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Suphur
Springs Water Tower
Parcel To Become A Park
by John Tillman
 
Click to enlarge pictures |
Incase you didn't
know, the city of Tampa is planning
to turn the 13 acre parcel into a wonderful "passive Park".
Being a
native of Tampa I will be very happy to see this
become a reality. I remember my parents bringing me to the
Tower Drive In Theater in the 70's to see Bruce Lee Kung
Fu movies. After the Drive In closed the property has
remained vacant for years.
Many
thanks to the residents and local activist groups that
lobbied the city of Tampa to buy the property and develop
it as a park.
The city
purchased the property in 2002 from the
McDill Columbus Corp. for $2.85 million after lengthy
negotiations. $2 million came from Hillsborough County
through it's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection
Program.
When will the park be completed? We will all
have to be
patient. The city still must come up with the addition funds
to convert the almost 13 acre vacant parcel into a park.
Plans for the park may be ready for the 2003-04 budget.
The exact
design of the park has not been decided.
Being a passive park means it will not include recreational
facilities such as baseball diamonds or basketball courts.
The passive park
on the riverfront will feature a natural
setting with native plants and a foot trail.
According to
Tom Olson, Horticulturist for the Tampa
Parks Department, all of the non-native species of plants
will be removed with indigenous plants to take there rightful
place along the river.
The Sulphur
Springs Water Tower is located on the banks
of the Hillsborough River off Interstate 275 and Bird Street
with Florida Ave on the west.
To learn more about the
Sulphur Springs Water Tower
check out our
Tampa History
page.
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