The memorial service for Kirt Smith took place Saturday (Sept. 17) in Ormond Beach. Flower arrangements and other gestures of grief and kindness–bears, Elmo, crosses, tiny messages–have been moved from the memorial site to the site where Kirt was struck by a pick-up truck the night of Aug. 26, on Seminole Woods Blvd., a mile south of State Road 100, and where a roadside memorial has been growing in the shade of palms since.
Click On:
- 15-Year-Old Kirt Smith Dies as a Result of Injuries from Seminole Woods Blvd. Collision
- Light Up Palm Coast: Petitioning the City Council to Put Safety Before Beautification
- Light Up Palm Coast Petition
- Small Government’s Price: No Sidewalk Money, City Says in Wake of Boy’s Death on Seminole
“All the neighbors, everybody comes up here, all the moms,” Tracy Marino said around noon today as she was dropping off a wicker angel. Her daughter was a friend of Kirt’s. The families along Seminole Woods have been keeping up the roadside memorial, and intend to keep doing so, perhaps awaiting what might become a more enduring memorial in Kirt’s memory: lights and sidewalks along Seminole Woods.
“It’s important for people who really care to sign that petition,” Marino said of the Light Up Palm Coast petition started by petition started by Dede Siebenaler in the wake of the crash.
Kirt was riding his bike with a friend, going south on the dark road well past sunset, when he was hit. The driver of the pick-up driver hadn’t seen him. Kirt spent three days in intensive care. He died on Aug. 29.
Kirt would have been 16 tomorrow. He was born on Sept. 22, 1995.
“It would have been his sweet 16th,” Marino said. The bike had been an early 16th-birthday present. He couldn’t wait to ride it, of course. One of the signs at the site says it all: “Ride in peace.” Kirt’s other favorites: gummy bears, Elmo and waffles. He was a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School, the son of Sherrie Taylor Ehrman and Brent Smith.
Dede Siebenaler says
Thanks so much, Flagler Live, for the attention you have given, and continue to give, to a child taken much too soon.
My efforts in bringing more attention to the lack of sidewalks and lighting in this area has not stopped. I will continue to press on, in Kirt’s memory, for what the citizens of Palm Coast deserve.
Ride In Peace, Kirt <3
Jessica says
I was driving by there today and stop by to take some pictures , glad to see someone sent them in . My neice and nephew live on that path , and there is a BIG TIME need for sidewalks , bus stops are now on Semional Woods not on there street ,we need to keep these kids safe .
Kerri says
http://www.change.org/petitions/palm-coast-florida-get-more-side-walks-in-palm-coast
Please take a minute to sign this petition as well, the kids of Palm Coast made this in honor of Kirt! This is so sad. WE need to take a stand for the safety of our kids. WE need lights, or a bike trail. There are so many children that live in Palm Coast. They need a place to ride and still be safe. In Seminole Woods there is a great park, but how do the kids get there if we do not have a sidewalk or a bike trail? My hearts aches for this family. PLEASE EVERYONE TAKE A STAND FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN.
RIDE IN PEACE FOREVER KIRT!
Maria Pugliese says
I couldn’t agree with you more, Dede. I signed the petition on change.org.
tracy marino says
happy birthday kirt, and thank you Flagler live for helping keep his memory alive <3
palmcoaster says
On Kirt Birthday I signed too.
May God be With You says
Why CAN’T we have a Childrens Memorial Garden on Seminole woods:
http://palmcoastgov.com/CityDocs/Resident/MemorialGarden/Childrens%20Memorial%20Garden.pdf
You can build this to remember the children why not a pathway and some street lights on seminole woods.
May God be With You says
Here is the posting on the city of Palm Coasts Attractions:
http://palmcoastgov.com/City/Attractions/MemorialGarden/
If you want to have more tourist and list some attractions, why not make it safe for everyone that lives and comes here, so we have alot less children’s names on those markers. I know for a fact if it was a city officials child who got hit by a car that night, that path would have already been started!
Is the City of Palm Coast going to put a marker for Kirt at the Memorial?
Are they going to put a statue of a child riding his or her bike in the memorial?
Ashley Coppola says
Happy Birthday my lil gummy bear!i love you and miss you so much!<3 i hope your cake in heaven is good,lol!save a spot for me up there.<3
Lisa says
Happy Birthday Kirt Allen Smith. We miss you. RIP!!!
lafejaran houseman says
I would rather see the PC officials spend money on streetlights rather than on landscaping medians and a new city hall. How can we force the city to put up street lights?
Rosa says
I never understood why we have miles of sidewalks on both sides of US1 North where no one lives yet in Seminole Woods or Quail Hollow there are none. How many times I shuddered when I had to pass a person on a bike on BelleTerre in Quail Hollow. Seminole Woods is only a little better by having the 4 lanes. How my heart breaks for this family losing their child as he is just beginning to grow. I pray it is not in vain. I pray strength for you and your family as well.
PalmCoastPioneers says
How ITT gave us ‘Bicycle Paths’ and School Sites Acreage, etc., from the very beginning of ‘The Palm Coast Project’. We can only hope the city continues with this practice this Century to provide safety and enjoyment for all Palm Coasters.
***********************
Because you have made a commitment in Palm Coast by establishing your home here, we believe you should be aware of an agreement that we recently reached with the Federal Trade Commission.
ITT Community Development Corporation ( ICDC) has signed a Consent Agreement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning the furture development of Palm Coast. Signing the agreement does not constitute an admission that any law has been violated, as the agreement itself states. We feel the agreement is important in order to attain our primary goal —
development of Palm Coast as a balanced, well-rounded community.
An important part of the Consent Agreement calls for the execution of plans, within six years, which we believe, in the long run, will be good for Palm Coast. In brief, among other things , we have agreed to the following:
1. A shopping center with at least 400,000 square feet of floor space will be provided.We are already in contact with prospective developers of individual stores, including a supermarket.
2. With appropriate governmental agreement, a traffic interchange on Interstate Highway 95 will be constructed to serve Palm Coast according to plans we submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation in August 1972. ICDC will pay for the interchange as originally designed.
3. An office and research park area will be developed with appropriate roads and utilities to serve it and landscaping to make it an attractive part of Palm Coast. Planning for this already is under way.
4. A multi-purpose office building, with at least 5,000 square feet of floor space, will be constructed for tenants in the office and reserch park. This structure, also, is under planning.
5. We will move the headquarters of ICDC to Palm Coast. We plan to be substantial employer contributing much to the economy of Palm Coast and Flagler County.
The agreement also provides for us to restrict our developoment efforts to 42,000 acres for a period of 15 years ( with possible extension for another five years). This will allow appropriate construction in areas set aside for commercial establishments, light industry, recreation, preservation and conservation and other residential uses. Moreover, during this 15- or 20-year period, sales will be limited to 48,000 registered lots of which over 36,000 already have been sold.
The aforementioned are some of the most important points contained in the Consent Agreement as it affect you and the balanced development of Palm Coast. You will also be interested in knonwing of additional projects that we believe further enhance the community.. Here are some examples:
We have donated two acres of land, adjoining the furture Emergency Services Building site, to the Palm Coast branch of the YMCA to be used as the location fo a Community Activities Center. We will bear the cost of constructing this facility for all community residents and for sharing in operational expenses during its first three years — a gift totalling more than $400,000.
We have provided as a gift a site of 57 acres to the Flagler County School Board for a junior-senior high school.
The first class of proud seniors was graduated from Flagler-Palm Coast High School last spring.
We have designated a number of sites for recreation parks, preservation and conservation, and other public areas. ———-> One site, in Section 1-A, now is being developed and a paved bicycle path has been constructed. Another bike path, starting near the Yacht Club, is in use. <—————-
We are working with the Palm Coast Civic Association so that Palm Coast residents can form a legal entity to which we can donate a one-acre site and an Emergency Services Building to house fire and security forces, an ambulance, and facilities for community activities. A preliminary blueprint fo the structure has been approved by a committeee from the Community.
As you know, we donated a $36,000 pumper fire truck to the Palm Coast Volunteer Fire Department , which will be stationed in the Emergency Services Building..
Palm Coast's first church building, St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, ws dedicated on the morning of July 4. Catholic and Baptist church organizations have purchased sites for their proposed churches. And Temple Beth Shalom is considering building a Synagogue. We at ICDC are very pleased, as we know citizens of Palm Coast are, to witness this growth and progress in the vitally important religioius life of our community.
Palm Coast's first financial institution, a branch of the Security First Federal Savings and Loan Association, recently opened for business. We believe others will follow with the growth of the community.
These and many other facilitites will be needed to serve Palm Coast's growing population. And it is growing. During the last nine months, construction of over 200 homes began. We now have over 1,000 people living and enjoying the good life at Palm Coast.
In closing, let me assure you that the ITT Community Development Corporation believes very strongly in the furture of Palm Coast and that we are determined that it will grow and progress in a balanced and healthy manner.
Sincerely yours,
Alan Smolen
President.
August 1976
(FR: a personal letter to us from Alan Smolen discussing the 'Consumer REDRESS' Federally ordered for us and of course to benefit present and future Palm Coasters. )
palmcoaster says
Dear Pioneer thank you for your statement and support. As a resident in spite of my near retirement age, I dearly care very much for our children and their safety and well being that should be immediately addressed by the City of Palm Coast and County. City should stop immediately any additional sidewalks constructions or widening in areas where already sidewalks exist and move the new sidewalks to be built where there are NONE, like in Seminole Pkwy, so Kirt’s life was not lost in vane. This should be the first order of business to vote by newly re-elected Mayor Netts…We don’t want wider improved Palm Harbor sidewalks or a second set of Belle Terre sidewalks to further benefit Town Center Developer. We need them where there are NONE. County should also collaborate in the same manner. How come county commissioners like Holland, Peterson, Nate M. push and approve on our pockets a new over $400,000 for this bogus and useless Economic Development Department hiring Greg Rawls with a 64,000 to 97,000 salary (just let go by public opinion with the demise of Enterprise Flagler) and now they decide to foot the bill all alone so the County Manager friend can still make a living in this county?
Also how come county solicits from John Mica chair of the Federal Transportation Commission in DC $600,000, plus whatever the local matching funds to any grant aka tax payers $$ could be, to widen and extend an airport runway used only by elite private aircraft, instead of soliciting grants to help build infrastructure needed for our kids to be safe biking from Town Center attractions to their homes in Seminole Pky? These are the grants that Mr. Mica should get for us instead in DC, after all bike paths are along highways within the DOT infraestructure,aren’t day?. I would appreciate any correction to any data error above as well anyone contesting what I am saying, here to do an in depth research first and keep the derogatory name calling if possible. I now reality is shocking enough to ruffle some feathers.
flagler beach native says
WE HAVE BEEN TREATED LIKE THE RED HEADED STEP–CHILD IN SEMINOLE WOODS FOR YEARS I BOUGHT MY HOME IN SEMINOLE WOODS IN 1991 AND YOU STILL DO NOT SEE LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROLLING THE ROADS OUT HERE .WE NEED LIGHTS—-SIDE WALKS—AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PATROLLING THE ROADS!!!!THEY DO NOT FORGET US AROUND TAX TIME!!!!
may god be with you says
We tried to light up the memorial there on seminole woods but some heartless person stole all the solor lights. We just wanted to give light to this and someone out there wants to take it all away! If anyone has witnessed this please contact the police!
RIP Kirt
y says
they wont build anything the city just stupid like that an if it does then it wont be a verry long side walk
Arianna Roberson says
Happy Birthday Kirt <3 you were my best friends boyfriend and my 2 close friends brother….. Ride in Peace, you were a AWESOME dude while you were here! Hav Fun on ur B-Day in Heaven (: