Looking into the future...Remaking the past

The city of St Petersburg lies always in the shadow of the crane and the wrecking ball as the city continues to be dependent on the tourists and "snowbirds" who spend some of each year enjoying the sunshine and beaches but have no real commitment to the city and its problems.  Too much of the past is demolished to satisfy the economic needs of a city that too often looks only to the future without learning from the mistakes of the past.

Not all is gloom and doom.  There are some current projects that address the needs of the permanent citizens.  The restoration of some of the historic buildings in "the Deuces" & the new Studio 620 downtown are just two.  But lack of affordable housing is becoming an increasingly desperate problem for those who live in St Petersburg.  And the maintenance and attempted control of the beautiful beaches that draw  thousands of visitors each year drains the resources of city, county and state while also destroying the delicate balance between man and nature.

You have now reached your final destination on our virtual tour of the history of St. Petersburg, Florida.  Here is where you will have the opportunity to solve one or more of the future problems of the area , correct past mistakes, or create your own record of life in the past.  And you will do this by drawing on your own interests, talents and skills.

Looking into the future of St Petersburg might involve such diverse projects as designing a solution to water pollution and shortages, addressing environmental concerns, an in-depth look at the history of civil rights issues and some possible solutions, residential or commercial development strategies that would protect the environment and offer efficient and cheap climate control.  You could investigate ways in which affordable housing would be ensured for those who live and work here .  You might design a residence or office building of the future that is constructed of local materials and fits into the environment rather than changing it.  Or perhaps marine biology is your interest and you want to clean up the beaches and protect the marine life.  Might there be an industry for the area that would lessen dependence on tourism?  What about public transportation and health care?  And there is that uncontrollable weather.  Is there a way to live safely with the constant threat of hurricanes?  These are only a few of the possibilities for your project.

Remaking the past could involve an alternative city plan or creating a city park.  You might become an explorer from the 17th century keeping a journal that describes the strange vegetation, wild life, and people that inhabit this new world.  Or perhaps you have a talent for drawing and could create a sketch book of the marine life and/or vegetation  to show your friends and family when you return to your own country.  Again the possibilities are only limited to your own imagination.

The presentation of your project can be either a web log (blog) or  a web site of your own creation.  Those who are taking the course in the classroom also have the option of an oral presentation.  Below you will find links to some free software as well as free hosting sites.  There are many others as well so you may want to do your own search.

Blog Software & Information
Blogger
Greymatter
Weblogs Compendium

Web Design Editors & Free Hosting
About's HTML Editors
Web Developer's Virtual Library
#1 Access Host - 100 Free Web Hosts
Yahoo Geocities

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