• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Opinions vary on Hillsborough County park fees

January 14, 2010 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Steve Lee

Sports Editor

LUTZ — Since Hillsborough County began charging for the use of regional parks and its recreational buildings in October, spokesman John Brill said $241,012 has been collected.

That figure, released Jan. 7, is of no consequence to nonprofit groups and county residents who now must pay for something they previously had free access to.

Marilyn Wannamaker, a Lutz resident and president of the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, is appalled. Her group relocated to the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on US 41, where they are not charged, rather than pay to continue meeting at the Lutz Civic Center in Bullard Park by the Lutz Train Depot.

“It’s a shame,” Wannamaker said, noting that some other groups have pulled out of that building. “I don’t know what they’re going to do with a community building that sits empty.”

“Not all the groups have decided they want to do that,” Brill said of paying to use county buildings.

According to Brill, charging fees for parks and other facilities is part of a plan to generate more than $3 million in 2010 to avoid closings and layoffs. Though the fees came about at the same time as a $3.7 million expansion of Oscar Cooler Sports Complex off Lutz Lake Fern Road, Brill said that money already was allocated and had no effect on other sites.

“It’s not that we want to charge fees, but that’s what we were down to,” Brill said. “Lake Park, we were going to close two days a week and lose rangers, but the public said they wanted to do it.”

Art Heinrichs, president of BMX Raceway, said most people in that organization would rather pay a $2 entrance fee than not be able to get to the track off N. Dale Mabry Highway.

“It’s had some impact, but not a major one,” Heinrichs said. “It’s cut down our ridership by about 30 percent.”

Costs to enter county parks are $2 for a carload up to eight people. Annual passes are available at $50 per individual or $100 for a family. To meet at community centers, nonprofits are charged an hourly rate of $20 per hour, while other groups must pay $40.

Wannamaker voiced her displeasure at charging a bridge club of elderly county residents who no longer meet at the civic center.

“Those people are 80 years old,” she said. “They can’t afford $40 to play bridge. I think it’s just terrible what they’re doing to the young and the old.”

Brill pointed out that some groups, if they choose to do so, would be eligible for no fees at community centers if they agree to become co-sponsors with the county and display the county logo.

While Wannamaker’s club has been approved to meet in Land O’ Lakes through September, she said the Old Lutz Schoolhouse off US 41 could be an option in the near future. The club already stores items there and is planning for a flea market in March at that site, which in 1996 was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

“They won’t have to pay a fee,” said Lt. Col. William Westcott, commander of the North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol who also is on the Citizens of the Old Lutz Schoolhouse board.

The county owns the property and building, which was built in the 1920s, and leases it to the Old Lutz Schoolhouse. Donations to pay for maintenance and insurance keep it open for non-profit groups to meet at no charge, Westcott said.

At nearby Nye Park, off Sunset Lane, an after-school program that was free now costs $48 per week.

As for youth organizations, the Lutz Leaguerettes at Nye Park, as well as the Lutz Little League and Lutz Chiefs of the Pasco Police Athletic League (the latter two of which are based at the Oscar Cooler complex), the county does not charge fees in exchange for maintaining fields.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

Exciting things are happening at Del Webb Bexley, the 55+ active adult residential community just off Sunlake Boulevard, … [Read More...] about New Community Garden Arrives at Del Webb Bexley 

TPA-Parkview-Myrtle

Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

March 28, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

With every new home community, Mattamy Homes demonstrates their dedication to thoughtful details and meaningful value … [Read More...] about Imagine More at Mattamy Homes’ Area Communities

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

Kessler’s Cacti and Things will host its annual Spring Plant Sale on April 1 and April 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at Bearss Grove, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., in Tampa. The event features thousands of plant varieties, and an assortment of specimen and collector’s plants. For information, email . For questions and directions, call 813-264-5614. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Cacti and Things

04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

An International Food Truck Festival will take place on April 1 and April 2 at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, with more than 70 food trucks, tents and trailers, to benefit local charities. Admission is $5. For more information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Food Truck Festival

04/04/2023 – Friends of the Library

Friends of the (Land O’ Lakes) Library will meet on April 4 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., following its weekly Patio Book Sale from 10 a.m. to noon, at 2818 Collier Parkway. The nonprofit group supports library programs for all ages. Call 813-929-1214 for information. … [Read More...] about 04/04/2023 – Friends of the Library

04/04/2023 – Library Open House

Pasco County Libraries will host a Master Plan Public Open House on April 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Land O'Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, to gather public opinion. To learn more about the Library Master Plan, visit MyPas.co/PCLSMasterPlan. … [Read More...] about 04/04/2023 – Library Open House

04/05/2023 – Container Gardens

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will host a master gardener class on April 5 at 6 p.m. A guest speaker will discuss the ins and outs of container gardening. Participants can learn to grow flowers and herbs in convenient containers. Practical ideas and resources will be provided. Registration is online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 04/05/2023 – Container Gardens

04/05/2023 – Learn to French Braid

The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills, will host a “Learn How to French Braid” class on April 5 at 2:30 p.m. Amber Bruss, of The Salon on 5th, will demonstrate the techniques to style hair in a French braid. For information, call 813-780-0064. … [Read More...] about 04/05/2023 – Learn to French Braid

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: