Wesley Chapel Finally Gets Its park

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. ?EUR??,,????'??? Kids from this St. Petersburg suburb will finally be able to ride their bikes, throw the baseball, hit the tennis ball and kick the soccer ball. After years of begging for a regional park, the residents finally got their wish as Pasco County approved preliminary plans for a 143-acre regional park.

The landscape architecture firm of Hardeman, Kempton & Associates in Tampa presented their designs at a meeting in early May to the local towns folk.

?EUR??,,????'??At our first public meeting we had about 200 excited people attend,?EUR??,,????'?? said Pasco County Parks Director Jim Slaughter to LASN. ?EUR??,,????'??This was a lot of fun to conduct the meeting because there were no negative comments.?EUR??,,????'??

Slaughter said the large geographic area of Wesley Chapel, which is unincorporated in the center of Pasco County, has been a rapidly growing area. The residents have needed to have a park in the area to fulfill the needs of youth sports and recreation. The overall project is expected to cost about $13 million. Pasco County bought the 143-acre parcel north of State Road 54 for $1.7 million. Phases one and two are expected to cost roughly $5 million each.

Surveys of the area have already been made so the 30 acres of wetlands won?EUR??,,????'???t be encroached upon. An artificially created tree farm has rows of pines covering about 29 acres. Slaughter said parts of the forest could be cleared out to make room for picnic facilities. That still leaves large areas for expansion which could be used for the second phase of the project which would include a gymnasium and also aquatics complex.

?EUR??,,????'??We think we have enough money for the gymnasium and aquatics center, but we won?EUR??,,????'???t know until late in the summer,?EUR??,,????'?? said Slaughter. ?EUR??,,????'??An alternative could be a skate park in the first or second phases.?EUR??,,????'??

Slaughter said the state of Florida has a statute which holds the BMX bike rider or skateboarder liable for his own actions and not any private or public facility. If the rider is 17 or under his parents have to agree to the statute.

?EUR??,,????'??The great thing about skateboarders is that they sort of police themselves with peer pressure,?EUR??,,????'?? said Slaughter. ?EUR??,,????'??They realize it?EUR??,,????'???s a privilege to use the skate park and don?EUR??,,????'???t want that privilege taken away.?EUR??,,????'??

Eventually a bridge could be built over the wetlands with an interpretive trail. Slaughter said the wetlands serves as a natural sound and visual buffer to the land alongside Interstate 75.

Phase I includes all the ball fields, roadways within the park, parking lots, playgrounds, restroom facilities, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails and outdoor basketball courts.

In March of 2005 groundbreaking should take place with completion of the first phase about six months later. Slaughter said permit issues with water management district, Army Corps of Engineers and conservation groups can sometimes stall a project. Before the park opens to the public the fields need to be seeded. If they wait too long they could miss the grass growing season.