The South Tampa News & Tribune
Renovations To Include Skate Park
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Published: September 19, 2007
DOWNTOWN - Santiago Corrada, the city's neighborhood services administrator, made his first appearance at a Perry Harvey Sr. Park Mayor's Advisory Committee meeting this month.
His message was a bitter pill: It doesn't matter that the committee wants more money and emphasis placed on honoring the once-bustling Central Avenue black business district; the city has decided to allocate $300,000 of the $3.5 million park renovation budget for a replacement skate park.
No amount of debate, including passionate pleas, really mattered. The committee's 10-0 vote in August to exclude funding for the skate park also won't count.
Corrada tried to break the news before the committee's meeting Sept. 12 at the city's parks and recreation offices. He said he talked or met privately with nine of the committee's 16 members.
Corrada said his marching orders from Mayor Pam Iorio are to help deliver the Central Park Village package, including redevelopment of the dilapidated public housing project plus the 11-acre park project, for city council approval.
'But I knew the skate park would be a conflict,' he said.
He urged committee members to accept that Bank of America is fronting the money for the park renovation, with the city using property tax revenue to reimburse the bank over 30 years.
For that reason, the city must listen to all requests. At three public meetings in fall 2006, people called for the 1970s skate park, known as the Bro Bowl, to remain.
'I'm not crazy about a skate park, but the public has already decided,' said Roxanne Amoroso, the bank's senior vice president for community development banking.
Committee members tried to reach a compromise. Bernadine White-King suggested doing the park work in phases, with the $3.5 million earmarked for historical statues, monuments and markers, plus an amphitheater. Using separate funding, the skate park work would be done later in the park's northern portion, also reserved for a community center.
White-King's motion was defeated 5-4.
Amoroso said the skate park would cost at least $465,000, based on recent estimates. She said she's not sure how the extra $165,000 would be raised.
Steve Howarth, vice president at TBE Group, the engineering company in charge of conceptual plans for the park, said naming rights can't be sold for the skate park because it's on city property. But sponsorship of events and items such as markers and benches would be possible.
Bank of America's Mike Marshall apologized to the committee for encouraging its rejection of funding for the skate park at the August meeting. He cited the city as being too strong a partner with the bank to deny what the mayor and public want.
Committee member Sheila Reed Palmore, daughter of former Central Park Village activist Essie Mae Reed, said she's disappointed only $10,000 is being allocated for a monument for her mother.
'I thought it was supposed to be a statue?' she asked.
Palmore said the black community is always being asked to cut back.
'This isn't fair to the people who sacrificed through the years,' she said.
The committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3, and a public meeting will be scheduled in November. For information, call Fred Hearns at (813) 866-5205.
Reporter Janis D. Froelich can be reached at (813) 835-2104 or jfroelich@tampatrib.com.
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