The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

FDOT budgeting future land purchases for 54/41 project

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A local task force is expected to make recommendations next year on a traffic fix for the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, but the Florida Department of Transportation already is budgeting about $32 million for land purchases connected to the project.

The funding is slated for fiscal year 2023, as part of the agency’s five-year work plan.

Florida Department of Transportation is budgeting about $32 million for rights of way purchases in fiscal year 2023 for an as-yet-undecided project to improve State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection. (File)

The funding for the rights of way for the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection is a conservative amount programmed in advance to give Pasco County time to do outreach, and determine the community’s vision for this project, according to FDOT spokeswoman, Kris Carson, in an email response to The Laker/Lutz News.

“The amount may be reduced or increased or we can shift the funds elsewhere if the no-build is selected,” Carson wrote.

The department also is working on interim improvements for the intersection, she added.

One anticipated project would lengthen some of the turn lanes at the intersection to improve traffic flow.

In October, the 17-member Vision 54/56 Task Force scheduled a workshop to review in more detail traffic projects that are being proposed as solutions.

The group’s options include 11 major highway and transit alternatives, as well as a no-build alternative for the intersection. Some alternatives would be at-grade re-designs with express transit lanes; others would have flyovers, and toll lanes.

The task force is expected to schedule its next public meeting in November or December. Additional public meetings into 2018 also are expected in order to complete the second of three phases of the traffic study.

The entire study includes the State Road 54/56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west. However, for the current phase of the study the focus is on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

The Land O’ Lakes segment is getting intense scrutiny as it is among the busiest intersections, with nearly 100,000 vehicles per day.

Representatives from Pasco County Planning and Development, the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, FDOT and consultants are assisting in the study.

The FDOT also is expected to fund a detailed analysis and evaluation of the State Road 54 and U.S. 41 intersection, likely in 2018. MPO officials say it is the only segment included in the study that has funding.

The MPO established the task force in 2015, and started with two separate groups. One studied issues for west Pasco; the other for east Pasco.

In late 2016, a single task force, with some members from the first groups, began studying a list of potential options. They include 11 major highway and transit alternatives, as well as a no-build alternative for the intersection.

The task force initiative got underway after the FDOT proposed a flyover for the intersection, with room for express toll lanes. The project met with opposition from the community, and FDOT officials agreed to back off while a task force tried to reach consensus on what should be done.

The FDOT’s five-year work plan is updated annually.

Some projects to redesign, expand and resurface roadways are slated for 2018/19. They are:

  • Resurfacing U.S. 41 from north of Ehren Cutoff to north of Caliente Boulevard for about $2.3 million
  • Resurfacing U.S. 301 from Pond Avenue to north of Long Avenue/Pioneer Museum for about $2.3 million
  • Realignment, widening and new construction on State Road 52 from Uradco Place to west of Fort King Road for about $83.3 million
  • Widening State Road 52 from two lanes to six lanes, from west of Suncoast Parkway to east of U.S. 41 at cost of about $75 million. This also includes intersection improvements, sidewalks and 12-foot trail.
  • Right of way purchase for U.S. 41 from north of Connerton Boulevard to south of State Road 52 for about $739,000. Construction of that project, in 2020, would cost about $20.3 million.

For more information, visit FDOT.gov.

Published November 15, 2017

‘Stocking Stuffers’ spread holiday cheer

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They don’t look like elves, but a quartet of International Baccalaureate students from Land O’ Lakes High School has set off on a mission to make the holidays merrier for preschoolers in foster care.

The IB students — Deah Bhojani, Geanna Alamares, Ariana Rao and Angelina Rodriguez — dreamed up the idea for an operation they’ve dubbed “Stocking Stuffers.”

From left, Angelina Rodriguez, Deah Bhojani, Geanna Alamares and Ariana Rao are banding together on a project aimed at providing at least 50 stuffed Christmas stockings for children in foster care.
(B.C. Manion)

It’s a simple concept, but the teenagers hope it will have a profound impact on the children receiving the holiday stockings.

And, they’re asking for the community’s help.

To get things started, the young women set out collection boxes on Nov. 1 at the clubhouse at Wilderness Lake Preserve, Lake Bernadette and Meadow Pointe. They also placed two boxes at Land O’ Lakes High School.

Those wanting to help can either donate a stocking that’s already been stuffed, or can contribute items to help stuff a stocking.

Since the stockings will be given to preschoolers, the gift items should target that age group. Small purses, little cars, coloring books, art supplies, costume jewelry, dolls, stuffed animals and puzzles are the kinds of items they’re seeking to collect.

The idea is for the item to be small enough to fit in a stocking, but not small enough to pose any kind of hazard to a young child.

The organizers also are asking contributors to refrain from donating any type of food.

The collection boxes will remain up through Dec. 11.

The young women also are appealing to large businesses that may buy in bulk to donate some items for the cause.

Bhojani said she came up with the idea because her dad owns a preschool, and some of the children he serves come from foster families.

She also volunteered to feed the homeless and saw firsthand how those children struggle.

She saw a young boy who was freezing cold.

“He was wearing shorts and a jacket that was way too small for him,” she said.

“I’ve just been very fortunate. I’ve never really had to go through the holidays without family and support,” she said. “So, I just wanted to do something for kids who might not be as lucky as I am during this time of the year.”

She also noted that many people give to large charities that help people in far-away places, but people sometimes fail to notice the need for help right here.

Rodriguez said she wants to help share Christmas joy.

“To me, Christmas is a season of giving, and love and charity. I love Christmas. I’ve always loved it,” she said.

Alamares said she wanted to get involved because she understands there are people who are much less fortunate, including some of her own relatives who live in the Philippines.

She also has seen that need locally.

When she did some volunteer work at Tampa General Hospital on the children’s floor, she met children who live in difficult conditions.

“It was eye-opening for me,” she said.

Rao said the idea appealed to her because she could see that it’s the kind of project where “small gestures can have a broad effect.”

The IB students hope to collect at least 50 stockings to distribute to foster children through the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco County.

That’s one goal they hope to exceed.

Want to help?
If you would like to help make the holidays merrier for some foster children, contact Angelina Rodriguez at .

Published November 15, 2017

Looking for sinkhole solutions

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Remedying a massive sinkhole in Land O’ Lakes has taken a minor step forward, four months after it opened and swallowed two homes on Ocean Pines Drive in Lake Padgett.

Residents of the Lake Padgett community were presented several preliminary solutions for fixing the sinkhole long-term, during a Nov. 8 meeting at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center.

The audience also had the opportunity to ask questions and offer input to county officials.

Kevin Guthrie, assistant county administrative of public safety, led the meeting.

He offered up three possible solutions for “success” in the sinkhole’s remediation:

  • Build a fence around the sinkhole with a cul de sac on each side (estimated cost of $1.7 million)
  • Connect the sinkhole to Lake Saxon while adding a cul de sac to each side of the lake (estimated cost of $2.5 million)
  • Rebuild the original road through the sinkhole (estimated cost of $800,000)

The first two options would require the county to purchase several properties, either to connect the sinkhole to Lake Saxon and/or develop a cul de sac.

The sinkhole opened on July 14 at 21825 Ocean Pines Drive, and swallowed two homes, a motorcycle and a boat. Five more houses on both sides of Ocean Pines have been condemned. Remediation costs are estimated anywhere from $800,000 to more than $2.5 million. (File)

The third option, meanwhile, requires the reconstruction of Ocean Pines Drive using a sheet piling methodology. Fences then would be placed around bodies of water on either side of the road — similar to how retention ponds have fences around them.

A fourth option consists of leaving the sinkhole “as is,” adding a chain-link fence and signage around its perimeter. The option would cost about $50,000.

The Pasco County Commission will have the final say on how to proceed with long-term recovery efforts at the sinkhole site.

The sinkhole opened on July 14 at 21825 Ocean Pines Drive, and swallowed two homes, a motorcycle and a boat. Five more houses on both sides of Ocean Pines have been condemned.

On July 31, the county approved $1.3 million for an initial cleanup of debris, and stabilization of the site. That work has been completed.

Guthrie said additional geotechnical investigation is required before any remediation can be done, which would cost an additional $100,000 to $200,000.

The University of South Florida also is recommending a resistivity survey be completed to determine how the sinkhole interacts with underground surrounding areas. The cost would be another $15,000.

Dr. Lori Collins is a research professor at USF, and is a part of the team of geologists and postgraduate students researching the sinkhole since Day 1.

She explained further testing is needed to truly understand how the sinkhole penetrates the Florida aquifer and connects to the lake system.

“We want to make sure science tells us what the alternates should be first. Right now, we don’t know…what’s going on underneath the ground,” Collins said.

The necessary prep work could take another 45 days, Guthrie said, before a final recommendation is presented to county commissioners.

“We want to do it right the first time and not keep coming back, time and time again,” Guthrie said.

Kevin Guthrie, assistant county administrative of public safety, served up three possible solutions for ‘success’ in the sinkhole’s remediation. (Kevin Weiss)

Since the sinkhole involves private property and a county road, the county is a stakeholder in the situation. Had the sinkhole never touched the roadway, it would’ve strictly been a private property issue, Guthrie said.

Regarding funding, Guthrie mentioned municipal service taxing units  (MSTU) or municipal services benefit unit (MSBU) as options that have been used in the past.

Utilizing the county’s general fund reserves is another possibility. However, the county is already “significantly dipping” into those reserves following Hurricane Irma, Guthrie said.

Assistance through grants and the state also will be vetted, he said.

“We’re trying to get whatever we can,” Guthrie said. “It’s going to be very difficult…to help pay for this.”

Terence Doohen was one of several sinkhole victims who attended the Nov. 8 meeting.

He said the public forum proved beneficial to affected homeowners and community members.

“I felt there was some good information there that had not been communicated to me,” he said, “so I thought it was well worth my time and some other people’s time.”

The 44-year-old, along with his wife and 10-year-old son, in August had their lakeside property red-tagged by the Pasco County Building Inspectors Office.

Doohen said he’s in favor of “whatever is the safest solution for everyone involved.”

“I would go to bat for long-term, whichever is the safest option,” he said.

Doohen also supports the county taking a thorough look at the sinkhole matter before making any major decisions.

“I’m fine with the time that’s gone by,” he said “I think it’s fine, if everybody’s dotting all the ‘i’s and crossing all the t’s, and if it moves at a little bit slower pace than one expected; I think you’ve just got to kind of live with it and roll with it.”

Several additional community meetings are expected over the next several months.

Guthrie acknowledged the sinkhole matter will be handled in a methodical fashion, likely extending well into 2018.

“We are at step one on a ladder that’s probably about 10 stories long,” Guthrie said.

Published November 15, 2017

Land O’ Lakes park and community center have a new name

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The Pasco County Commission has renamed the community center and park in Land O’ Lakes as the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

Commissioners adopted the new name on Nov. 7, at the request of Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

“They are trying to have more of an identity in that area,” said Moore. “I think they’ll be excited by this.”

Heritage Stage made its debut in August as community, school, business and civic leaders had a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Land O’ Lakes park and community center also now have a new name – Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

Moore said he consulted with members of the board of directors for the Heritage Foundation before making the suggestion.

The word “heritage,” it appears, is becoming a unifier in that effort.

A newly built Heritage Stage made its debut in August at the park.

And, the Heritage Park Foundation, is a longtime voice of advocacy for the community at large, as well as the park.

The foundation grew out of initial efforts to preserve the parkland, and later attempts to raise money to build a stage for community gatherings at the park.

The completion of the stage marked a major milestone for the foundation, which had long pushed for improving opportunities for community unity, through social gatherings in the park.

More is on the way as the foundation plans to install a story board to honor Land O’ Lakes’ history, and the park. “There’s a history of the park being a community-built park,” said Sandy Graves, who spearheaded efforts to get the stage.

She is working with local historian Susan MacManus on the story board.

The outdoor stage was built through a partnership between Pasco County, Pasco County Schools, the Florida legislature, local businesses and volunteers.

A Pops in the Park holiday performance, featuring the brass section of the Florida Orchestra, is planned for December.

The new name could have another benefit.

For years, the Land O’ Lakes Community Center has been located at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway.

The similarity of names has been a source of confusion.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’d hear people say ‘I thought it was at the rec center’,” Graves said.

There was some discussion about renaming the park Heritage Park, but keeping the name of the community center intact.

Paula O’ Neil, Pasco’s clerk of court and comptroller, favored renaming the entire complex to create greater clarity. County commissioners and county staff also supported one name.

With the name change, that leaves a well-worn sign outside the community center, with the old name.

That’s not expected to last long.

“You’ve renamed the park. So, get ready for a new sign,” Moore said.

Published November 15, 2017

Land O’ Lakes SwampFest looks to take center stage

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When the dumpster arrives at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, that’s a sure sign that the carnival equipment to set up the Midway is soon to follow, according to Doug Hutchinson, coordinator for the Land O’ Lakes SwampFest.

SwampFest 2017 will feature a few new twists, according to Hutchinson, the longtime coordinator of the community fair.

First off, the event will be using Heritage Stage, the newly opened stage at Land O’ Lakes Community Park.

The Midway at Land O’ Lakes SwampFest will feature rides of all types, for children and adults, alike. (File)

“We’re pretty excited about that,” Hutchinson said, noting the ones who seem most delighted about the stage are the dance groups that will be performing on it.

“When I told them that we were going to be on the stage, not under a tent, they were all excited,” he said. “It’s so good for the community.”

The entertainment lineup for this year’s event includes Nunes at Night, on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and 3-Dom Band, on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. On Nov. 12, there’s a larger slate of entertainers, with Nicole’s Dance Center at noon; Show on the Road at 1 p.m.; Beyond Chaotic at 2 p.m., and Suncoast Dance at 3 p.m.

The event also is adding some food trucks this year, in addition to the foods that can be purchased on the Midway, Hutchinson said. Otherwise, the rides and the food on the Midway will be similar to those at the event last year.

There are also plans for a beer garden, Hutchinson said, but added that he was awaiting official approval.

Armbands for unlimited rides will be sold in advance for $15 and at the Midway for $25, Hutchinson said. Parking is free on Nov. 9, the preview night, and $5 on other days of the festival.

The event is getting more popular every year, Hutchinson said, noting it tends to attract between 500 and 750 people on Friday night and Sunday, and about 2,000 on Saturday.

On Saturdays, families generally come during the day, with a younger crowd at night, he said.

SwampFest started out as a community carnival, then evolved into the Flapjack Festival, which eventually moved to Dade City and then died.

This event is smaller than Flapjack was and that’s what organizers want it to be, Hutchinson said. “We want it to be more of a community fair.”

Proceeds from SwampFest benefit the venues that help sell the tickets and Land O’ Lakes High School’s athletic booster club, where they benefit the whole school.

“We don’t want to build something for one team and use all of the money for that,” Hutchinson said. “It’s better to use that money for items that benefit everyone.”

For instance, for a few years in a row, SwampFest proceeds were used to purchase equipment for the weight room, he said.

That benefits all students, not just athletes, he said. “They have a weightlifting class.”

Event proceeds also paid for the high school’s sign, which is out near Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41.

“It takes some really dedicated people to pull this thing off,” Hutchinson said, noting there’s about eight or 10, who really do a lot of the work.

“It takes months to put it together,” he said, and then, at the event, there are scores of volunteers who help with parking, garbage collection and other chores.

Land O’ Lakes SwampFest
Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
When: Nov. 9, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Nov. 10, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Nov. 11, noon to 11 p.m.; and Nov. 12, noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Parking free on Nov. 9; $5 on Nov. 10 through Nov. 12. Armbands for unlimited rides are available for $25 each at the Midway; $15 each, in advance. They are available on the SwampFest website and at Land O’ Lakes High School, Sanders Elementary School, Pine View Middle School, Sugar and Spice Learning Center, and at the Village Lakes Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Wilderness Lakes Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Sunlake Beef O’ Brady’s.
Details: Rides, games, food, live entertainment.
Info: LOLSwampFest.com

Published November 8, 2017

Land O’ Lakes gets beefed up emergency services

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Pasco County Fire Rescue No. 37 has added ambulance service.

The station is at the entrance to Ballantrae in Land O’ Lakes. The new service became effective on Sept. 1.

Pasco County Fire Rescue No. 37 is located in a high-growth area off County Road 54, near the Ballantrae and Bexley subdivisions. It recently added an ambulance service and six emergency responders. (Courtesy of Pasco County Fire Rescue)

Six paramedics and emergency medical technicians have been added, to provide 24-hour coverage for the rescue unit.

The station, which is at 18105 State Road 54, is currently using one of the department’s spare vehicles until the new squad arrives, which is expected within a month.

Division Chief Shawn Whited said the service area for the new ambulance is essentially Stonegate to the east and Odessa to the west.

Before the new ambulance service was added, the area was being served by an ambulance coming from the fire station in Trinity, or from the other Land O’ Lakes station, which is at U.S. 41 and State Road 54, Whited said.

“If the ambulance for Land O’ Lakes was out, because that was the only ambulance for Land O’ Lakes, we’d get one from either Wesley Chapel or Trinity,” Whited said.

“We had a big gap there,” he said.

The county has been able to send emergency responders because all of the county’s fire trucks have advanced life support, but they had to wait for a rescue unit to transport patients to the hospital, Whited said.

Getting the additional coverage is important because population continues to increase in the area near Station 37, he said, noting that Bexley, Longlake Ranch and Concord Station are growing communities.

“That Land O’ Lakes area between the Suncoast Parkway and (U.S.) 41 is one of the largest growing areas in Pasco County,” Whited said. “With all of those homes, we want to make sure they have proper fire and EMS coverage in there.

“Now, if you’re having a true medical emergency, like a heart attack or a stroke, we can get you to the hospital faster — without having to wait for that unit to come from Land O’ Lakes or Trinity or Wesley Chapel,” he said.

Published November 8, 2017

Imagine charter school needs growing room for programs

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Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes is experiencing growing pains.

Classrooms are full.

The gymnasium is a part-time lunchroom.

The school’s solution is to build a two-story wing off the rear of the gymnasium, adding about 13,000 square feet of space.

Imagine Charter School in Land O’ Lakes will open a new, two-story expansion in August 2018 to accommodate school programs, and add a dedicated lunch room.
(Kathy Steele)

The expansion provides enough room for seven classrooms and a dedicated lunchroom.

The goal is to open the new extension by August 2018.

The lunchroom café and a teachers’ lounge will be on the first floor. Additional rooms will be on the second floor. The rooms can be used as classrooms, if needed, but their primary purpose is to house programs, such as band or makerspace.

Enrollment is 775 students, just a handful short of the school’s goal of 800 students. While the school has a waiting list, the expansion isn’t about increasing enrollment.

“We just need extra workspace,” said Imagine Principal Aimee Williams.

The gymnasium is transformed into a lunchroom daily, and then cleared out.

That’s not a big problem during the school day, Williams said.

“It’s more for the sports and afterschool programs that makes it difficult to swap out,” she explained.

A pre-application meeting with county planners was held on Oct. 23.

Details on the project are being worked out prior to construction.

This year, the school will graduate its first class of eighth-graders who began at Imagine in kindergarten.

Imagine opened nearly a decade ago in a business park in Ballantrae. The move to its current location, at 2940 Sunlake Blvd., came in 2012. The school’s charter extends to 2028, following a fifteen-year renewal in 2013.

Teachers are STEAM-certified. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

The school received an A grade from the state for 2016-2017. It educates students from kindergarten through eighth grade, who come to the public charter school from Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, and even Hillsborough County.

The school has won accolades.

Imagine received the 2016 Promising Practice Winner by Character Counts. In 2015, it was runner-up in the National School of Character competition by Character Counts, and a runner-up for National School of the Year by Imagine Schools.

Imagine is owned and operated by an affiliate of Imagine School Non-Profit Inc., which has schools nationwide.

It’s a point of pride that the Land O’ Lakes campus is part of the Pasco County community, the principal said.

“We definitely feel we are part of Pasco County and want to add whatever we can to the community,” Williams said.

Published November 1, 2017

Academy at the Lakes creates bold vision for the future

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Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Academy at the Lakes is taking a long view — and making some big plans.

While specifics are still a work in progress, the school envisions the creation of a third campus on 47 acres it acquired in 2013 from the MacManus family, of Land O’ Lakes, according to Mark Heller, head of school.

Mark Heller, head of school at Academy at the Lakes, said work is underway to plan for Academy at the Lakes’ future. He’s excited about the possibilities.
(B.C. Manion)

The private, independent school in Land O’ Lakes, at 2331 Collier Parkway, has an enrollment of 450 students, from preschool through grade 12. Besides Land O’ Lakes, its students come from New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Trinity, Spring Hill, Dade City, Hudson and Holiday, New Port Richey, Westchase and Odessa.

It now has campuses on both sides of Collier Parkway.

The third campus would be off 20 Mile Level Road, on land that is undeveloped, except for the former MacManus family home.

Plans for that third campus include athletic facilities, a new lower division school for grades kindergarten through fourth grade, and an environmental sciences education area.

It also would include the infrastructure that’s needed to support those facilities, Heller said.

The site off 20 Mile Level Road offers an exciting opportunity for environmental learning, Heller said.

Entering that site, Heller said, “you travel through a beautiful Florida wetland. A cypress swamp, water, wildlife, a beautiful canopy of trees.

“We aim for that to become an environmental science education area,” he said, adding that Academy at the Lakes’ vision includes classrooms and boardwalks, and perhaps an observation tower.

It would be a place, Heller said, “where, not only the children from Academy at the Lakes can learn to be good stewards of this gift of the fragile ecosystem,” but children from other schools would be able to attend environmental programs, too.

This banner communicates the message that Academy at the Lakes aims to convey to its students, staff and faculty.

The site is just off State Road 54, in a rapidly developing area in Land O’ Lakes.

“When you’re here at Panera and RaceTrac, you’re in the heart of suburbia. You go 200 yards up 20 Mile Level Road and you’re in Old Florida. What we want to do is preserve this as Old Florida and use it as a community educational tool,” Heller said.

There’s also the possibility of using some of the school’s land at that site for a first-rate aquatic swimming center, with an Olympic swimming pool, he said. “We’re looking at partnering with someone else.”

Other potential plans include work at the school’s existing campuses.

There’s talk of expanding the school’s early childhood center. And, moving the lower division would allow the school to increase its middle and high school enrollments.

Other potential plans include adding a new robotics and technology center, adding a Maker Space and making other campus improvements, such as a quadrangle in front of McCormick Hall, Heller said.

Heller expects the school to begin moving on some, or all, of these ideas within the next few years, but said there’s no specific timetable or cost estimate available yet for the school’s future expansion plans.

Published November 1, 2017

Bexley wins national design award

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Bexley by Newland Communities is now a triple award winner for 2017.

The master-planned community, located off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, won a 2017 Best in American Living Award (BALA) from the National Association of Home Builders, according to a news release from The Leytham Group.

Aerial view of the master-planned community of Bexley. (Courtesy of Bexley by Newland Communities)

Bexley was named Best Community in the category of Single Family Communities with 100 units or more.

The Best in American Living Awards recognizes outstanding achievement by builders and design professionals in the regional housing industry.

In making award decisions, BALA considers categories, such as, single-family production, custom, multifamily, affordable, remodeling, community and interiors.

Bexley will be honored at the BALA Awards ceremony at the International Builders Show in Orlando in January 2018.

Previously, Bexley earned two Grand Aurora Awards as the Best Master-Planned Community and Best Recreational Facility in the Southeast at the Southeast Building Conference earlier this year.

Bexley is a joint venture partnership between North America Sekisui House LLC, and Newland Real Estate Group LLC.

North America Sekisui House is the United States business unit and full subsidiary of Sekisui House LTD., Japan’s largest homebuilder.

Newland Communities is the development division for Newland Real Estate Group, and the master developer of Bexley.

Bexley Elementary School, at 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., which opened in August is the largest public elementary school ever built in Pasco County. School district officials recently had a dedication ceremony at the school.

Bexley by Newland Communities offers residents Avid multi-modal trails, 11 outdoor fitness stations, custom playgrounds and a BMX bicycle pump track. There is an event lawn for community gatherings, including a seasonal live music concert series to benefit Feeding Tampa Bay.

The Bexley Club is a gathering place in the community. And, residents and the public can dine at the Twisted Sprocket Café for breakfast, sandwiches and salads, beer and wine.

For information, visit BexleyFlorida.com, or call (813) 425-7555.

Published November 1, 2017

Land O’ Lakes library is open on Mondays again

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Pasco County is experiencing rosier days for its 2018 budget, which began Oct. 1.

So, the good old days when Pasco County libraries were open on Mondays are on the way back.

Two libraries, including the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, had ribbon cuttings on Oct. 16 to celebrate a return to the tradition of Monday library hours.

“We’ve been advocating and advocating,” said Elayne Bassinger, who serves on the library board. “We cannot tell you how grateful we are. This is exciting.”

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore cut the ribbon to celebrate the restoration of Monday hours at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library. He was joined by Pasco County library officials, volunteers and library staff members. (Kathy Steele)

In addition to the restored hours, the Land O’ Lakes library will add five additional full-time staff members, and more activities to its monthly calendar.

Budget cuts in past years axed Monday from all library schedules.

The situation was so dire, county commissioners in 2013 considered closing two libraries: the New River Branch Library in Zephyrhills and the Centennial Park Branch Library in Holiday.

All libraries still remain closed on Sundays.

However, over the next three years, all of the county’s libraries are expected to open again on Mondays, as the county’s budget allows.

The goal is to restore library hours to the 2008 level of 40 hours a week for each library.

Land O’ Lakes restored hours on Mondays are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

It’s an extra day of the week to be open, but also adds a second day of evening hours. The library also is open the same hours on Tuesday.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore joined Bassinger, Library Administrator Nancy Fredericks, Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles and library staff members for the ribbon cutting.

After years of deep cuts to library budgets, county commissioners approved a budget for fiscal year 2018 that added in more money for libraries, and also for parks.

Libraries are valuable to communities, Moore said. In addition to books, they also provide innovative technology, including Land O’ Lakes makerspace, to help people learn.

Plus, they facilitate connections between people.

“It’s a great meeting place,” Moore said.

In addition to the Land O’ Lakes library, at 2818 Collier Parkway, the county restored Monday hours to the Regency Park Branch Library, in New Port Richey. That library also will get new staff members.

“Those are the county’s busiest libraries,” Fredericks said.

To celebrate the restored hours, Land O’ Lakes library patrons were treated to special activities, including pen turning, a silly dance party, a visit from “creepy” reptiles and invertebrates, yoga and Tai Chi.

Looking ahead, Mondays now can be filled with additional activities on a regular basis on the library’s monthly calendar, said Kathleen Rothstein, Land O’ Lakes branch manager.

Yoga and Tai Chi will be offered on alternating Monday nights. There will be a Monday Movie Matinee. The library’s Foundry, or makerspace, will be open at various times on Monday.

The Foundry has a variety of new technology including 3-D printers, state-of-the-art Computer Aided Design (CAD) equipment, an Oculus Rift virtual reality system, and an audio recording studio.

It also offers opportunities to work with traditional hand and power tools, as well as crafting tools and supplies, including yarn and thread.

Other programs scheduled on Mondays include an introduction to knitting, Autumn Candle Holder, Essential Oils, woodworking and Pumpkin Planter.

For more information on dates and times for scheduled library events at Land O’ Lakes and other branch libraries, visit PascoCountyLibraries.org.

Published October 25, 2017