The City of Dade City is seeking community and resident input for its newest park — what’s being hyped as a downtown splash park/bike hub.
Public meetings to gather input on the project’s finer details are scheduled for March 5 at 5:30 p.m., and March 12 at 1:30 p.m., while a draft conceptual presentation is scheduled for March 16 at 6 p.m. Each of those meetings will be at the Dade City Commission Chambers, 38020 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.
The City Commission in October approved an $800,000 land purchase for a 2.23-acre parcel near the Hardy Trailhead on Church Avenue to be the site of the future park. (The contract sale price totals $1.3 million, but the property owners have agreed to donate the difference toward the park project.)
A preliminary concept plan for the park has called for a multi-use water splash pad, bike-share shelter, amphitheater, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible playground, open space, a concession area and other amenities. Funding for the project is expected to come from city reserve funds, Penny for Pasco revenues and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). Meanwhile, the Pasco County Tourist Development Council has allocated $250,000 for the recreational project.
After residents and city officials weigh in on the project, the next steps include finalizing a master plan, and then moving onto a final design and engineered site plan.
The park likely will be completed in phases over the next several years, officials have said, starting with the bike hub, which could break ground sometime this year, in partnership with the county’s tourism office.
City leaders have discussed building a splash park/bike hub the past few years, with the idea it could help revitalize the downtown business district, while offering another healthy recreational outlet for local youth, residents and visitors.
For more information, call the Dade City Planning Department at (352) 521-1493.
Published March 4, 2020
