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Fundraiser Flyer for printing
Community longs for place to play
By NICHOLAS AZZARA
nazzara@bradenton.com
Oct 7, 2007
Longtime Manatee County resident Mary Jo Willis has been watching kids play in the streets of her beloved Holiday Heights for decades.
When her own children were growing up in the 1970s and '80s, a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood was nothing to worry about. Without inside distractions like the Xbox and Internet, children strolled the roads in search of something to do.
You'd see them swinging from monkey bars, bouncing on trampolines and scaling pine trees.
Thirty years later, more kids live here than ever, in an area loosely bordered by some of the busiest streets in the county: Cortez Road to the north, 53rd Avenue to the south, 26th Street West to the west and U.S. 41 to the east. Basketball hoops and tricycles line many front driveways of about 900 homes and duplexes, jammed into almost every available lot.
But one thing that hasn't changed is the community's desire for a park.
"I see all the neighborhood children out in the road without a place to play," Willis says. "Now that we have built up, there's a lot more traffic and it's even more dangerous for the children.
"They play in the street and we're locked in by busy roads. Our children can't go outside of the neighborhood safely and there's no place within the confines of those highways for them to play other than the street."
The nearest large parks are G.T. Bray, six miles west, and Pride Park, more than five miles east. As Willis points out, that's quite a distance to travel for kids.
"There's just not another park unless you want to go to Manatee Community College's track," said Kelly Green, a board member for the condo association. "That's it, and you can get chased off of there."
Green also rents duplexes in Holiday Heights and says a new park would increase property values in the neighborhood.
The need for a park is clear to County Commissioner Ron Getman, who represents Holiday Heights. Finding the money to build one, though, will not be easy.
"They need it, but when we're reducing millions from the budget, how can we find money to pay for a park?" Getman said. "Where are we going to take away money from other programs to allow those funds to be used for the parks? There's a possibility of state funding, but that requires matching county funding."
Significant hurdles are in place for a new park at Holiday Heights.
The trickle-down effect of June's property tax reform meant significantly fewer dollars for Manatee's Parks and Recreation Department, particularly for new parks projects. County officials earmarked $21.4 million over five years for improvements to the 66th Street Athletic Complex, Buffalo Creek Park, Palma Sola Park and others.
A park for Holiday Heights wasn't even in the list of county priorities and likely will take a further hit when parks projects are scaled back even further this year.
Not only that, space is running short. Of the handful of empty lots that remain in Holiday Heights, some are set to become condos and others have a price tag in the $1 million range. Those are the kind of odds that make it tough to realistically envision a park there anytime soon.
But there is hope.
Through a popular neighborhood Web site and newsletter, Willis is orchestrating a communitywide effort to collect checks to give to Manatee Parks and Recreation Department. And Karl Knueppel, master of Cub Scout Pack 64, says his Cubs will help pass out flyers and later collect checks for a park they hope to use someday.
"Our boys have requirements for good citizenship and doing this community service would be a perfect opportunity," Knueppel said. "They'd be directly benefitting themselves by their efforts in getting involved with their community."
Willis says if Holiday Heights shows it's willing to help pay for a park, it might open some eyes at the county.
"We want to help pay for playground equipment and the maintenance of the park," Willis said.
It's the kind of gesture that might carry weight, but might not go too far in paying for a new park.
"I'm always encouraged when people are willing to contribute some of their own money," said Commissioner Joe McClash.
"In those situations, the county needs to look real hard at trying to support the community spirit. There's no guarantees of success, but to me I'm always optimistic that if it's the right thing to do we can find a way to do it."
McClash mentioned the possibility of creating a special taxing district to charge residents* in the area for a park. That would require a public hearing, along with the support of much of the community.
"Ultimately, my hope is we'll have a wonderful neighborhood playground here and greenway trails coming through this area," Willis said. "I'm totally enthusiastic. I'm happy for any direction and suggestions at all."
- The Bradenton Herald, http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/165290.html
* Read about all the Manatee County Parks OUR property taxes and OUR gas taxes plus grants have helped pay for. Why would our park be the ONLY ONE requiring the neighborhood to become a "special taxing district?"
"Special assessments ...have
been used to fund specific capital improvements such as local streets
and sidewalks, neighborhood sewer and water lines, and street
lighting." -- NOT PARKS! Manatee County Park Funding Information
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Manatee County Parks in Bradenton Area
(excluding golf courses)
Yellow X is proposed park location
Our planned Greenway Trails are shown in green
July 12, 2007
$400,000 going to Manatee County parks
MANATEE COUNTY -
Florida's environmentally conscious budget, recently signed by Governor Charlie Crist, included more than $33 million to expand and improve local parks across the state.
Funded through the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP), $400,000 will go to Manatee County to assist three local park projects and enhance nearby communities by increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and improving public access to Florida's natural resources.
"Setting aside recreational green spaces within Florida's local communities is imperative to land conservation and essential to creating strong communities," said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. "Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grants are an investment in the future of Florida's natural resources and in the state's citizens."
Manatee County projects funded in this year's budget include:
Norma Lloyd Park, City of Bradenton - The funds will be used for a playground and parking.
Jigg's Landing, Manatee County - The money will be used for picnic facilities, boat dock, fishing pier, restroom/concessions and on the renovation of a fishing pier, parking and security lights.
Palmetto Estuary Preserve, Phase III, City of Palmetto - The funds will be used for a nature trail, picnic facilities, playground, parking, landscaping and restrooms.
"Creating and enhancing local park systems help produce active, healthy lifestyles and strong families in Florida's communities," said Florida State Parks Director Mike Bullock. "Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grants not only protect natural areas but attract people to recreate in the real Florida."
Administered by DEP, the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program is a competitive grant program providing funds to local communities for public outdoor recreation. Over the last nine years, Florida has invested more than $200 million to improve local park facilities through this grant program, funding more than 1,500 projects statewide. *http://www.oldbradenriver.com/
Holiday Heights Park could be on this list NEXT YEAR if we ALL work together!
Renovation ideas splash around Norma Lloyd Park
By MELANIE MARQUEZ
Tatyana Everette spends a lot of time near Norma Lloyd Park. The 8-year-old attends before-school and after-school care at neighboring Just For Girls, but she doesn't go to the park on weekends, even though her grandmother lives next to it. A long list of upcoming improvements to the park, everything from a splash park to a community center, may change that. "I would think it'd be more secure then," said Delores Lawrence, Tatyana's grandmother, after she heard about the planned changes during a community meeting Monday night at the Central Community Redevelopment Agency.
A new concession stand with rest rooms and a press box were completed at the park in October. The next phase will bring tennis courts and a new multi-purpose field. The almost 25-acre park sits between Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and 13th Avenue East, just west of 25th Street East. United Community Centers, Inc., which operates the 13th Avenue Community Center, secured a $1 million loan for the construction of a two-story, 17,000-square foot community center. They hope to have the $3 million needed for the building by the second quarter of 2008.
The goal for completion is March 2010, said Patrick Carnegie, executive director of United Community Centers. "The whole idea is to have something for everyone," Carnegie said. Their new facility will have a fitness center, computer lab, gymnasium and classrooms. They'll have youth programs year-round and adult classes. Adjacent to the park is Just For Girls, which broke ground in September on an extended classroom wing. "We targeted this part of the community because of the gaps in services in this area," said Becky Canesse, executive director of Just For Girls. "Families here really need support."
Later phases in the project include new basketball courts, an amphitheater, a pavilion, upgraded baseball fields with lights, added parking and a foot bridge crossing a lake that divides the park. Funding is being provided by the county, city and state grants. The total renovation to the park is expected to cost $12 million.
"We want to make this an incredible community amenity," said Sherod Halliburton, executive director of the Central Community Redevelopment Agency. And as millions of dollars gets poured into Norma Lloyd Park, Tatyana is mostly looking forward to two things. "Swings," she said. "And monkey bars." >http://www.bradenton.com/699/story/215599.html
Posted on Tue, Nov. 20, 2007
"Future Park Reserve" available for the County's matching funds? (See chart below.)
County Parks Projects Schedule
Policy: 10.1.2.1 Prioritize capital improvements funding... first priority to the renewal and replacement of obsolete or worn-out facilities, ...second priority to correcting existing
deficiencies in public facilities ...third priority to
...accommodate desired future
growth.
Manatee County Park Revenue
Potential Park Funding
Read more about Grants from Cindy Turner, Director of Manatee County Parks and Recreation Dept.
Florida Forever Grants
Florida Forever Report - June 2007
State of Florida Grants
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