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$3.2 million earmarked for city land purchase
By THOMAS MICHALSKI
Article published on Friday, Dec. 22, 2006 |
PINELLAS PARK – The City Council, in its quest to offer more recreational activities for youths and adults, is expected to approve two land deals totaling more than $3.2 million to expand two present parks.
One of the parcels includes a lake that may be stocked with fish and used for angling and other water activities.
The $2.8 million 9-acre tract at 62nd Avenue and 40th Street that abuts Youth Park to the north may be earmarked for conversion into a long-needed football field and for so-called extreme sports such as skateboarding.
City Manager Michael Gustafson said the lake on the property needs to be cleared of overgrown vegetation and other materials before it can be converted for public recreational use.
“We have no immediate plans for the property,” Gustafson said. “That will come after we actually own it.”
The area around the lake would most likely include a picnic area and a paved trail for bicycling and running.
Gustafson said stocking the lake once it’s cleaned out would not be financed by the city, but rather the Florida Agricultural Department.
The Freedom Lake Park land purchase of $353,400 from Pinellas Park Chapter 91 of the Disabled American Veterans Holding Corp. would be used to expand activities in that area.
The park, which has a section of monuments and an actual Vietnam-era military jet dedicated to various armed services and war veterans, is earmarked for additional activities.
However, plans will not be completed until after the purchase.
The Freedom Lake property also includes a 4,000-square-foot building that could be converted for use as a meeting hall or recreation center.
Much of the money for recreational development will come from Pinellas County, the state and federal agencies.
The city over the years has created a number of new parks in different neighborhoods. A former mobile home facility on Park Boulevard has been razed to make way for Phase 3 of the Park Boulevard Storm Water Project and will be converted into a retention pond complete with a picnic area and a trail for running and bicycling.
The city also is in the process of converting the old Crosspointe Baptist Church auditorium behind City Hall into a performing arts center.
Much of the work on that project has been completed. The building already has been used for Christmas and Veterans Day performances.
Tim Caddell, the city’s media director, said the performing arts center will be used for performances, musicals and rented out.
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Article published on Friday, Dec. 22, 2006
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