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Park will be open field, not playing fields
By SUSAN THURSTON © St. Petersburg Times, published February 5, 2001 CROSS CREEK -- A proposed county park next to Pride Elementary School has space for three playing fields, a small recreation building, a playground and a parking lot. But don't expect any major improvements for a while. For now, the county only has the resources to keep the park mowed. County parks staff met with members of local athletic groups this week to talk over plans for the new park off Kinnan Street in Cross Creek. The county will start clearing the site as soon as the sale of the land goes through and maintenance crews have the time, said Peter Fowler, a manager for the county's Parks and Recreation Department. The school district is giving the county 12.6 acres next to Pride for use as a park in exchange for 5.9 acres of unused county land farther south. To even out the trade, the county will pay the district $220,000. At a meeting last month, representatives of soccer, football and baseball groups told county officials they wanted as many fields as could fit on the site. To make it fair, they said start with one field for each sport. Demand for playing fields has grown considerably over the years as droves of people have moved to New Tampa. Sporting groups rent land wherever they can, including at schools and at neighborhood parks. Representatives said three more fields would help, but not solve, the problem. "Something is better than nothing," said Steve Glantz, who is involved in the Northeast Little League. "The area is truly in its infancy and for those us who are already here and intend to stay here, we'd like to see what we can get." County officials estimate the park will cost between $600,000 and $1-million, depending on whether they install lights and an irrigation system. That doesn't include a concession area, which would cost an addition $225,000 to $275,000. The county has no money for the park until 2005, although county staff said the County Commission makes annual adjustments based on priorities. "We don't have a lot of clout," parks designer Joel Jackson said at the meeting Tuesday. "We simply can't create money. The board has to give it to us." In the meantime, the county will maintain the park so groups can at least use it for practices. It may be too wet to use in the summer because the site has some wetlands, Jackson said. Sporting groups have said they would consider raising private donations for the fields. Caryn Bray, president of the New Tampa Soccer Association, suggested they form a coalition to develop more fields. Resident Scott Williams said the community needs to band together and lobby county officials for money. - Susan Thurston can be reached at (813) 226-3463 or thurston@sptimes.com.
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