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Homeowners preview Giddens Park makeover

Some Southeast Seminole Heights residents say the designs for a fountain don't suit the neighborhood.

By SHERRI DAY
Published May 27, 2005

A Giddens Park makeover has hit a potential design snag, pitting neighbor against neighbor over the details of the park's facelift.

Last week, a group of homeowners in Southeast Seminole Heights reviewed plans for the park's supposed crown jewel, a 50- to 55-foot-long interactive fountain. Some residents said the fountain designs are out of place in their neighborhood.

Two of the designs, which were created by Brooklyn, N.Y., artists Carol May and Tim Watkins, are interpretations of 1920s-era toys, complete with a spinning top, jacks and croquet balls.

In the third rendering, the artists created a circus-themed design with a high-wire act and an elephant. Each design is intended to pay homage to the period when many of the bungalows in the area were built.

"These are just things that can be put down anywhere in the United States and have no significant relevance to here," Southeast Seminole Heights resident David Scott Banghart said. "You could put that in a mall."

Banghart plans to hold a neighborhood meeting to address the concerns. He urged a halt to fountain design work until the community has a chance to give its input.

Giddens Park at McBerry and 12th streets is the first of 10 parks designated for improvement by the Mayor's Beautification Program and its Greenprinting Initiative. The park was tapped for a makeover in 2003. So far, a new parking lot, a sidewalk and fencing have been added.

City officials expect the first phase, including a fountain and gazebo, to cost about $383,000 and be completed by fall. Funding has come from the city, the F.E. Lykes Foundation, Leadership Tampa and the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association, city officials said.

Last summer, the city put out a national request for artist proposals. The designs became an issue last week when Andrew Baker, a Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association member representing the neighborhood in meetings with city officials, presented the plans to homeowners.

When Baker counted votes Monday night, residents chose the croquet ball design as their favorite. But some refused to vote, citing displeasure with the choices.

"I don't expect everybody to like what we have," said Baker, who questions where critics were during the initial planning stages. "But I expect them to say based upon what we've been given "this is the best of the three."'

Robin Nigh, manager of Tampa's Public Arts program, said it's healthy for public art to elicit a visceral response.

"None of those are final designs," said Nigh, who expects the artists to visit Tampa next month. "The artists are very happy to listen to the community and the neighborhood."

Civic association president Beverly Morrow said dissenters represent only a small portion of homeowners.

"This is for the children," Morrow said. "As long as the fountain is safe and large enough to accommodate a number of children without them bumping into each other, I doubt that the children are going to be concerned with what the artwork looks like."

Sherri Day can be reached at 226-3405 or sday@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 26, 2005, 08:27:04]