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Riverfront park ideas floated at forum
A meeting shared ideas about making the project attractive and Ashley Drive pedestrian friendly.
By RICK GERSHMAN
Published June 23, 2006
TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio thinks downtown needs a central park, a waterfront "crown jewel" that brings together residents. "With Curtis Hixon Park, we have a space where people can see a vision for the future," she told attendees at a public forum last week. About 60 people congregated at Maestro's at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on June 14 to hear early design ideas for the project, which the city is calling Downtown Waterfront Park. People also shared thoughts on making Ashley Drive more pedestrian friendly and aesthetically pleasing. The waterfront park is planned as the central destination in Iorio's Riverwalk project, a $40-million endeavor that would link Tampa Heights to Channelside. Thomas Balsley's New York firm is designing the park, bordered by Ashley Drive, the Poe Garage, the Hillsborough River and Rivergate Tower. Balsley presented three possible plans for the project. Each included a new Tampa Museum of Art, a children's museum and a restaurant. Donald Shockey, a project manager with EDAW, presented ideas for the Ashley Drive renovation. He called trying to cross the street "an extremely disturbing experience" and suggested reducing the number of lanes. The city has posted the plans on its Web site, www.tampagov.net, to allow continued feedback. A version of this story appeared elsewhere in the Times. Rick Gershman can be reached at rgershman@sptimes.com or 226-3431.
[Last modified June 22, 2006, 12:24:24]
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