Today’s Hike Along Riverhall Parkway

Its a beautiful Wednesday morning in Alva. The date is 10/2/2024 to be exact. It’s been a while since I walked this 4 mile route from my house to 80 and back again. Here’s what I found along the way…

I saw all these markers for a “silt fence” along the sidewalk on the east side of Riverhall Parkway. I guess they’re getting ready for the construction of the town homes or apartments in that preserve area. I guess this bit of land had been planned to be commercial of some sort, but then rezoned residential. Maybe on the ground floor there will be some kind of shops and or restaurants? Has anybody seen plans? Are there plans? I wonder how many gopher tortoises and burrowing owls nests will be moved before construction begins? Probably just as many that have been moved during home construction in our communities. Zero! They like to promote the wildlife in the area with their signs, but it should have some fine print on the bottom that says “if there’s any left after we get done building!”. Anyway, back to the silt fence. So the silt fence is going to be placed right on the edge of the sidewalk. does that mean the beautiful grass, shrubs and trees that are on the other side of it are in the construction zone and are going to be ripped out or are in harms way? I hope not. I don’t know why the silt fence isn’t more along the undeveloped land. Not that I have any influence on what goes on around here, but I sure hope the beautiful landscaping that is there that the CDD paid for doesn’t get damaged.

Have you ever walked through the little 2 or 3 story decorative tower that is there between the fire station and 80? There’s a bell at the top without the clanker or whatever its called, so this bell won’t make any noise. But there might be a hornets nest at the top on the outside, not that its bothering anybody way up there. Call maintenance!

So I crossed over to the other side of the road and walked by the sanitation pumping station and noticed these ruts in the grass. There is a little driveway in front of the pumping station, so I don’t know why workers don’t park on that while they’re doing whatever they’re doing there. But somebody, the CDD maybe, should fix this and tell the workers not to do this anymore? What do you think? Lets keep things beautiful!

Walking down a little further there were some irrigation system problems. Those should be fixed. I remember a couple years ago I wrote to the CDD about sections on Riverhall Parkway that were being watered for days. I was told that it was checked everyday, bye. I don’t know how the Hampton Lakes HOA was given the responsibility of maintaining the irrigation system? So if the pumps need repairs or replacement that’s the financial responsibility of the Hampton Lakes HOA. The Riverhall HOA and the CDD are just customers and they pay the Hampton Lakes HOA a flat rate to use the water. If the system breaks, its not their problem, its Hampton Lakes problem. If we put a meter on those feeds and raise the rates maybe it will be self sustaining in the long run. So, back to today, there was a gusher and several spots where the water was just oozing. Its been a while too because there’s a nice slim buildup.

The CDD says this utility box is owned by Comcast. And since the CDD does not have a Comcast account they have nothing to do with this, so don’t bother us. That’s pretty much what they said. That was about 2 years ago. Still uncovered. Remember that TV show Monk? I feel like Monk when I complain about things like this. But really, come on. Shouldn’t the owner of the property, the CDD, get up off their elbows, make a phone call and get this fixed! Geez! Keep America and Alva beautiful!