Tampa City Council members — all but one of them, anyway — gave a thumbs-up to a proposed $35.5 million renovation of a waterfront park in what some called a neglected part of town.
To put that into perspective, that’s about $10 million less than what St. Petersburg is spending to demolish and rebuild the Pier.
…So, it’s kind of a lot.
But city officials see it as a sign of commitment to bettering conditions in Tampa’s underserved communities, of which the area adjacent the park — West Tampa — is one.
“We have a legacy of neglect in West Tampa of over 20-something years,” said Councilman Frank Reddick. “When you hear the history of neglect in West Tampa, then you’ll understand […]”
Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park sits along the western bank of the Hillsborough River, just north of Tampa Preparatory School. Known for the grassy mounds that rise out of its grounds (which Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn calls “alien space mounds”), the 23-acre park is a bit smaller than Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, one of several downtown waterfront parks to be revived to much fanfare in recent years. Compared to the latter, the westerly situated park is currently somewhat lacking in amenities, let alone excitement.
The proposed overhaul uses BP oil disaster settlement money, as well as revenue from the same sales tax that paid for Raymond James Stadium. It would include construction of a community center, public docks, an event lawn, tennis courts, a splash pad and much more.
“It is very much needed,” said Willis K.C. Bowick, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Black Chamber of Commerce, during public comment.
The sole dissenting vote on the council was Councilwoman Lisa Montelione, who, among other things, didn’t like the price tag.
“I think this is too expensive,” she said, adding that there are already several revamped downtown parks within a small radius.
Meanwhile, she said, the small neighborhood parks throughout the city, including the six in her North Tampa district, aren’t getting any love.
“We have three parks [in] fairly close proximity to one another and fairly close proximity to what’s being planned,” she said “What happens with the philosophy of building regional parks is that the neighborhoods don’t have any small neighborhood pocket parks.”
Instead, she said, the BP money should go toward stormwater mitigation, and developers should be helping foot the bill for green space.
“I’m not saying don’t improve the park,” she said. “It’s there. We should make good use of it. But $40 million on one park when we have so many other needs in this city is just way too much.”
The price tag may be big, supporters said, but if the city doesn’t act, the surrounding area could miss out on the prosperity and sense of place that’s being created with the redeveloped waterfront across the river.
“Not to act on it, I think, is a disservice. I really do,” said Councilwoman Yvonne “Yolie” Capin.
Once it starts, the overhaul is expected to take 18 months, which means it could be open as early as Fall of 2017.
This article appears in May 19-26, 2016.
