A popular 589-acre park in Lutz has reopened, despite the existence of a sinkhole that opened about a year ago and remains unfilled.
Lake Park, at 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, officially reopened on Oct. 8.
The park, which annually draws about 300,000 users, was closed on Dec. 2 because of a sinkhole that spans 6-feet wide and 90-feet deep.
(File Photo)
The sinkhole, which formed along a park roadway last October, has since been secured with $4,900 worth of heavy fencing and locked gates.
Forest Turbiville, Hillsborough County’s director of conservation and environmental lands management, said there are no immediate plans to fix the sinkhole.
“We’re going to continue to monitor it,” he said, “and, if we see there’s a change of conditions in that area, then we’ll potentially revaluate it at that time.
He said the area is “more than adequately secured.”
A recent geophysical study by Ardaman & Associates Inc., found the overall risk of future sinkhole activity to be “low” at the park. However, the report did not definitively rule out possible future sinkhole activity.
“We’ve monitored the entire park now since December,” Turbiville said, “and there’s been nothing at all that’s popped up. Our park staff is out there on a daily basis, so if we see any change in the area, we’ll get the county’s consultant back out there.”
While most normal park activities have resumed, the sinkhole “might potentially affect” the park’s archery range, Turbiville said. As a precaution, the range may be temporarily relocated to the Northwest Equestrian Park, 9400 South Mobley Road in Odessa.
Beyond the sinkhole, other issues, too, persist at Lake Park.
Recent heavy rains have created high watermarks, which has limited access in some areas of the park, including its central road.
(Courtesy of Hillsborough County)
The three-quarter-mile stretch of road — which Turbiville said is currently under a few feet of water — links the park’s front and back entrances. “It almost divides the park into two halves,” Turbiville said.
To access the park’s front picnic area and main playground, park-goers now have to enter via Dale Mabry Highway. Conversely, users will have to enter off Worley Road in order to access the park’s BMX and radio-controlled car tracks.
“We’re basically having two entrances into the park,” said Turbiville.
The road—which typically experiences flooding issues most of the year—will eventually have to be repaved and elevated, Turbiville said.
That undertaking, he said, may take several years.
“That is honestly going to be a long-term project,” said Turbiville. “You can’t just go in and build up the road — you’ve got to have design plans; you have to have permits. Of course, you have to have the money to pay for that work…so it’s not a small project by any means.”
Turbiville noted the county wouldn’t repair the main road until another long-term lease agreement is reached with the City of St. Petersburg, the owners of the park.
The existing lease agreement for Lake Park expires on June 3, 2019. Under that deal, Hillsborough County pays just $1 per year to the City of St. Petersburg to operate the park.
In a third draft of a new 10-year lease agreement, the City of St. Petersburg is requesting $3,000 per month, or $36,000 per year from Hillsborough County.
If approved, county staff expects to bring a recommendation to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners sometime in 2017. Meanwhile, Lake Park will operate under the current lease agreement.
Based on figures from 2014-2015, the park typically nets about $10,000 per month in revenue from park-goers.
Also of note, St. Petersburg is requesting $2,000 per month from the county to lease Lake Rogers Park, 6016 Gunn Hwy in Odessa. The most recent lease agreement expired on Sept. 30, but the city has extended it through Dec. 31, as negotiations continue.
Lake Park
Where: 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz
Fall hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Entrance fee: $2 per vehicle. Up to 8 people per vehicle. Rentals are extra.
Facilities: Rodeo, BMX track, playground, youth group campsite
Activities: Biking, bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, and canoeing/kayaking
Other features: Five lakes, cypress swamps, pine flat woods and hardwood hammocks
For information, call (813) 264-3806.
Published October 12, 2016
