Last night, for the first time in years, Edel and I went directly on to Upham Beach from the back gate of Starlight Tower, and went for a pleasant sunset walk on sand that was freshly deposited by the County's beach renourishment program.
But we didn't get far. Only 100 steps later we encountered a crowd of tourists who were happily settling down in a large circle to watch the Fire Dancers, a small band of fire-wielding bellydancers, (sponsored by the proprietors of the local Russian restaurant St. Petersburg Nights), whose appearance on Upham Beach on the first Saturday of each month supplements the exotic and unique beauty of the sunsets of St. Pete Beach. The sun was just beginning to set, and the dancers were teaching a handful of brave beachgoers some dance moves while their assistants were dousing various props with gasoline in preparation for the show.
Then darkness came and the show began. And as I beheld the many faces, young and old, delightedly transfixed by the spectacle of beautiful dancers, whirling flaming scimitars and the glowing, crimson Upham Beach sunset, I realized that this was a perfect ending to what has been a remarkably good week for St. Pete Beach.
As a beach preservation activist, I was very pleased to be among the many tourists who were walking, playing and enjoying a beach that has been refreshed and preserved by the beach renourishment and geotextile T-groins installed during the recently-completed county/state/federal beach preservation project. But for that hard-fought project, that wonderful place would have had no sand, no beautiful dancers, and no tourists to enjoy them.
The week
also brought the excellent news that
funding has been approved for the Pinellas Bayway project, which will replace the old, decaying drawbridge with a shining new bridge that will greatly ease congestion and improve traffic-flow on the south end of our island.
We also learned that
Commissioner Bev Garnett was cleared of the last of the many ethics complaints filed against her by her rival/nemesis Harry Metz.
The City also recently filed a motion to dismiss the appeal currently pending with regards to the seemingly endless litigation regarding the City's redevelopment initiatives.
And, finally, we learned this week that the
City of Yankeetown has filed a lawsuit to overturn the legislation that was recently passed that bans putting comprehensive plans to a vote. Imagine that, litigation involving land use regulation and comprehensive plans, and St. Pete Beach isn't involved!
The past few years have been very rough on the people of St. Pete Beach, but I think the events of this week are a wonderful sign of how far we have come, and how well the efforts of the city have been rewarded.
Because
of the efforts of our Mayors and Commissioners, our beaches are larger and more stable than they were just a few years ago, which draws more tourists and preserves and grows our local economy. Our new comprehensive plan has finally been freed from the shackles and constraints of litigation, so the redevelopment of our city can finally begin to take shape. The divisiveness and contention that once roiled our City Commission has been mercifully replaced with respectful, thoughtful, and responsible deliberation.
And, for the first time since I can remember, the headlines about strife, lawsuits and Comprehensive Plans are not featuring our city.
I never thought I'd have the pleasure of saying this, but if this week is any indication of the times to come, then, at long last, it may be safe to say aloud that all is well in St. Pete Beach.
