Some big changes are coming to local parks thanks to a large focus in the proposed city budget.
Park advocates have something to celebrate following Monday night’s commission meeting.
The city’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year is chock full of exciting projects. However, one of its hidden gems is the multiple park renovations that will hopefully soon be underway. The proposal is to make the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget $6,157,947, which comes out to approximately 15 percent of the general fund or $156 per resident. That comes with an additional investment of $312,944 for “equipment to improve efficiency in daily operations of the Parks Maintenance division.”
On the horizon are some transformations to make recreation a breeze in the community. As a quick overview, the city plans to rebuild the Dort Street Basketball and Tennis Courts for $350,000 and to research and design a Spray Park for $100,000. It also wants to allocate an additional $350,000 to design and construct a new Tennis Center that includes restrooms, showers and other amenities. The city also wants to install a playground at the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center for $175,000 and allows $150,000 for other playground improvements.
Under Parks and Recreation Capital Projects, the city allows $110,000 to be divided into $25,000 for the Planteen Rec Center, $65,000 for the Oaklawn Cemetery fence and $20,000 for walking trail lighting at Ellis-Methvin Park.
Asset Maintenance is set for $52,000 and the plan is to allot $12,500 for the bike/nature trail at Sansone Park and $40,000 for general park improvements.
A portion of the Community Investment Tax always goes toward Parks and Rec. This year, $75,000 is to be allocated for the parking at the Dr. MLK Jr. Recreation Complex. There will also be $25,000 set aside for the Ellis-Methvin pedestrian bridge. Local ball fields and courts will have $130,000 set aside for lighting and the Dort Street Facility will have $165,450 for its reconstruction. The Spray Park, Sadye Gibbs playground, playground improvements and tennis center are also covered in the CIT.
Another highlight of the budget comes with the announcement that the city wants to create a Boy Scout Pit Park. The initial planning for that will run $50,000. The Boy Scout park could potentially become a waterfront park with a pier, kayak ramp and parking lot. It is proposed to be on Coronet Road just past the Roberts Ranch Road intersection.
City Manager Bill McDaniel said there are countless things to be excited about in the next fiscal year. However, the park improvements are what he believes will really draw a lot of attention.
“I think the playground, researching the Splash Park, moving forward and expanding our outdoor fitness program to Cooper Park are all very exciting,” McDaniel said. “I’m really passionate about the Boy Scout Pit Park Development project. We are kind of unique in Florida that there isn’t a single public, accessible waterfront park or activity area in our city. I don’t count standing on the banks of the East Side Canal. We don’t have a public lake that people can go to and drop a line to fish or kayak or canoe.”
The proposed Boy Scout Pit Park could solve that lacking amenity. Though the dream is just beginning, the upcoming budget has the allocated funds to get the study underway to identify potential uses for the property.
McIntosh Park continues to be one of the city’s top projects. McDaniel said what the park represents for the city not only as an amenity and a preserve, but also as a water management component makes it one of the city’s greatest assets.
“The water management component of it is generationally significant for the future of our city,” McDaniel said. “We are talking about the way to recharge water into the aquifer potentially, we are talking about stormwater management and water quality management. That is a tremendously impactful infrastructure project with a beautiful wildlife and wetlands amenity on top of it.”
The final reading of the budget will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28. You can attend the commission meeting in person or tune in on the City of Plant City’s Facebook or YouTube pages.
