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Citizens turn out to provide input on ECHO projects; decisions loom

    Nearly 200 people turned out for a series of public meetings to help prioritize Volusia County's ECHO-related projects, according to Ginny Kent, Economic Resources Marketing Specialist. Projects discussed by the ECHO Initiative Steering Committee could be included in a financing initiative presented to voters later this year.
    The proposed list includes such projects as a countywide, multi-use trail system, learning centers, endangered lands and historical and cultural venues.
    In February, the Volusia County Council, in conjunction with Volusia Vision, tasked the Steering Committee to develop a public outreach program to gather input for ECHO projects and to explore funding opportunities, Kent said. The committee will report its findings to the County Council.
    Meetings were held throughout the County during April and May.

New mile markers are reference points on Volusia beaches

    Visitors to Volusia County beaches now are able to measure their progress while biking, walking or jogging. The County has installed a mile marker system on the beach from Ormond Beach to New Smyrna Beach.
    "With the beach lending itself to many diverse recreational activities, we view the beach as an important element of the County's multi-use trail program," said Bill Apgar, County Parks and Recreation Director. "The mile marker system will serve as a point of reference for people on the beach."
    Apgar said once residents and visitors become familiar with the mile marker system, markers can be used by people who exercise on the beach. They also may be used to find restrooms, concessions, hotels, parks, places of business or special events, or even help in the case of a lost child. The system is similar to the mile markers along U.S. 1 between Key Largo and Key West that serve as landmarks for visitors and residents.
    The areas north and south of Ponce Inlet have been labeled North Beach and South Beach, according to Apgar. On the North Beach, the markers begin .3 of a mile south of the Flagler/Volusia line and end with mile marker 26, at the jetty in Ponce Inlet. The South Beach markers begin at the jetty on the New Smyrna Beach side of Ponce Inlet and end with number 10 just north of Canaveral National Seashore.
    Mile markers are 4" x 4" posts constructed of 100 percent recycled plastic. They are placed in line with the blue-green conservation poles in the sand. A plastic 12"x12" placard, patterned after the sunburst on the County's beach logo, is affixed to the top of the posts.
    According to Apgar, a Volusia Vision Beach Recreation Subcommittee, chaired by Kathleen Pruitt, was formed with the purpose of enhancing the perception of the beach as a safe and accessible playground. The committee worked with County Parks and Recreation Environmental Program Manager John Crisp, who spearheaded the program and installed the markers.

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Volusia County Government