News
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
New place to play nears its opening
The first phase of the $20-million Wesley Chapel park officially opens on Monday.
By CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published July 13, 2007
WESLEY CHAPEL - It seems that some people have a perfect sense of timing.
When the Pasco Times spoke to Jeff Miller seven months ago, he said he couldn't wait for the new Wesley Chapel District Park to open.
He and his wife, Laura, both Realtors who moved here from Southern California three years ago, had three small children and were expecting twins at the time.
On July 4, they got their latest arrivals: twin boys called Collin and Shayne.
Right on schedule.
After more than a year of work, the $20-million first phase of the 120-acre Wesley Chapel District Park officially opens to the public on Monday, said Rick Buckman, Pasco's parks chief.
"We got the Certificate of Occupancy yesterday," Buckman said Thursday. "The gates are going down today."
The park's first official game will be held Saturday, Aug. 18, for youth football, Buckman said.
That's also when county officials are gunning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They're still trying to pin county commissioners down to a firm date, Buckman said.
The park boasts 10 fields, each of which can be interchanged for football or soccer; four tennis courts; four basketball courts; and a "boundless" playground for special needs children, among other features.
A major lacrosse tournament is on track to be held at the park in early 2008.
Buckman said people have already been using the park, but contractors are still tying up loose ends. Public use will be made official on Monday.
Miller's ready.
"I'll be there Monday," he said. "As you can imagine, we're excited."
He'll bring his older kids: Jack, 5, Amanda, 4, and Ayden, 2. With the new twins, that's quite a merry bunch for Jeff and Laura.
Just like the district park, the Millers have decided to wind down their production rate for a while.
"We're done," he said, laughing.
Chuin-Wei Yap can be reached at (813) 909-4613 or cyap@sptimes.com.
[Last modified July 12, 2007, 23:03:30]
Share your thoughts on this story
Comments on this article
|
by Fred
|
07/13/07 02:59 PM
|
|
Yet after 30 years we still have no park at the Belcher mine site. PCC you should pat yourselves on the back but as usual aim a little lower.
|
|
by Jane
|
07/13/07 08:19 AM
|
|
Can't wait for the park to open. Perhaps this will help with the kids bordem and get them out of the streets and more into sports. I'm interested to see the parks impact on the traffic on Boyette/54 and the surrounding area.
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Letter to the editor
