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Builders Break Ground On St. Augustine Aquarium, Opening This Summer

Murphy Stidham
/
WJCT News

Builders broke ground today on the St. Augustine Aquarium, opening soon near Interstate 95. By the end of June, owners Shawn and Kathy Hiester plan to open a zip line course and snorkel adventure on the property.

Sean Hiester says the snorkel tank will hold 80,000 gallons of water and a variety of marine life.

“The undersea world is truly magical, and I’ve had the opportunity to experience that through SCUBA diving over the years," he said. "My wife isn’t able to SCUBA dive. It was her idea to bring the sea world to the people who can’t dive.”

Construction on phase two of the aquarium is scheduled to start this summer and finish about a year later.

Jessica Palombo supervises local news gathering and production, podcasts and web editorial content for WJCT News, ADAPT and Jacksonville Today. She is an award-winning writer and journalist with bylines including NPR, Experience Magazine, and The Gainesville Sun. She has a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University and is an alumna of the University of Florida. A nearly lifelong resident of Jacksonville, she considers herself lucky to be raising her own children in her hometown. Follow Jessica Palombo on Twitter: @JaxJessicaP