The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Land O' Lakes News

Swamp Fest brings carnival atmosphere to town

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The 13th annual Swamp Fest was held from Nov. 4 through Nov. 6 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. It was hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club to raise money for its athletic programs. (Mike Camunas)

Just as it does every year — minus one COVID hiatus year — the Swamp Fest rolled into town from Nov. 4 through Nov. 6, bringing in rides, games, food and entertainment.

Now in its 13th year, the three-day event once again was hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club to raise money for its athletic programs and school.

Organizers say the event, which was held at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., should bring in more than $25,000.

There were two dozen rides — all of the thrill, family and kiddie variety — plus plenty of carnival food stands and food trucks, a small midway of games, and entertainment featuring local performers.

Featured acts included Nicole’s Dance Academy, Nunes at Night, Kenneth Blakenship and Big Bong Theory.

Published November 09, 2022

Ali Toller, of Land O’ Lakes, enthusiastically enjoys a ride at Swamp Fest at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park as her dad, Brian Ramirez, looks on in amusement on the evening of Nov. 4. Swamp Fest, a three-day carnival in its 13th year, is hosted by the Land O’ Lakes High School Booster Club to raise money for its athletic programs and school, and organizers say the event should raise more than $25,000.
Dre Williams, left, and Lauren Williams watch as their kids D.J., left, and Kash pick out their winning toys. The Land O’ Lakes family enjoyed the evening of Nov. 4, during the three-day carnival, the 13th annual Swamp Fest, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Twelve-year-old Land O’ Lakes residents Karynn Edouard, left, and Gianna Gygnard laugh and scream during a ride at Swamp Fest at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirteen-year-old Land O’ Lakes residents Alanna Talvera, left, and Julia Sankowski pose for a fun selfie in front of the Ferris wheel at the 13th annual Swamp Fest at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park on the evening of Nov. 4.
Land O’ Lakes sisters Sophee, left, and Rylee Tomeo take one wild ride down the slide at the 13th annual Swamp Fest on Nov. 4.
Land O’ Lakes 16-year-old Tristan Marty, left, watches as fellow 16-year-old Abigail Encabo films their ride on the Ferris wheel during Swamp Fest.

Building on a prayer

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HOPE Services is now being built on hope.

Nearly literally.

Stephanie Stevens, of Dade City, signs scripture she wrote on the building beams of HOPE Services’ Life Skills and Vocational Training Center, which is tentatively opening in Land O’ Lakes in February. HOPE Services, a Wesley Chapel-based nonprofit that helps individuals with disabilities secure and maintain meaningful, competitive and integrated employment, will provide job-training services and more through candidates from the Vocational Rehabilitation and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. (Mike Camunas)

On Oct. 27, founder and CEO of the Wesley Chapel-based nonprofit Cindy Bray welcomed friends, family and residents to come write inspiring scriptures and well wishes on the two-by-four beams that will eventually support the organization’s Life Skills and Vocational Training Center in Land O’ Lakes.

The facility, at 5426 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., tentatively opens in February, and will provide training services to those with disabilities in the fields of construction, retail, culinary arts, hospitality, computer skills and general GED education.

Bray founded HOPE Services in 2003 to help individuals with disabilities secure and maintain meaningful, competitive and integrated employment.

“It was inspired by my daughter, Danica, who lives with disabilities,” Bray said, “and she needed help with services to become employable and before I knew it, I became a job coach, and being a job coach led to providing more and more services, and it led to all of this.”

This new, upcoming facility will be the first for HOPE Services, which will be open to anyone with disabilities looking to join the job force. According to HOPE services, people with disabilities are an overlooked and underused talent pool who are available, flexible and motivated. The training center will now be able to provide these potential employees with the skills needed to be hirable.

HOPE Services provides vocational evaluations, work incentive planning and assistance, on-the-job training, psychotherapy, employment services, pre-employment transition services and supported employment.

These services are provided, at no charge, as HOPE Services’ funding comes entirely from Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

Once a candidate is eligible to receive services from VR or the Agency, the candidate must ask to be referred to HOPE Services, which immediately begins processing them as a client.

While based in Wesley Chapel, and soon Land O’ Lakes, HOPE Services also serves Hillsborough, Hernando, Pinellas, Polk and Citrus counties.

“This is our first life-skills center, and we want to open it up to the community,” Bray said. “We’ll teach them construction, we’ll teach them computer skills, culinary arts, retail, hospitality — all so they can get a job.

“And with (people writing on the two-by-fours), I wanted everyone to have ownership of the building, and give God the glory — that’s just me!”

For more information about HOPE Services, visit HopeGetsJobs.com.

Published November 02, 2022

Messages of inspiration and encouragement have been written on the beams of the brand-new HOPE Services’ Life Skills and Vocational Training Center, which is tentatively opening in Land O’ Lakes in February.
Julia Anthony and her son, Evan, wish HOPE Services good luck by writing it on the beams of its brand-new Life Skills and Vocational Training Center, which is tentatively opening in Land O’ Lakes in February. Julia’s husband and Evan’s father, Steven, is the general contractor for the construction.
A scripture of HOPE is written on a beam that will be part of HOPE Services’ Life Skills and Vocational Training Center, which is tentatively opening in Land O’ Lakes in February.

Students soar, in this Sunlake High program

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Talk about a different type of dual-enrollment program.

At the Aerospace Career Academy Program at Sunlake High, students can earn college credits, but they also learn about aviation and engineering — two very different careers that are very much intertwined.

Students learn how to pilot a plane and how to build an aircraft that works.

Cadet Technical Sgt. Brendon Riveria, a Sunlake High senior, left, flies an F-16 on a virtual reality (VR) flight simulator while Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor Mark Aragon, right, provides pointers for keeping it level. Aragon, the flight instructor at Sunlake, runs the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program that allows students to get their pilot’s license and introduces them to aerospace and engineering careers. (Mike Camunas)

At the same time, they’re earning college credits from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

It’s possible to earn up to 30 college credits over four years — translating into the potential of $40,000 in tuition savings.

“We are building engineers who can fly and also pilots who know how a plane works from the engineering side,” said Joseph Fernandez, who teaches in Sunlake’s Robotics, Computer Science & Engineering Program.

“There’s one way to make a pilot: you put them in a plane, but we want to also have people who can repair a plane or who know how to design a plane from scratch. But engineers have to know that a person eventually has to sit down and fly the plane, and each pilot is going to come in all shapes and sizes.

“If you don’t fly a plane, you don’t think about where all the instruments and components go, and if you only fly a plane, you don’t think about all the work that goes into making sure it’s designed the most effective way,” the teacher said.

“Having both sides of the perspective help a pilot understand aeronautical engineering better and an aerospace engineer understand piloting better,” he added.

Students, as teenagers, go through this program, and they can earn their pilot’s license. However, it’s more than that — as a dual-enrollment program, they’ll be taking the same courses as a freshman or sophomore would at Embry-Riddle.

That’s where Mark Aragon, an Air Force veteran pilot and professor at the university, comes in. He took over the program three years ago and massively revamped it, knowing aviation and engineering had to go together for the program’s survival.

Sunlake High senior Isabella Eby works with a full hands-on flight simulator in the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program. It offers students the opportunity to learn to pilot planes, as well as earn college credit through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

And, for the betterment of the students enrolled.

“The things we do, we get them through the pilot program. They take their FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) private pilot exam, so they can fly a plane. “They do it as a teenager — that’s unheard of in high school,” Aragon said.

He added: “Then, there’s the engineering side. They learn why a plane does this or how I can make a plane do that. When they’re using the (flight) simulators, we want them to be able to understand a plane better.”

The program has several simulators, including virtual reality (VR) headset apparatuses that put students in the cockpit of an F-16. The program also focuses on drone piloting and technology, as unmanned aircraft is a very sought-after career now.

Students use drones to do many things at the school. Such as, they were able to 3D map the parking lot by flying the droves over it, taking pictures and stitching them together. They also were able to assist in A/C repair when there was a leak and a drone was able to fly into the vent and find it.

“(The engineering side is about) problem-solving, thinking how to make things work and solve that problem. We want smart cars, then we want smart planes, smart rockets, everything to be able to control itself,” Fernandez said.

A very large flight crew checklist sits on the seat of a virtual reality (VR) flight simulator at Sunlake High and is used in the school’s Aerospace Career Academy Program.

“Everyone thinks it’s removing the pilot, but it still has to be taught how to fly. Not all drones are piloted with a remote control — they can be programmed to fly where they need to be. That’s where engineering, and programming come in.”

According to Aragon, this program can lead to careers, not just in aviation, aerospace or engineering, but also cyber intelligence and security, business administration and management, wildlife science, aviation maintenance, and meteorology.

Aragon also helps students prepare themselves for careers by having them create resumes.

In fact, with Aragon’s military background, he incorporated Sunlake’s Cadet Squadron into the program, as those students look to obtain their pilot’s licenses, too.

Not all plan on military careers; Aragon pointed out one student wants to become a commercial airline pilot.

“That’s a lot of fly time for a teenager to have,” he added.

That’s the case for seniors Isabella Eby and Matthew Santos, program students who are working toward becoming pilots, but learning as much as they can about aviation engineering, as well.

“I’ve been told by people that I’m better suited for engineering than aviation, but I do like the flying part, too,” Eby said. “A lot of these classes are hands-on, so seeing how the two go together and why they go together, it has allowed me to learn more on both sides of aerospace from the aviation and engineering aspects.”

“When I first got into (the program) as a freshman,” Santos added, “I took it because it looked like an elective that really interested me and could lead to a career. I’m very interested in aviation and started learning about the engineering side a lot more once in the program. I’m very interested in how those two work together and how it will help me as a pilot.”

Published November 02, 2022

For Halloween fun, check out this spooky trail

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Christine Lewis takes Halloween very seriously.

She’s so devoted to the holiday that she built a spooky, interactive trail in front of her Land O’ Lakes home in Wilderness Lake Preserve.

Wilderness Lake Preserve resident Karla Arita enjoys the spooky trail her neighbor, Christine Lewis, set up in front of her house. Lewis created the attraction for her neighbors and other nearby community residents to come by to enjoy, free of charge, from now until Halloween. Anyone can come walk the trail, at 7232 Night Heron Drive, in Land O’ Lakes. (Mike Camunas)

And someone special in her life inspired her.

“The grandbaby asked, ‘Grandma, are you going to decorate?’” Lewis said. “About five houses here (on her street) really do all the decorations, so it’s been on (like a competition) when it comes to Halloween.

“It just morphed into something that was made for my grandbaby, but now is shared with the community.”

It didn’t begin as an interactive trail. For Lewis, it was just decorating to the brim during October. She was happy her grandson, Logan, 4, and her autistic stepson, Hayden, 19, loved it.

Now, after a trial year in 2021, Lewis, with the help of her neighbor, Robert Kersey, may have just perfected the setup. This year’s display will allow residents and nearby visitors to enjoy the spooky trail that has photo ops and lights up at night.

Wilderness Lake Preserve resident Christine Lewis created a spooky trail in front of her house at 7232 Night Heron Drive, in Land O’ Lakes. She welcomes all neighbors — from her subdivision and nearby ones — to come check it out, until Halloween.

Lewis learned from last year to add a designated entrance and exit, but also to space out the trail so “anyone with a stroller or a walker” can easily walk through.

At the end, and on Halloween night, the Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood will be on a small stage and available for photos.

“Oh, we got well over 200 visitors last year — on Halloween alone,” said Lewis, who has lived in Wilderness Lake since 2015 and is also a Wiccan. “And we’ll get well over that this year, but it is a nice way to meet people in the community. And since I posted it on the (neighborhood) Facebook group, everyone asks about it and thanks me for doing it, and really appreciates it and embraces it.

“That really means a lot to me — really lifts my spirits,” the four-time cancer survivor added.

Lewis says everyone is welcome to see the trail, free of charge, in front of her house at 7232 Night Heron Drive — and not just residents of Wilderness Lake, but those from neighboring communities in Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, Wesley Chapel and beyond.

Anyone can come by for candy, photos and, of course, fun.

“It’s not just for kids,” she added. “An 84-year-old woman just stopped by with her husband and came to the door and asked, ‘Can I walk it?’ And I was like, ‘Of course!’ … Plus, on Halloween, we’ll have over 1,000 pieces of candy to hand out.

“And some beer for the adults,” she added, with a laugh.

Published October 26, 2022

Christine Lewis also has the spooky trail lit up at night, and on Halloween, will have Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf waiting for visitors at the end.

Toys For Tots gearing up for holidays

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Toys for Tots Central Pasco is gearing up for the holidays.

It is recruiting businesses that would like to have a box for a toy collection in their office or building, to collect toys for the coming holiday season, according to a news release.

If you’d like to help, call 813-803-2040.

It also is registering local families to receive the gifts that are collected.

The collection boxes will be dropped off on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, and then collected on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.

Toys collected in the Land O’ Lakes region will stay within the community for local families.

Central Pasco/Land O’Lakes will have a Toys for Tots distribution day on Dec. 17, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is required in advance by calling 813-803-2122.

Families will be given a time slot to pick up toys. Organizers ask that only adults pick up the toys, if possible, with the goal of preserving the magic of the holidays for children.

Pickup will be at the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park community center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Schools in the community have been notified.

Toys for Tots serves children from ages 1 to 12. Registration is open and ends on Dec. 1.

If you or your organization would like to give a donation to help purchase toys, please call 813-803-2122 and someone will be in contact with you. You can also reach the organization by emailing ">.

Published October 26, 2022

Land O’ Lakes Branch Library nearing reopening

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Closed for more than a year already, the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, at 2818 Collier Parkway, is inching toward the finish line of its massive renovation.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library at 2818 Collier Parkway is nearly ready to open after its year-plus 4.75-million renovation that included new furnishings, lighting, computer, printers and even faster broadband in the 31-year-old facility. (Mike Camunas)

Pasco County Library Cooperative officials do not have a firm reopening date set, but hope to have one soon.

“There’s still some work to be done,” Bob Harrison, marketing program manager for the Pasco County Library Cooperative, told The Laker/Lutz News. “Plus, we’ll need time to move in the furniture, install the computers, transfer the book collection and more, to ensure the library is a vibrant, welcoming place for everyone.

“We know (people) are as anxious as we are to get back in there!”

When the 18,169-square-foot branch closed Aug. 14 for a $4.75-million renovation, completion was tentatively set for late 2022. And there is still time, as this branch has not been hit with supply chain issue delays, such as its sister branch — Dade City’s Hugh Embry Branch Library — has, according to Cooperative officials.

That branch, with its $2-million renovation, has no tentative completion or reopen date, either.

In early- to mid-2021, the Land O’ Lakes Branch was cleared of its contents and fenced off, with some of its books and services moving next door to the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library’s makeover will be a floor-to-ceiling remodel, and will include new furnishings, updated technology, faster broadband and other improvements. (Courtesy of Pasco County Library Cooperative)

The renovation includes a complete overhaul and remodel of the branch, including new furnishings, lighting, computer, printers and even faster broadband.

It’s the second time the branch has undergone construction, with the last being a two-year expansion project, which began in 2005.

“It’s a top-to-bottom remodel. Floor-to-ceiling,” Harrison told this publication in July 2021. “Everything is brand new. Literally, from the floor coverings to the wall, to the ceiling treatments.”

Funding for the library renovation is coming from proceeds of general obligation bonds that were approved through a referendum in 2018, with a 66% approval rating from voters, Harrison added.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch is one of three Pasco County libraries currently closed for remodeling: the aforementioned Hugh Embry, at 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City, and the South Holiday Branch Library, at 4649 Mile Stretch Drive, are the other two.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch began as a small section of a county building on U.S. 41, but was later moved to a larger location because of its increase in use. In 1980, it became an official part of the Pasco County Library Collective and moved into a Land O’ Lakes plaza storefront in 1988.

The branch at its current location was built through a $10-million bond referendum passed by Pasco County voters in 1986 to improve public library services and build new parks countywide.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library opened to the public on Dec. 12, 1991.

Published October 19, 2022

Pasco board rejects request for towing operation

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It’s not that the Pasco County Commission objects to a towing operator setting up shop in the county, it’s just the proposed location for one on U.S. 41 isn’t the right spot, board members unanimously agreed at the Oct. 11 meeting.

Concerns raised by nearby residents resonated with the board.

Those neighbors raised objections to the likely noise that will result after the towing business opens. They said a 24-hour operation isn’t compatible with the residential neighborhood that’s behind it.

Opponents also said the nature of the business isn’t exactly what they expected, as the county aspires to set a tone for redeveloping the main north-south artery in the heart of Land O’ Lakes.

Several neighbors spoke out against the proposal, including residents of a nearby 54-home subdivision and the owner of a commercial property next door.

One speaker talked about the current hazardous conditions, as motorists try to make U-turns at median cutouts along U.S. 41.

Tow trucks transporting vehicles will add to the hazards by making it harder for motorists to see, while they’re attempting U-turns, and causing greater traffic backups.

In general, opponents said, the proposed operation would not fit in.

The Pasco County Planning Commission and county planners both recommended approval of the request for the towing operation on a 0.62-acre site on the east side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, about a mile north of State Road 54.

Applicant Christopher Brown said his company provides a necessary service.

He said his business is under contract with apartment complexes and homeowner associations to remove cars that are double-parked, parked in fire lanes, or parked on properties without permits.

As Pasco grows, the demand for the towing services increases, Brown said.

Brown, who had a contract to purchase the property if his request was approved, said he understands property rights. He pledged he would be a good neighbor.

He said his trucks are new and they don’t have backup beeping sounds. He also offered to provide additional buffering and add soundproofing.

In the end, however, those promised weren’t enough.

Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey told Brown she understands the need for this type of towing service, but said the proposed location just won’t work.

She asked the county’s staff to work with the applicant to see if they can help him find a more appropriate location.

The board voted 5-0 to deny the conditional use request.

Published October 19, 2022

Wisteria Loop residents ask for sidewalk near their homes

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Earlier this year, a developer agreed to build a road in a Land O’ Lakes neighborhood, to help handle area traffic.

The agreement regarding the road — which came after considerable discussion and compromise — was added as a condition for a rezoning to allow a 108 single-family subdivision on 50.5 acres, on the south side of Bexley Road, about a mile west of the intersection of U.S. 41 and Wisteria Loop.

As part of the conditions for approval, the county staff agreed that the developer could receive up to 66 certificates of occupancy before having to make roadway improvements.

Residents of Wisteria Loop near Bexley Road in Land O’ Lakes are asking for a sidewalk to connect with a planned sidewalk to the west. (Mike Camunas)

No additional certificates of occupancy will be granted before the improvements are made.

Now, some residents on Wisteria Loop are asking the county to figure out a way to build a sidewalk on Wisteria Loop, to link it to a planned sidewalk to the west.

Jeremy Couch, who lives on Wisteria Loop, appeared before the Pasco County Commission on Sept. 22, asking the board to require the sidewalk, as part of the proposed development agreement between the developer and the county.

“I’m not here in opposition.

“I’m here because I live on this street and how it is built is important to me, especially since the county is giving mobility fee credits.

“I’m very happy that the road is going to get fixed. It’s nice.

“My issue is what we’re building. So, we’re building this really big typical section. We’re leaving huge gaps in the sidewalk. The applicant is not required in the code to build a sidewalk along a substandard portion.

“On( U.S.) 41, there’s a multi-use path and a sidewalk. Then you have 1,000 feet across two parcels that has no sidewalk.

“A lot of kids use this to ride their bikes and go to Land O’ Lakes High, which is right there.

“Then in front of Arden Preserve, you have a 5-foot sidewalk.

“And then, as proposed in front of my house, for another 1,000 feet, you have no sidewalk. “And then, when you get down west of me, 1,000 feet, in the middle of nowhere you’ve got bike lanes, a multi-use path, a sidewalk and everything.

“I understand that the typical section shows bike lanes. But when you have bike lanes, a multi-use path, that’s completely redundant. It seems to me like the bike lanes should go away,” he said.

Instead of building the bike lane, Couch suggested allowing the applicant to build an off-site sidewalk and be granted mobility credits.

Planning board member Jon Moody saw Couch’s point.

“I’d rather have that pavement added to the multi-use path, or the wider sidewalk. There’s no need to pave 10 feet of extra roadway, when that’s not an 8-foot multi-use path, that’s a 12-foot multi-use path.”

But Deputy Chief County Attorney David Goldstein said: “To a certain extent, bike lanes probably shouldn’t be viewed (as) bike lanes. I think the engineers view them as effectively being a breakdown lane.

“Any road needs some area of shoulder, breakdown area, that can be used so people aren’t breaking down in the middle of the street,” the attorney said.

So, while it is called a bike lane, it’s not functioning only as a bike lane, Goldstein said.

“You’ve got to remember that, when you start getting rid of bike lanes,” he added.

At the same time, the idea of granting mobility fee credits for an off-site improvement can be considered, Goldstein said.

“It is a legitimate request, but I don’t know if anybody has looked at whether there’s sufficient right of way, sufficient drainage capacity,” Goldstein added.

Attorney Shelley Johnson, representing the applicant, said more research is needed to see if a sidewalk could be achieved there, but added that her client is willing to consider the possibility of building the sidewalk in exchange for mobility fee credits.

Ray Gadd, who also lives on Wisteria Loop, said Couch’s idea has merit.

“I’m an avid cyclist. I would never use a bike lane on a road that has a multi-use trail,” Gadd said.

He also submitted a drawing for the county to consider regarding a potential improvement.

The planning board recommended approval of the proposed development agreement, with the issue of the potential sidewalk not yet resolved.

Johnson told the planning board her client will look into the issue before the proposed development agreement reaches the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction over land use and zoning issues.

Published October 12, 2022

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church celebrates 70 years

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Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church celebrated 70 years of operations with special Rosary processions before each of its Masses last weekend.

The church is a mainstay in Land O’ Lakes, providing a spiritual home for families in many communities within The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area.

Besides conducting regular services, the church is known by many for its Lenten Fish Fry suppers, its active scouts programs, and for helping others in need through its St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, among other things.

In a recent interview, the church’s newest pastor, the Rev. Justin Paskert, recounted the church’s early days.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, located at 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, moved to its current 26-acre campus in 1999. (Mike Camunas)

“In ’52, there was a place called The Florida Bar, on (U.S.) 41,” Paskert said. “Back then, bars had to be closed on Sunday. We rented it out and had our first gatherings over there.”

Next, the church used the VFW Hall on U.S. 41 for its meeting space.

When Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church was formed, it pre-dated the Diocese of St. Petersburg, so it was a mission church, as part of the Diocese of St. Augustine.

To get it started, Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley, of the Diocese of St. Augustine, asked the Benedictine monks from St. Leo, to support the mission, Paskert said.

“So, the first handful of pastors — they were all kind of short-term — but they were the Benedictine Brothers,” he said.

Occasionally, Jesuits from downtown Tampa’s Sacred Heart Church would help out, too, he said.

Early on, just a handful of families attended the mission church.

The church bought land for a permanent building in 1957, began holding services there in 1958 and had a formal dedication ceremony, with Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley presiding, on April 26, 1959.

Monsignor Ron Aubin, who led Our Lady of the Rosary for 27 years, shared some of the big changes regarding the church, in an interview before he retired in June 2021.

When Aubin arrived at the parish on July 1, 1994, about 830 families belonged to the church, he said, in The Laker/Lutz News story, published on June 23, 2021.

At the time, the church was still located on the southwest corner of U.S. 41 and State Road 54, Aubin said.

Both of those roads were two lanes then, and there were very few stoplights, he added.

“There are two churches there now. One on the north side of the highway and one on the south side of the highway. Both were ours. Except the one on the north side of the street used to be on the south side of the street.

“When they widened the intersection there — widened (U.S.) 41 to four lanes, did the whole intersection — they were going to chop off the (smaller) church,” Aubin said.

Instead, the building was sold to the Episcopal Church, which paid $1, and moved it across the street.

Bishop Gregory Parkes (seated), of the Diocese of St. Peterburg, participated in the formal installation of the Rev. Justin Paskert (standing, facing the congregation), as the new pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, at 2348 Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes. The installation ceremony occurred at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sept. 18. (Courtesy of Our Lady of the Rosary Church)

Our Lady of the Rosary had already been using the larger building on the site on the south side of State Road 54. The structure later became home to Keystone Community Church.

Our Lady of the Rosary moved to its current campus at 2348 Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes, on Nov. 27, 1999.

Initially, the new site had a church and an office. Over time, it added an early childhood center and a youth center.

During Aubin’s tenure, the church weathered the Great Recession and shutdowns caused by COVID-19.

As Aubin departed, he expressed optimism that the new pastor would bring fresh energy and be able to revitalize the parish that had been forced to limit gatherings and personal interactions because of the pandemic.

In his previous role, Paskert ran the campus ministry for six years at the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. He believes that background will prove useful in his new role.

“With doing campus ministry, the entire focus is on evangelizing,” he explained.

He believes his outreach experiences will help promote growth in the Land O’ Lakes church community.

“It’s not just trying to take care of the Catholics who show up, it’s really kind of challenging our whole community to kind of get out and share who we are and what we’re about, and share the Gospel,” he said.

When Paskert arrived at Our Lady of the Rosary, “we still had limited capacity, and we had just stopped having to register if you were going to come on the weekend.

“The first thing I did was put all available chairs back into the church — which was way more than what we needed — but it was kind of a signal to everybody: ‘We’re going to fill this back up again.’”

The efforts are showing results.

“Last summer, after I first got here, after Fr. Ron retired, we probably had about 1,300, 1,400 people on a weekend. This past month, we’ve been about 2,400 people.

“That’s been a very good momentum.

“I think people are being excited, in coming back to church,” the pastor said.

He also shared this thoughts about the various influences the pandemic has had, on church attendance.

“You had some people, kind of regular and prayerfully participate in church. Then, everybody stopped going. People very strong in their faith came back right away, as soon as the doors were open,” he said.

(Mike Camunas)

Now, he added, “a lot of people who are coming are a lot of new people that we didn’t necessarily see before the pandemic and the shutdown.”

Some are likely newcomers to the area, Paskert said. But others are people, who during COVID, decided to find a church home.

“People were asking themselves what they wanted their life to look like. I think it was kind of a hinge-point, a lynch pin, for people establishing new priorities for themselves or their family, post-pandemic,” Paskert said.

“People aren’t just necessarily going back to what they were doing before. They might be trying some things that are different,” he added.

Paskert noted that it’s not enough to attract people to try out the church.

“It’s constantly the work of how to welcome people, how to integrate them into the community,” the pastor said.

That challenge is likely to continue, as Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church moves forward beyond its first 70 years.

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church milestones
1952: The Mission’s first official Mass was celebrated on Oct. 5, at the VFW Hall on U.S. 41. The celebrant was Abbot Francis Sadler, O.S.B. The mission’s patroness, and title, is established because the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is Oct 7.
1957: Land is purchased of the south side of State Road 54, a quarter-mile west of U.S. 41. The groundbreaking ceremony happened soon after signing of contract.
1958: The first Mass celebrated at the new church building on State Road 54.
1959: A formal dedication ceremony is held at Our Lady of the Rosary Church on April 26.
1970: The last Benedictine pastor, the Rev. Edward Martineau, completes his assignment. The Rev. Peter Reynolds becomes the first diocesan-assigned pastor.
1979: The parish hall is constructed on the State Road 54 property.
1984: Our Lady of the Rosary Church purchases 26.75 acres, four-tenths of a mile north of State Road, on the east side of Collier Parkway.
1996: Planning and permitting begins for the new church, on Collier Parkway.
1999: Bishop Robert Lynch, of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, dedicates the new church on Collier Parkway. The dedication occurs on Nov. 27. The new location includes a multipurpose building, with the church, offices, rectory and a large parking area.
2001: An extension is added for a fourth living space for associate priest.
2007: Construction is completed on Immaculata Hall and the Early Childhood Center (Mary’s House).
2018: The Mater Dei building is completed, to be used for youth and adult formation.

Source: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church

Pastors of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church:

  • Reverend Stephan Herrmann, O.S.B.: 1953 to 1955
  • Reverend James Hoge, O.S.B.: 1955 to 1956
  • Reverend Cassian Foley, O.S.B.: 1956 to 1958
  • Reverend Michael Leap, O.S.B.: 1958 to 1963
  • Reverend Aloysius Dressman, O.S.B.: 1963 to 1966
  • Reverend Edward Martineau, O.S.B: 1966 to 1970
  • Reverend Peter Reynolds: 1970 to 1972
  • Reverend John Bolger: 1972 to 1973
  • Reverend Stephen Dambrauskas: 1973 to 1994
  • Reverend Ronald Aubin, J.C.L.: 1994 to 2021
  • Reverend Justin Paskert: 2021 to present

Source: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church

Published October 12, 2022

Hale Road rezoning gets ‘no’ vote from divided planning board

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In the end, a majority of the Pasco County Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of  a rezoning requested for a 109-home subdivision in Land O’ Lakes.

The proposed site for the development is on the southwest and northwest corner of the Hale Road and Collier Parkway intersection, straddling Hale Road. It is approximately 5,700 feet east of U.S. 41, according to documents contained in the planning board’s Sept. 22 agenda packet.

The planning board voted 3-2 to recommend denial.

Opponents to a proposed rezoning on Hale Road want the request to be rejected. The sign also indicates a backlash against elected leaders, springing from dissatisfaction regarding Pasco County’s continued growth. (Mike Camunas)

That vote followed about four hours of testimony, with representatives for the applicant claiming the proposed single-family development is compatible with the sea of single-family developments surrounding it.

Opponents questioned the claim of compatibility, raised issues about Hale Road’s ability to handle the additional traffic, voiced concerns about potential environmental damage that could arise and cautioned against setting a precedent for increased development on similar properties on Hale Road.

In calling for denial, the planning board cited Hale Road’s substandard road conditions, incompatibility with surrounding development, and other issues.

County planners, however, had recommended approval of the request.

Next, the Pasco County Commission will consider the request. It has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Cyndi Tarapani, of Tarapani Planning Strategies, represented KB Home, at the planning board’s meeting.

She told the planning board:  “We believe we made every reasonable effort to be a good neighbor.”

The future land use designation for the property allows up to six homes per acre, Tarapani noted. This proposal calls for 2.5 homes per acre.

The future land use designation would allow up to 214 homes. The applicant’s initial request was for 150, but that has since been reduced to 109, Tarapani said.

The developer also plans to use 50-foot lots on areas adjacent to neighboring subdivisions and plans to provide buffering, even though none is required, the professional planner added.

Plus, the developer will pay $281,600 to mitigate traffic impacts and will provide a left-turn lane into the property, she said.

But none of the developer’s changes appeased the opposition.

Opponents came ready for battle
An army of objectors — many wearing green shirts and some carrying signs — turned out to the public hearing.

The contingent included students from Land O’ Lakes High School who argued against the rezoning, based on research showing potential environmental threats.

Opponents repeatedly raised concerns about safety hazards on Hale Road, which the county deems a substandard road.

Mike Della-Penna, who lives nearby, said: “There haven’t been many improvements on Hale Road in the 32 years I’ve lived there and I don’t expect many to be happening.”

Others said the proposed density is contrary to existing lot sizes in nearby developments.

“You have an established pattern of development on Hale Road, and these lots don’t meet that standard,” said Lisa Moretti, who opposes the rezoning.

This sign urges rejection of a proposed rezoning on Hale Road, which would allow a subdivision of 109 houses on Hale Road. A portion of the proposed site is next to the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. (Mike Camunas)

Moretti cited eight approved developments on Hale Road, which have larger lot sizes.

“The proposed development is 109 lots, over 2 ½ times as many as the largest approved development already there and over five times greater than the average approved development,” Moretti said.

“This (proposed) development is totally an aberration of compatibility,” Moretti said.

Dr. T.H. Culhane, another opponent, stepped up to the podium wearing a Patel College of Global Sustainability T-shirt.

“I request, respectfully, that you recommend denial for this land-grab application for this last tiny refuge of wildlife, this last sanctuary of sanity, in an increasingly sprawl-filled neighborhood,” said Culhane, a University of South Florida professor.

Culhane talked about working for six years at the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road. It’s a place that focuses on promoting sustainable living practices.

“I and my professional colleagues — graduate students — have conducted landscape research, habitat restoration and wildlife surveys.

“We’ve worked hard on invasive species removal and repatriation of Florida native plants and wildlife,” Culhane said.

“I scuba-dived Lake Rosebud to observe the alligators and fish, therein, and watched and delighted with the sandhill crane families and gopher tortoises that are all over making their nests, now that we’ve re-wilded the property.”

The Rosebud Continuum relies on the area’s existing character, he said.

“On the world stage, we know we can be far more innovative than the current Hale proposal,” said Culhane, who told the planning board he holds a master’s degree and PhD in urban planning from the University of California Los Angeles.

Michelle Dillard, a nearby resident, raised concerns about the potential runoff causing pollution of nearby lakes. Residents near King Lake already have spent thousands to improve the water quality in that lake, she said.

“We have to keep our lakes safe. We have to keep them alive,” Dillard said.

Speakers asked the planning board to protect the interest of current residents, rather than accommodating developers.

Brian Bishop — whose mother, Maryann Bishop, owns the property occupied by the Rosebud Continuum — said he’s concerned about adding traffic to Hale Road.

“I think we’ve already established that the situation on Hale Road is not a desirable one,” he said. “To me, this is a no-brainer.”

He asked the planning board to not allow KB Home “to make a bad situation worse.”

One resident invited the planning board members to come out to the area to watch traffic when school lets out. She said there’s one particular bicyclist, who has a large backpack on — that she’s seen nearly get hit on more than one occasion.

Russell Watrous, another rezoning opponent, voiced concerns about a potential precedent being set by approval of this request.

“There are four pieces of property on Hale Road, very similar to the one KB Home wants to develop right now,” he said. “We’re at a turning point in Land O’ Lakes, and you can see it. Almost every one of these feeder roads and back, secondary roads are being developed,” Watrous said.

Published September 28, 2022