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Lealman's persistence pays off with new park

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published September 21, 2005

LEALMAN - When Linda Shaffer first saw the Eden-like splendor of the undeveloped acreage along Joe's Creek five years ago, she knew it was the perfect place for a park.

Shaffer and others on the 40-member Lealman revitalization team immediately asked the county, which owns much of the acreage, to create one. But the county said no.

That kicked off a lobbying effort that has finally paid off. At 10 a.m. Saturday, Phase I of the Joe's Creek Greenway Park will be dedicated and opened to the public.

The 38-acre park will be the county's newest and one of only several in south Pinellas, including Lake Seminole, Walsingham, Sawgrass Lake and Fort De Soto parks.

"I'll probably cry at the opening," Shaffer said Tuesday. "It's my favorite project."

She added, "Every community needs a park. It just brings a sense of togetherness for the community. I'm just overjoyed for the whole thing."

Money for the project came from several sources.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District kicked in $295,000 for habitat restoration, stormwater improvements and educational features. The county dedicated $1,795,000 from the Penny for Pinellas and the Community Development Block Grant program for both phases.

Phase I includes a walking path, a bridge across the pond and parking. Phase II will include a restroom, additional parking, an auto-pedestrian bridge and the development of open/greenspace that can be used for festivals.

Ultimately, Shaffer and others on the revitalization team would like to see the park as one part of a longitudinal park system that spans both sides of Joe's Creek from its origin at the edge of St. Petersburg in the Joe's Creek industrial area to where it empties into the Cross Bayou Canal on the edge of Seminole.

The vision would include walking and dog paths on one side and, perhaps, a horse path on the other side of the creek. Several small parks would be located along the pathway.

It's a heady vision but no more ambitious than the concept of Joe's Creek Greenway Park.

When members of the revitalization team first conceived of the park, their community, which stretches on both sides of Kenneth City between Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg, was barely known.

When community leaders met with county commissioners, they had to explain to many exactly where and what unincorporated Lealman is. But little by little, they got officials' attention and support in the form of such things as "Welcome to Lealman" signs.

Ray Neri, head of the Lealman Community Association, was particularly insistent about the park. It did not matter if Neri was talking about the need for a unified garbage service in the area, the need for fire hydrants, or any of Lealman's other needs, he always reminded people of the Joe's Creek property.

He badgered reporters and photographers for publicity, insisting that they see the property. He enlisted the help of the Audubon Society, which sent members to tour the acreage. He drove county commissioners and county staff members to see the property.

In almost any conversation with government officials, Neri found a way to interject, "Have I told you about the park property?"

The targeted official would laugh at one more reminder of the community's wants.

But persistence paid off earlier this year. The county gave in and agreed to develop the property as a park.

County Commissioners Barbara Sheen Todd, Ken Welch and John Morroni supported the idea from the start. The community, Neri said, is so grateful to Todd that they want to name the park after her.

To do that, the county must form a naming committee, said assistant county administrator Gay Lancaster. That has not been done and, while Lancaster said that should happen soon, it is unclear when that will be.

There were some pitfalls from the bureaucracy, but that ended after Steve Spratt became county administrator. As Neri had done with others, he drove Spratt to the property and gave him the sales pitch.

"As soon as he came into this area, he saw it right away," Neri said. "The timing was right. Believe me, it was like the stars lined up. (But) it still took 5 1/2 years."

Neri said last week that he could not yet quite believe that Lealman is finally getting its park. For him, the realization will set in when he walks the new path Saturday.

"This particular park, it's almost a miracle," Neri said. "No question, it will be a thrill to see something you wanted for so long. . .to see it actually happen. . .This will be good. It's a drop-dead beautiful setting."

And with any luck, he said, the park will spark an interest in Lealman and bring with it improved housing and other solutions to the problems that plague the area.

"Lealman is starting to click, and people are starting to understand this is a desirable place to live," Neri said.

NAME: Joe's Creek Greenway Park (for now, at least)

LOCATION: 4303 46th Ave. N, in unincorporated Lealman.

DESCRIPTION: 38 acres inhabited by a variety of endangered, threatened and rare animal species.

COMMON VEGETATION: Pickerelweed, Southern red cedar, bald cypress, duck potato, spartina, Carolina willow, red maple, live oak, broomsedge bluestem grass (native), bidens, fleabane.

WILDLIFE ROUTINELY OBSERVED: Alligators, peninsular cooter turtle, wood stork, roseate spoonbill, white ibis, great blue heron, little blue heron, cattle egret, great egret, tricolored heron, red-shouldered hawk, red-winged blackbird, snowy egret, limpkin, osprey, blue-winged teal, common moorhen, white peacock butterfly, great Southern white butterfly, dainty sulfur butterfly, gulf fritillary butterfly, blue jay, anhinga, double-crested cormorant, Carolina wren, downy woodpecker, yellow-crowned night heron, coot, robin, mockingbird, mourning dove, northern shoveler, palm warbler.

Source: Pinellas County

[Last modified September 21, 2005, 00:24:18]