Officials have already taken requests from several groups and have included two football and soccer fields and a dog park.
By STEPHEN HEGARTY
Published August 11, 2004
LAND O'LAKES - Residents who outgrew their recreation complex years ago can get their first peek at plans for the expanded park later this month.
The county will hold a town meeting Aug. 25 to show off maps and drawings and to get public comment.
If residents like what they see, and if the project schedule goes as planned, the recreation complex will roughly double in size by summer 2006.
"We're ecstatic," said Amye Cox, chairwoman of the Central Pasco Sports Coalition. "They took our wish list and made it a reality."
The additional 39.3 acres for the recreation complex are southeast of the existing complex on Collier Parkway. Pasco County officials spent $2.59-million for the acreage last year, and then set out to find a way to fit all they could on those nearly 40 acres. Various sports groups were invited to add their wants and needs to a growing wish list.
"We wanted to hear from everybody because we want everybody to get something out of it," said Pasco County parks director Jim Slaughter.
"We're totally bursting at the seams here at the recreation complex," Slaughter said. "This is a growing community, and we need more room."
As would be expected, Slaughter and Cox sought advice from area baseball, football and soccer leagues - groups that constantly compete for limited parking space. The new area will add two football fields, two soccer fields, three baseball fields and a softball field.
They also heard from less traditional groups that added to the wish list, such as area skateboarders and triathletes. They'll get something, too. The existing basketball courts will be moved over to the new park area, and a skate park will be built in between the tennis courts and recreation center.
And in something of a surprise, Slaughter said he received about 400 signatures on a petition calling for a dog park: a wide open spot where dogs can run free.
"We've got leash laws," Slaughter said. "You can't let your dog run free. People wanted the park to have a fenced-in area where they could let their dog loose."
The proposal includes a fenced-in dog park toward the southwest corner of the new park.
The park site had some built-in challenges that architects have had to work around.
A pet cemetery on the west side of the property (near the Land O'Lakes Branch Library) was deemed off limits. The cemetery property will not be disturbed or moved.
Power lines along the northern end of the park land also required some adjustment. Because the power lines could not be moved or eliminated, and because playing fields could not be located below the power lines, that area is being used for parking.
A paved trail will run along the rim of the baseball and soccer fields, creating a nearly 1-mile running or walking loop.
The park design still must get the necessary approvals from state agencies - such as the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which will see to it that wetlands are not disturbed - and from the Pasco County Commission.
But before the plan goes before those boards for scrutiny, the county wants to run it by the community that will use the park.
IF YOU GO
Want to comment on the plans for the expanded Land O'Lakes park? County officials will have a meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Land O'Lakes Recreation Complex at 3032 Collier Parkway.
