When county officials gathered last month to celebrate the reopening of Bayport Park, Commissioner Diane Rowden said she felt compelled to mention the lush sod. ...more

June 5, 2008

CARROLLWOOD Hillsborough County leaders who shepherded a planned $1 million expansion of recreation facilities at Carrollwood Elementary School struck a conciliatory tone on Monday, admitting they skirted community input before approving the project. ...more

June 4, 2008

City officials say they had no choice but to cancel the annual Independence Day celebration - including fireworks - at Plant City Stadium. ...more

June 4, 2008

Katie Mac Millen never stops teaching. Even walking a short distance through a field with her can be an educational experience. ...more

May 20, 2008

DOWNTOWN - The 6.3-acre Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, next the Tampa Marriott Waterside along Garrison Channel, could receive funding for its final phase. The city council will be asked Thursday to approve more than $2.8 million for the project, parks and recreation director Karen Palus said. The work includes adding 600 linear feet to the city's Riverwalk, and creating a Heroes Plaza to honor firefighters, law enforcement officers, rescue workers and military personnel killed in the line of duty. ...more

May 12, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County's public access ramp to popular Lake Denton will be reopened at 8 a.m. Saturday. Public access to this exceptionally clear lake off Memorial Drive has been closed since Sept. 13, when the county commissioners' voted 3-2 to close it due to lakefront homeowners' complaints about traffic and parking congestion and rowdy and offensive behavior. ...more

May 6, 2008

LAKE PLACID — With a recent $50,000 donation from Glades Electric Cooperation Inc., Recreation Director John Komosa hopes the ongoing work at a baseball field for disabled players will finish up by September. New fences and benches already circle a playing field at June Park, in preparation for the future Miracle League Field. Installation of a special rubberized turf to protect players from injury is scheduled when funding is obtained. The Glades Electric donation goes a long way toward the $250,000 fundraising goal. The turf alone will cost $121,000, said Komosa. ...more

February 18, 2008

After an abrupt end to its park ranger program in November, the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department hopes to revive the volunteer patrols. ...more

February 17, 2008

SEBRING — Public access to the county's most popular lake will be restored next month as Highlands County officials tear down the concrete-and-chain-link-fence barriers that have kept the public out of Lake Denton since mid-September. Vicki Pontius, county parks and recreation director, said the only stumbling block to reopening access to this exceptionally clean and clear lake is hiring a part-time worker to collect weekend user's fees. ...more

February 14, 2008

Breaking tradition and the confines of shopping center parking lots, next month's Taste of New Tampa will be held in the community's largest public park. ...more

February 13, 2008