls will be announced over the coming days.

St. Johns County and the Ponte Vedra Community Association will co-host a second sales tax educational town hall. County staff will not advocate for or against the one-cent sales tax but will provide the public with information and separate fact from fiction. St. Johns County staff will cover the most frequently asked questions, give a presentation of the County's current infrastructure backlog, and allow an opportunity for the community to ask questions.

Note that one or more County Commissioners may be present. No action will be taken at the town halls.

Association Meeting, 6:45 - 7:45 PM, at the Ponte Vedra Beach branch library. Speaker: Dr. Quincy Gibson PhD. an Associate Professor - Coastal Behavioral Biology at University of North Florida

Internationally known researcher at UNF who developed an interdisciplinary marine mammal research program that ties physiology and behavioral ecology together. Previously Dr. Gibson served as Director of Research for Pacific Whale Foundation

Dr. Gibson completed a Ph.D. Biology, Marine Mammal Behavior from Georgetown University and B.S. Biology (Zoology) & Psychology from University of Maryland. Prior to Jacksonville, she has lived in Washington D.C, Queensland, Australia and Hawaii.

Click for full BIO.

What: SJC Future Parks Planning Meeting

When: Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, 6 to 7pm

Where: THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center, 175 Landrum Lane, Ponte Vedra Beach

Please note one or more County Commissioners may be present. No action will be taken during the open house.

St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Invites Community to Open House for Future Parks Planning - St. Johns County Parks and Recreation will host an open house devoted to the planning and future development of multiple County parks. Parks and Recreation is currently developing a master plan for multiple future County parks as an operation of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which evaluated the needs and priorities of the County, last updated in 2019. St. Johns County is collaborating with sports architecture and planning firm OSPORTS, along with its partners Catalyst Design Group, CHW Professional Consultants, and Perez Planning + Design, to help make this a reality.

During the open house, the OSPORTS design team will present an overview of the master planning process and ask for feedback from the community. Residents who attend will be encouraged to participate in a park programming and features exercise and to provide one-on-one input to OSPORTS team members.

Additionally, OSPORTS created a website to receive invaluable community feedback. By completing a short questionnaire on the home page, residents can share what they would like to see at each of the parks and provide general comments. All feedback received will be reviewed by St. Johns County and OSPORTS.

Association Meeting (new time), 6:00 - 7:30 PM, at the Ponte Vedra Beach branch library. Speaker: Mark Nickerson

The Florida Trail has some 1,500 miles of hiking trail that run from the Big Cypress Swamp to Gulf Island Seashore. In order to maintain it, the trail is divided into thirty sections, each piece is maintained by nearby volunteers headed up by a section leader. Most of the Florida Trail runs on publicly owned land, these can be visited by anyone, anytime. There are no forms or permission needed, just go. In a few places the trail runs along a conservation easement of private land...here one will need to check to see if permissions is needed. Along the Florida Trail are hundreds of beautiful campgrounds (both wilderness and "car camping" types), unspoiled forests, springs, streams, drinking water and towns for thru hiker resupply.

Along with his wife, Mark has been a member of the Florida Trail Association for thirty-six years. He has served as Chairman for the Jacksonville Chapter, Gold Head Branch section leader and was the state membership chair. In addition, he has led dozens of trail maintenance outings, day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips. Mark and Karen were instrumental in the development of the Hanna Park Hiking trail.

Mark will be sharing his knowledge of the trail and its promising future. Each attendee, will receive a backpacking checklist as well as learn the best nearby trailheads and daytrip outings.