Hyde Park

A grand opening

With kids wearing red, white and blue hats and a band playing patriotic songs, neighbors celebrate the opening of the new Kate Jackson Community Center.

By SUSAN THURSTON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 21, 2003

Kids, teens and adults have a new second place to call home.

The Kate Jackson Community Center opened Wednesday with a big party for neighbors, recreation leaders and city officials.

"This is a great day for the neighborhood," said Randy Hollingworth, a Hyde Park resident who helped design the adjacent park and fountain.

More than 150 people attended the event to get a peek at the center before classes resume March 31.

Preschoolers wore red, white and blue Uncle Sam hats while the Tampa Community Band played America the Beautiful. Kate Jackson's great-niece, Lula Dovi, helped cut the gold ribbon.

Outgoing Mayor Dick Greco applauded neighbors for their involvement and urged them to reach out to others in less affluent parts of Tampa.

"I'm hoping we can continue this throughout the rest of the city," he said.

Norma Gene Burr, a major park donor, thanked the mayor for making the project possible. She dedicated a rocking chair in his name in the hopes that he will come back to Kate Jackson and sit.

The new center on Rome Avenue is everything the old one wasn't: spacious, modern and bright. Officials wanted a showpiece the neighborhood could enjoy for decades to come.

"There's really no comparison," said Pat Fowler, Kate Jackson's manager for 16 years. "It's a very big thrill."

The $1.3-million center has a huge ballroom and separate rooms for after-school programs, games and computer classes.

The center will offer many of the classes held at the old building in addition to some new ones. From calligraphy to cooking, there's a course for everyone.

People from 3 to 103 will find something to do at Kate Jackson, Fowler said. Over the years, more young families have moved to the area, creating a need for classes geared toward parents and their children.

The new building has cubbyholes for backpacks, space for vending machines and Fowler's favorite, a bathroom in the kids' room. And for the first time, the center will have outdoor restrooms for people using the park.

"It's definitely an upgrade of what we did have," said Gary Hunnicutt, who oversees rec centers in South Tampa. "There's a lot of room and a lot of space."

The 8,000-square-foot building was modeled after Kate Jackson's home, the Gables, which once occupied the site. Jackson, who died in 1940, helped organize the Tampa Civic Association and was a big promoter of public playgrounds.

Architects designed it to look like a one-story house, with its pitched roof, big windows and porches. They chose the muted yellow and green colors to match the surrounding homes and give it a historic feel.

City officials originally planned to renovate the existing 30-year-old building but determined it wasn't feasible. The roof leaked, weeds grew through gaps in the walls and the electrical system needed upgrading.

Funding for the new center came from a 1999 bond issue to cover $17-million in recreation projects at 16 sites. Work began in May.

During construction, the after-school and summer programs operated out of trailers set up at the Hyde Park playground at Swann and Albany avenues. Other classes found temporary meeting space.

The facility is one of the most used in the city. Hundreds visit it daily. It's open seven days a week and can be rented out for weddings, meetings and other special events.

Also this week, Greco unveiled plans for a $1.4-million Hunt Community Center planned at Al Lopez Park on N Himes Avenue. Construction on the 10,000-square-foot building is expected to take a year.

-- Susan Thurston can be reached at 226-3394 or thurston@sptimes.com .

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