54° CLOUDY, City wants residents' input to shape future of Tuscawilla Park
Last Modified: Monday, September 8, 2008 at 5:57 a.m.
OCALA — The city wants feedback from residents regarding the proposed revamp of Tuscawilla Park.
In August, the City Council approved funding for a proposed project that would turn Tuscawilla into a premier park, and it wants residents to be a part of the planning process. So, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the city will host a forum at the Tuscawilla Youth Center (the old Armory building), 701 N.E. Sanchez Ave., to discuss the park’s future.
The goal of the public meeting: to determine “the general vision of the community about what this park should be,” said Chris Thomas, administrative supervisor of recreation and parks for the city.
Citizen involvement was a huge part of moving All Children’s Playground to Tuscawilla, Thomas said in reference to the many volunteers who helped build the much-loved wooden play spot, which was removed from Tuscawilla in June due to safety concerns.
The city is hoping to generate the same sense of excitement about the Tuscawilla Enhancement Project, which will include a replacement playground.
“The plan is to make it very modern, very handicap accessible and very safe,” Thomas said.
In addition, the proposed park renovation includes court upgrades and relocation of the Discovery Outdoor Science Center, a city-run community science and cultural learning facility, to the 14,000-square-foot building that currently houses the Tuscawilla Youth Center.
The center hopes to be in the new location by Oct. 1, Thomas said.
Over the past year the city has worked to increase the park’s use and visibility by using it as the site for several car shows and festivals.
“We want to make it a more attractive — and a more active — park,” Thomas said. “Community input is always welcome in terms of giving the community what it wants and what it needs,” he said.
For more information regarding the Tuscawilla Enhancement Project or Thursday’s public meeting, call Kathy Crile at 368-5550.
Jessica Greene may be reached at 732-7159 or jessica.greene@starbanner.com
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September 8, 2008 6:56:22 am
RE: Link
Whatever they do, the park must be safe. There are so many grungy, street people that walk around and hang out there. I would not feel safe and I would not take my kids there unless they take measures to make the area safer and move these vagrants to other places. The homes along the side of the park are filled with scary people. All they do is run to the pick up store nearby and get their 6-pks and cigs and God only knows what else. So, City of Ocala needs to have patrol or safety measures for that area.
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