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Hernando Today

Kennedy Park May See Improvements

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By LINNEA BROWN

Hernando Today

Published: July 22, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Hosting a sporting event at Kennedy Park off Brooksville's Emerson Road can create a traffic mess.
With fewer than 25 parking spaces at the park and an adjacent preschool, residents are often forced to squeeze their cars in a tight line along the shoulder of the road near the park's front entrance, causing safety hazards for both drivers and pedestrians.
But the winds of change are in motion, with a state grant application up for approval at today's Hernando County Commission meeting.
Following meetings between residents of South Brooksville and county administrator David Hamilton, officials are applying for a $400,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grant for improvements to Kennedy Park.
The county would be responsible for $200,000 of the grant, which would come from impact fees in the county's District 2, where the park is located.
The plan includes a $40,000 new playground/tot lot area, a $50,000 large picnic pavilion with lights and a $165,000 new entrance/roadway to the park, complete with a 61-space parking lot and sidewalks.
It will also include a $45,000 T-ball field with sports lighting, bleachers and a press box.
The park currently has a recreation building, two lighted ball fields, picnic shelters and some playground equipment, nestled beneath large oak trees.
However, additional facilities are long overdue, said Pat Fagan, the county's parks and recreation director.
"Kennedy Park is one of the most beautiful parks that we have in the county, but there's very limited parking capacity," he said.
During events, residents often fill the parking lot of the nearby Head Start pre-K program, causing additional headaches for parents during pick-up and drop-off times.
"With this grant, it will definitely solve some of the major concerns (caused by) events," Fagan said. "These are things the community has requested, and we have adequate land available. Hopefully, we can make sure these amenities are complete."
Pending approval of the grant application — which staff members have been working on for months — work could begin early next year, Fagan said.
And this isn't the last of South Brooksville's overall improvement plan.
Staff members are also currently looking into the possibility of building additional recreation facilities in a more central location of the district, instead of Kennedy Park, which is located on the eastern boundary of south Brooksville.
"Parents are concerned that there are no sidewalks there, and would like to see something done in the near future that's closer to the intercommunity," Fagan said. "We're going to work with everyone we can to make sure services are provided in the South Brooksville area."
The county commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main Street in downtown Brooksville.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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