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Letter to the editor

Tennis, soccer site may get restrooms

Building the facilities would take about a year if Seminole council members give final approval.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published June 24, 2007

Relief is coming to this city's tennis and soccer players.

City Council members agreed last Tuesday to fast-track proposed restrooms at both Tennis Club Park and the soccer fields at the Holland G. Mangum Recreation Complex.

The agreement came during a discussion of Seminole's capital improvements budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The original plan provided that restrooms would be built at one, probably Tennis Club Park, in the coming year. The soccer fields would get new restrooms in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

The rationale for building first at Tennis Club Park was simple, City Manager Frank Edmunds said.

"The tennis park is more of a nuisance issue (in) that folks that are in need try to go to (Fire) Station 29, and Station 29 is a very active station. Often times the equipment is out on calls, and we cannot meet that public need, " Edmunds said.

But council member Tom Barnhorn wondered if installing restrooms at the soccer field first would be the better idea because it would help preserve the floors by keeping kids from tracking mud and other debris into the recreation center.

Edmunds said the city at one time required teams that use the soccer field to provide their own portable toilets.

Council member John Counts said there is no requirement, and recreation director Jim Sheets said the lack of facilities near the field is a problem for several reasons, principally with times the center is closed, like on Sundays.

"With the facility closed, there's no access to restroom facilities. We've received complaints, " Sheets said.

Edmunds said Seminole has about $2.5-million left over from the current Penny for Pinellas. That's enough to pay about $120, 000 for each of the restrooms.

Council members agreed to build both in the coming fiscal year, but the decision will not be final until the group votes on the issue later this summer.

If the decision holds, it will take about a year to build the facilities.

[Last modified June 23, 2007, 22:05:18]