Angered residents set Facebook on fire over what appeared to be a city plan to build a new sanitary lift station at Central Park which looked like it was near a meditative, serene enclave called Volunteers Grove. The new lift station would replace an aged lift station that produces foul odors.
A city hired engineering firm had published old plans to build the new lift station as part of the Fernandina Beach city commission's agenda packet. It showed the lift station's location adjacent to or in Volunteers Grove. But the old drawing was out of date, according to the city.
The outdated drawing ignited outrage from the wife of the grove's designer and caretaker - Arthur Herman - a retired professional landscape architect with 45 years of experience at Fordham University, the New York Botanical Garden and the City of Stamford, Connecticut.
"This is Volunteer's Grove in Central Park. It's beautiful. It is dedicated to all of our island's folks who volunteer their time and energy to so many areas -- hospitals, schools, etc. I could go on and on. The city is now proposing to plop a lift station right in the middle of the grove -- the beautiful garden with native plants and shrubs," stated Herman's wife Diana on Facebook. "Volunteers donated their money and effort into its design and planting. My husband, Arthur Herman designed it and still maintains it- - goes over periodically to prune, weed, water when needed. We at Amelia Tree Conservancy are horrified that the city would even consider this move. What an insult to all the volunteers."
But just after noon on Saturday, Mayor Bradley Bean commented on the Facebook post and said he had talked with city staff and the lift station was now being planned near the Boy Scouts Hut, just east of the baseball diamond on 13th Street.
Bean chose not to respond to Observer questions about who he spoke with, and when regarding the lift station's new location. He provided no other details to questions posed on Facebook.
Volunteers Grove is serene setting in Central Park intended for people to enjoy a respite from the stresses of daily life. Dedicated in 2021, Volunteers Grove honors Amelia Island’s countless volunteers and aims to inspire new volunteers. Its plaque reads “This grove is dedicated to all Amelia Island volunteers."
This Wednesday, Fernandina Beach city commissioners will consider approving replacing the lift station - which often produces a foul stench near the Central Park pickleball courts and playground to a new location.
"The lift station is not going within sight of Volunteers Grove. Not sure how this became the conclusion everyone jumped to. This location was originally discussed before I became aware of the Volunteer Grove project, at which point the option was abandoned," said Stormwater Director Andre Desilet. "The proposed location is behind the Boy-scout and Girl-scout huts. And this is not the city scrambling to address the situation. This project has been under discussion for more than a year."
Complaints over foul odors emanating from the current lift station distressing playground users and pickleball players, as well as the lift station's age and pumping capacity are driving the relocation effort.
The grove is located just off 13th Street between the tennis and pickleball courts and the Girl Scout building.
"Lift station 3 is located within Central Park, with the existing site being close to public activities, such as tennis courts and a children's playground and not easily accessible to maintenance vehicles. The odor from the lift station has been reported to an issue. In addition, the lift stations is undersized, dated and does not comply with current design standards or best practices," said a report from Alliant, an engineering firm. "The purpose of the project is to upgrade and relocate the lift station, bringing the lift station to current design standards and best practices and increasing the distance from areas of frequent pedestrian traffic and park facilities will also minimize the odor control impacts to the public."
Alliant's report makes no mention of the Volunteers Grove area, nor the adjacent sidewalks and parking lot.
But Betsie Huben said on Facebook the new location was not a great choice.
"Well, it doesn't belong near the Scout Hut either. The area around those buildings is bustling with children's activities, both inside and outside," she wrote.
City staff said the cost of moving the lift station and another lift station in the Suzan cul-de-sac will cost $106,000.
Funding for Volunteers Grove came from a grant from the Larsen Family Fund and Amelia Tree Conservancy (ATC) donors. The Larsen Family Fund was started in 1941 by Roy E. Larsen, former vice-chairman of Time Inc.'s board of directors and Time Inc.’s president for 21 years. The mission of the Larsen Family Fund is to support projects in education, the environment and the arts in our local communities.
When it was dedicated, ATC said of the project beyond its ecological benefits, “Volunteers Grove” will create a space for rest, reflection and regeneration within Central Park. While Central Park has a number of activity areas for sports, musical events and fairs, it has not in recent years offered quiet, shaded areas typical of traditional “central parks.”
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