Thank you Mobile Bay National Estuary Program for sponsoring this project!
McMillan Bluff Project
■ Bluff Restoration
■ Survey
As our project reaches completion we want to thank the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program for providing the $3,000 grant to improve one of the few remaining beach accesses in Daphne. We have met all the hurdles to date and will celebrate the conclusion of the project in November!
The Project:
The McMillan Bluff project is complete. Our volunteers helped dig ditches for the irrigation system pre-T.S. Arlene and installed the majority of the plants on our list on June 17, 2005. Additional plants remained in the City greenhouses, waiting out Cindy, Dennis, Katrina, winter and the dismissal of the lawsuit. The stairs have been repaired and our last planting work party was on March 31st. All that remains will be installing the plant labels when they arrive! Please take the time to visit the bluff and complete our survey. We would like to see other beach access points in the city improved!
Education:
Part of our task, as a recipient of a MBNEP grant, is to educate. The plants we chose for the project are native or vintage plants chosen for their appropriateness for Olde Towne and areas along the Eastern Shore. With that in mind, we have put our plant list for the project on our web site with a description of their natural habit, size etc. We have been adding photos of the plants as they bloom. We want this project to be a resource for our area. We will also be adding a survey to the web as part of our project and will need a volunteer to help coordinate the responses and final details to close out our grant. Interested? Give Kären a call or ContactUs@OldeTowneDaphne.org!
Award:
Our efforts have been rewarded with a 2005 City of Daphne Beautification Award! We are proud to be a recipient and look forward to working with the City on future beautification projects. We also hope to work with the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) again on future projects related to the bay and beach accesses.
June 17, 2005...planting day!
|
Storm Damage:
The stairs and lower seating area were damaged with hurricane Katrina, but they have been repaired by the Daphne Public Works Department. FEMA funds covered the costs. Access to the beach remains open and the sunsets remain glorious!
Lawsuit:
After years of controversy and litigation the lawsuit against the City of Daphne and OTDA was dismissed by the Court on January 30th 2006. This public beach access will remain a neighborhood treasure and, as if in celebration, it is in full bloom!
March 2006