‘We cross our fingers and pray,’ every hurricane season. Rubonia will soon get needed help

The historically Black community of Rubonia was established in 1920 and despite some minor improvements in the 1980s to its antiquated drainage system, residents’ anxieties rise each hurricane season as they await a much needed county drainage project.

That project is finally set to begin construction in January.

Bernita Lane said flood waters easily overcame the community’s drainage ditches and came half way up to her home during Tropical Storm Eta’s 9-inch deluge on Wednesday. The only thing that saved her home, and others, is that the rain was steady for hours instead of a typical tropical downpour that can quickly bring a disaster.

“If we are in the middle of a major storm during high tide, we’re done,” Lane said. Every hurricane season, “we cross our fingers and pray.”

Eta certainly isn’t the first storm during which Rubonia barely escaped significant damage. In September of 2017, Hurricane Irma, which was more of a wind event, caused flooding throughout the mostly low-income community.

Well before Irma, the community came together to address their concerns to Manatee County government. Promises of an updated drainage project were made.

“We’re used to not getting our questions answered,” Lane said. “We’re important, too.”

It has been a long wait, but it’s almost here, according to Manatee County Public Works spokesman Ogden Clark.

“The design has been completed and the contractor, Woodruff and Sons, were given a notice to proceed on Oct. 28,” Clark said. “In theory, they have begun doing locates and doing initial survey work, but residents won’t see the heavy construction until January.”

Three months before Irma, the county pledged about $2.4 million for the project in its 2017 budget, $1.5 million of which is coming from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Ogden said the county was able to secure the grants because it is essentially a water quality improvement project. Included in the work will be separation boxes that remove chemicals and other pollutants prior to stormwater being delivered to nearby McMullen Creek.

“Residents definitely need to stay tuned because this project is coming,” Clark said.

The project includes new sidewalks for the tight-knit community, as well as a better drainage system.

A night of fear turns into a morning of love

Residents said the night brought a certain amount of fear, but come morning, “You’d never know what we through last night,” said Cassandra Fredrick. “People were out in golf carts cleaning up debris and the trash that blew everywhere. Rubonia is a beautiful neighborhood and the community comes together.”

Fredrick was sitting with Vivian Franklin and Dale Barton outside the community’s mini market. Fredrick has only lived in the community for a year while Franklin has been in Rubonia for 15 years and Barton is a lifelong resident. Years that separate them don’t mean a lot in Rubonia. If you live there, you’re family.

“In Rubonia, the community takes care of the community,” Fredrick said.

Fredrick said once Manatee County keeps its word, the community will take care of the rest.

“If they do help us, and make things more presentable, we’re going to continue to keep up with the property,” she said. “But it has to start somewhere. If they come and get it off the ground, we’ll maintain it as a community.”

As far as the surviving another round of flooding that could have been worse, “We made it through,” Franklin said. “When I tried to open my door, the winds forced it shut on me. Every now and then I’d hear a weird noise that sounded like a tornado, but I prayed about it and it wasn’t.”

Barton said the most important thing is no one got hurt and expressed confidence Manatee County will do the right thing. He helped with the project in the 1980s that installed additional ditches in the neighborhood.

“As long as it’s fully funded, they still just can’t move when they want to,” Barton said. “They have to go through the process. You just have to wait your turn, but I know it’s going to be done. It’s just a matter of time. I’m confident about that.”

This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 2:36 PM.