TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Fair Oaks Pond Gaining Walkers

Tribune photo by KATHY STEELE

With local property taxes, the city has transformed an East Tampa retention pond across from Fair Oaks Community Center into a mini-park with sidewalks, landscaping and a gazebo.

ADVERTISEMENT

By KATHY STEELE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

EAST TAMPA - Rowlett Park is losing a few of its regular walkers. The grass is greener at Fair Oaks Pond.

On a recent early morning, a steady flow of walkers strolled around the sidewalk. A pair of ducks paddled around the pond; an egret struck a pose at water's edge. Florida-friendly landscaping and a gazebo framed the scene.

Fair Oaks is the first of three planned makeovers of retention ponds in East Tampa to be paid for with local property taxes.

"They did a great job in beautifying the community," Cathy Blackmon said.

The 55-year-old usually drives to Rowlett Park for her daily constitutionals but no longer.

"I enjoy it here," she said. "I save on gas too."

The pond across from Fair Oaks Playground, at 34th and Caracas streets, will have its opening ceremony in August. Walkers started showing up in June.

The next project is at a retention pond on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, across from Young Middle Magnet School. A third pond at 22nd and Chelsea streets also is targeted.

However, construction costs and timing will be issues as the work moves forward.

Fair Oaks has cost about $870,000, much higher than the anticipated $500,000 cost for each pond. It could go higher, East Tampa redevelopment manager Ed Johnson said.

"Obviously we're going to have to readjust our thinking going forward," he said.

When the project was proposed more than four years ago, city officials hoped to keep costs about $200,000 a pond. But an early design with a walking trail, decorative lighting and birdhouses, a picnic area and music venue, and landscaping came in about $1 million a pond.

Fair Oaks was scaled back to a walking trail, landscaping, lighting and a gazebo. Contractors Gibbs & Register were hired to build all three ponds for $1.5 million.

Once finishing touches such as fountains are completed at Fair Oaks, any remaining money will go toward the pond at Martin Luther King. Johnson said the city remains committed to completing three ponds.

"It's the right thing to do," he said. "It adds so much to a community."

East Tampa's 20 retention ponds are among the highest concentration in the city. They serve as flood control, but residents say they are unsightly.

Hope Lee drove her 13-year-old grandson Leon Grant to the Fair Oaks Pond last week for the first time. She worries about his weight.

"This is a safe place I can leave him," said Lee, who watched from her car as he jogged around the pond. "It's nice that they did this for the community."

"It's really nice," her grandson agreed.

Margie Howard, 47, who also used to head for Rowlett, is glad to see the Fair Oaks eyesore made beautiful.

"They did so much," she said. "I enjoy walking and looking at the scenery."

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652 or ksteele@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT