All Entries Tagged With: "Columbia Bottom"
Confluence Trash Bash returns on March 26
Despite the wet weather, volunteers still managed to pick up literally tons of debris at Confluence Trash Bash 2010. Photo by Dan Zarlenga.
For the past ten years, a grassroots organization called Missouri River Relief has been rallying volunteers to clean up our region’s waterways. Last year alone, they pulled more than 700 tires and 55 tons of trash from local rivers. And with their help, the annual Confluence Trash Bash has grown into one of the largest one-day clean-up events in the state.
Sponsored by Trailnet, the Confluence Partnership and Metropolitan Sewer District, Trash Bash brings together volunteers just like you to help clean up lakes, streams and rivers all over North County. This year, some of the areas to be cleaned include Spanish Lake, Coldwater Creek, Maline Creek and North Riverfront Park. A handful of volunteers will also have the chance to work from boats on the Mississippi.
Everyone who participates will get free lunch and a t-shirt. And to keep things fun, trash artists will be on hand to create recycled art from some of the objects found, and prizes will be awarded for the most interesting items discovered during the pick-up.
Trash Bash volunteers will meet at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and spread out from there. To sign up, you can register here. The 2011 Confluence Trash Bash will be held Saturday, March 26, from 8:30am to noon. For more info, call (314) 436-1324, ext. 123.
Eagle Days are here again!
Even if you’re not a regular bird watcher, seeing an American Bald Eagle is an amazing and profound experience, especially when it’s right in your own backyard. I don’t know about you, but I think one of the most awesome and underrated things about North County is that every single winter, we are home to hundreds of migrating Bald Eagles, many of whom are clearly visible at our river shorelines.
A few years ago, my husband and I were driving across the new Chain of Rocks Bridge toward Illinois, and literally 20 feet away was a magnificent eagle in flight. I was able to look him (or her) right in the eye, and it’s a moment I will never forget. I wish the same incredible experience for you, NOCO fans, so I encourage you to attend one or both of this weekend’s Eagle Days events…
The first is at Columbia Bottom Conservation area and runs from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, January 15. You can watch eagles as they soar above the Confluence, using magnified scopes to zoom in your view. There will also be a warming tent, short hikes and a photography class, and everything is free. Just drop in at 801 Strodtman Road, Saint Louis, MO 63138.
Also on Saturday, January 15, you can watch for eagles from the old Chain of Rocks Bridge, where the Confluence Greenway is hosting a free public program from 9am to 3pm. Bring your own binoculars or use the viewing scopes on site. You can also see an eagle’s nest replica, living history demonstrations, a St. Louis Audubon Society display, and a real live eagle up close! Live eagle educational programs will be repeated every 20 minutes from 10:00am to 2:40pm. And yes, just in case the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s a warming tent nearby.
Hope to see you there… 10950 Riverview Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63137
Two ideas for New Year fun in NoCo
Does the quiet beauty of Columbia Bottom call to you on New Years Eve?
If you haven’t made plans yet for New Years Eve, I have two intriguing options for you to consider…and they’re both close to home:
1) End the year surrounded by nature with a relaxing stroll along the wooded path at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. The moon is waning so it won’t be very bright, but that will allow you to hone your senses and possibly catch a glimpse of nocturnal animals. You’ll also have a chance to view the confluence at night, feeling the powerful energy of two rivers coming together in a beautifully peaceful setting. As of this morning, there are only 10 spots left for this free hike, which starts at Columbia Bottom‘s Slough Exploration station at 8pm tomorrow night. So hurry up and call (314) 877-6014 to register.
2) OK, so maybe a nature walk isn’t your thing. You need champagne! Well, you can enjoy that plus a full buffet dinner and all the fresh brewed beer you can drink at the Ferguson Brewhouse. From 7:30 to 12:30 on New Years Eve, owner Joe Lonero is hosting a rocking party in his upstairs Sky Room. Tickets are $60 per person or $100 per couple. And guess what, NOCO fans? Not only will I be there to celebrate, but I have two free tickets to give away!
To win, all you have to do is share one thing that you’ve been grateful for in 2010, using the comment section below. I’ll randomly select a winner tonight at 9pm and email them immediately thereafter, posting the results on Facebook. So please be sure to include a valid email address (which will be kept entirely private).
As for me, I’m grateful for all of you! I sincerely appreciate your support of NOCO and North County in 2010, and I wish every one of you a wonderful 2011 full of love, light and joy!! Happy New Year!
North County casino efforts fall short
Many North County & St. Louis City residents got their wish this week, when the Missouri Gaming Commission voted against a proposed casino near the Chain of Rocks Bridge.
First there was North County Development LLC, which wanted to build a casino on the floodplain adjacent to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Then came the Koman family, who wanted to build a casino just down river, at a site near the Chain of Rocks Bridge where American Bald Eagles migrate every winter. Well, the Missouri Gaming Commission doled out its 13th and final gaming license yesterday, and it looks like neither of these proposed developments will be happening. Thank goodness.
North County Development LLC actually dropped out of the running back in October, unable to pull its financing together in time. But the Komans fought hard until the end, even partnering with Vegas-based Tropicana Entertainment before ultimately losing their bid to the proposed Isle of Capri casino in Cape Girardeau.
When asked why St. Louis didn’t get the nod, gaming commission chairman Jim Mathewson said: “We received stacks and stacks of opposition, just baskets of it, from the area… And I think probably the biggest single concern there is, is that the market is already well-covered” with casinos.
Well, duh. I’m just glad we didn’t have to ruin one of our community’s finest natural gems to figure that out…
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K