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All People's Life Center

Hillsborough County Parks launches exercise challenge

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It’s time to get out and get moving.

For those reeling with the effects of cabin fever in the midst of COVID-19, there’s now some extra motivation to exercise outdoors and explore what the region has to offer in the way of parks and recreational amenities.

The Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation Department is encouraging people to get active this spring and summer via its inaugural “Move! Hillsborough” program.

Residents can earn prizes for reaching certain exercise milestones at parks and recreation centers throughout Hillsborough County. The inaugural Move! Hillsborough fitness challenges runs from April 1 through July 31. Prizes are awarded for milestones of 100 miles, 300 miles and 500 miles completed. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation)

The initiative, which launched April 1 and continues through July 31, motivates residents of all ages to get active by offering prizes for achieving exercise milestones.

Here’s how the challenge works: Participants register for free and log miles to show how they are moving throughout the county, be it walking, running, biking, kayaking, skipping or rollerblading.

Any type of activity counts toward the goal, so participants can rack up miles through all sorts of means, even with Zumba classes, dancing, playing basketball, pickleball, tennis, soccer and so on. The county’s parks team has a comprehensive conversion chart online letting participants know how to convert their desired activity to miles.

For example, logging 5,000 steps during a Zumba class translates to 2 miles, while rowing moderately for 15 minutes equates to 1 mile.

Participants will earn a prize at each milestone of 100 miles (keychain), 300 miles (bandana), and 500 miles (T-shirt).  Reaching 500 miles makes you eligible for all three prizes.

Upon completing the challenge, bring your confirmation email (printed or digital) to one of the following locations to claim your prize in person: All Peoples Life Center in Tampa, Apollo Beach Recreation Center in Apollo Beach, Bell Creek Nature Preserve in Riverview, Carrollwood Village Park in Tampa or Westchase Recreation Center in Tampa.

Hillsborough’s parks and recreation coordinator Dana McDonald said Move! Hillsborough was brainstormed by county staffers as a means “to figure out new and inventive ways to get people out and active and moving in our parks,” particularly amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Any type of movement counts, and that, I think, is the great part about it, you know, everything you do counts towards miles,” said McDonald. “The parks and recreation department really wants people to be healthy. That’s one of our main goals, for people to be active and healthy, and this is just a fun way that we thought we could get people involved and reward them for things that we hope they’re already doing.”

Biking at local parks is one of the many recommended activities as part of the inaugural Move! Hillsborough fitness challenge. (File)

And, there’s no shortage of places to go to get your fitness fix.

Out of the more than 150 county-run parks, there’s over two dozen neighborhood parks, preserves, recreation centers and athletic fields throughout The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, in Carrollwood, Lutz, New Tampa and Odessa.

Having trouble deciding where to start? McDonald recommends the 50-acre Carrollwood Village Park, which opened in 2018 at 4680 W. Village Drive in Tampa.

The park features a slew of family friendly amenities, including a challenge course, outdoor fitness equipment, paved trail, playground, skate park, splash pad, walking trails, pump track multiple dog parks, and more.

“It’s actually a regional-sized park, and it has everything, and you can pretty much do any kind of movement there,” said McDonald. “There is a lot that you can do and get a lot of movement, so…that would definitely be a great park to go and check out.”

She, too, recommended the Northdale Recreation Center, as it features outdoor fitness equipment and a walking trail, plus a variety of basketball, tennis and pickleball courts.

Also locally, Lake Park in Lutz is another solid option. “That’s great for your trails, and you can get a lot of miles there, for sure,” McDonald said.

Though checking out the county’s myriad parks is encouraged to achieve mileage milestones, McDonald noted participants may also register fitness points at home or in their local neighborhood, and still become eligible for prizes: “If you aren’t comfortable (going out) yet, and you have a treadmill at home and you want to do a treadmill or a bike, or you just want to walk around your neighborhood, those all count. If you do (workout) classes or videos, like Zumba, or you do basketball in your neighborhood, you can count those, too.”

Move! Hillsborough piggybacks off another one of the county’s popular outdoor fitness initiatives — the annual Hiking Spree, which typically runs from November through March, and garnered about 5,500 registrants in its fifth year.

Given the fact that Move! Hillsborough is a brand-new program, county officials are hoping for at least 1,000 registrants this year, McDonald said. “It takes some time for people to get excited about the program and get involved,” she said. “The nice thing is, because we’re coming off the Hiking Spree, a lot of people know about the Hiking Spree and are excited to participate (in Move! Hillsborough).”

In addition to residents, county parks and recreation employees at staffed recreation centers have also made a point to pursue the exercise challenge and see who can rack up the most miles, McDonald said. “Of course, there’s always that little bit of competition,” the parks administrator quipped. “You can’t have a group of people who are coaches who just don’t have that little bit of fun competition going around.”

For information and to register, visit HCFLGov.net/MoveHillsborough.

Hillsborough County park and recreation listings in and near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area

  • Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve, 18101 Ramblewood Road, Odessa
  • Calusa Trace Park, 18331 N. Calusa Blvd., Lutz
  • Carolyn Meeker Dog Park and Nature Trail, 122 First Ave., S.W., Lutz
  • Carrollwood Meadows Park, 13918 S. Farmington Blvd., Tampa
  • Carrollwood Village Park, 4680 W. Village Drive, Tampa
  • Cross Creek Park, 19205 Basset Creek Drive, Tampa
  • Cypress Creek Nature Preserve, 18000 Lizard’s Tail Road, Tampa
  • Keystone Park & Recreation Center, 19928 Gunn Highway, Odessa
  • Lake Park, 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
  • Lake Dan Nature Preserve, 19116 Huckavalle Road, Odessa
  • Lake Frances Nature Preserve, 11009 Tarpon Springs Road, Odessa
  • Lake Rogers Park, 9010 N. Mobley Road, Odessa
  • Lettuce Lake Park, 6920 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa
  • Live Oak Park, 9020 Imperial Oak Drive, Tampa
  • Lutz Community Center, 98 First Ave. N.W., Lutz
  • Mort Park, 1815 E. 148th Ave., Lutz
  • North East Sports Complex, 18050 Kinnan St., Tampa
  • Northdale Park & Recreation Center, 15550 Spring Pine Drive, Tampa
  • Northlakes Sports Complex, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive, Tampa
  • Northwest Equestrian Conversation Park, 10711 S. Mobley Road, Odessa
  • Nye Park, 630 Sunset Lane, Lutz
  • Oscar Cooler Sports Complex, 788 Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz
  • Peterson Road Park, 8203 Peterson Road, Odessa
  • Villa Rosa Park, 4600 Reflections Blvd., Lutz
  • Violet Curry Preserve, 1802 Sinclair Hills Road, Lutz

Move! Hillsborough recommended activities

  • Aerobic exercise
  • Baseball/softball
  • Basketball
  • Bicycling
  • Calisthenics
  • Canoeing/rowing
  • Circuit training
  • Cycling (stationary)
  • Dancing
  • Elliptical trainer
  • Football
  • Gardening
  • Hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Golfing
  • Jump rope
  • Line dancing
  • Racquetball/handball/squash
  • Running
  • Pilates/yoga/tai chi
  • Soccer
  • Spinning class
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis/pickleball
  • Walking
  • Water skiing
  • Water aerobics
  • Weight training/High-intensity interval training classes

Published April 14, 2021

Hillsborough singled out for recreational efforts

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Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation has been singled out for two state honors from the Florida Recreation and Park Association.

The Hillsborough department won a 2020 Agency Excellence Award in the community building category, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation received state recognition for its efforts to serve and enhance the community through its facilities and programming. Nature Program Specialist Brad Lympany was named the 2020 Rising Star for his work to build relationships with the community, and to develop programs including the county’s Hiking Spree program. (File)

That award recognizes the department’s efforts “to serve and enhance the community through its 166 parks, 118 playgrounds, 53 community centers, and nearly 50 sports complexes,” the release said. It also notes that the department manages 55 youth sports organizations, serving  26,439 youths last year.

Among its accomplishments, the release says, are:

  • The transformation of Lucy Dell Pond park from an overgrown water basin that attracted illegal dumping to an attractive pond featuring an LED-lit boardwalk and native landscaping.
  • The creation of Carrollwood Village Park, which turned a decommissioned wastewater treatment facility into a park with an amphitheater, fitness challenge course, skate park, dog park, splash park, inclusive playground, and 24-hour gym for county deputies.

The department also offers a wide range of licensed after-school and summer camp programs, which includes the Positive Coaching Alliance curriculum.

The programming has a strong component for those with disabilities, and the programs’ fee structure is designed to make the camps accessible to all youth.

The department also has partnerships with community groups, including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Tampa Bay Lightning, community HOAs and civic groups, including the Carrollwood Conservancy, and the Northdale Older Wiser Lives Seniors (OWLS), the release says.

Plus, the department fosters strong community involvement through more than 30 signature events, including the Northdale Family Fun Fest.

Other achievements include:

  • Efforts to change the way the urban forest is managed, including development of an urban forest master plan that calls for planting 27,000 trees by 2024
  • The All People’s Life Center, which hosts numerous tournaments, including those for wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and other adaptive programming
  • The Ed Radice Sports Complex, which includes five softball fields, eight baseball fields, nine soccer fields, and 10 horseshoe pits.

Besides winning the department award, Nature Program Specialist Brad Lympany was named the 2020 Rising Star for his work developing and implementing Parks & Recreation programs, and building relationships with the community, the release says.

Lympany was involved with several of the department’s most popular programs, including Hiking Spree, Senior’s Outdoor Active Recreation (SOAR), and Eco Adventure Camp.

Lympany works with a wide variety of community groups, including Outdoor Afro, which is dedicated to getting members of the African American community out on hiking trails, and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, the release says.

Published September 23, 2020

Looking for something fun to do?

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Pasco County has been phasing in the reopening of some of its recreational facilities.

Ballfields and playgrounds remain closed in Pasco County, but some places are open in Pasco and Hillsborough counties that give people a chance to get out for some fresh air and exercise. (B.C. Manion)

Activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing or running can be done in specific locations, according to a Pasco County news release.

Groups of more than 10 will not be permitted and people must maintain social distancing from others of at least 6 feet, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

There are limited access openings at Pasco County parks, listed below. Restrooms remain closed unless noted, so please plan accordingly:

  • Withlacoochee River Park, Dade City
  • Aripeka Sandhills Preserve, Hudson
  • Boy Scout Preserve, New Port Richey
  • Crews Lake Wilderness Park, Spring Hill
  • Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, New Port Richey
  • Key Vista Nature Park, Holiday
  • Lake Lisa Park, Port Richey
  • Pasco Palms Preserve, New Port Richey
  • Upper Pithclachascotee Preserve, Spring Hill
  • Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park, Hudson

These public boat ramps remain open:

  • Anclote River Park, Holiday (restroom access)
  • Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park, Hudson
  • Moon Lake Park, New Port Richey
  • Middle Lake, Dade City
  • Eagle Point Park, kayak and canoe, New Port Richey

These trails remain open

  • The Suncoast Trail
  • Starkey Boulevard Trail
  • Starkey Gap Trail

The county also recently reopened these additional locations, effective May 2:

  • Anclote River Park
  • Anclote Gulf Park
  • Eagle Point Park
  • Moon Lake Park
  • Robert K. Rees Memorial Park

SunWest Park will be open to 100 cars at a time, in addition to annual passholders.

All Pasco County recreation complexes, community centers and playgrounds remain closed.

All events, activities, youth and adult sports leagues, special event reservations, pavilions, camp/RV grounds, cabin rentals, field reservations and any other reservations also remain closed until further notice.

The status of summer camp programs is not yet known. The county is awaiting updates from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine how it can safely offer its summer camp program.

Gov. Ron DeSantis also announced that the state’s parks would reopen, effective May 4.

In Hillsborough County, officials reopened most of its nature preserves and the boat ramp at E.G. Simmons Conservation Park on May 2. It also reopened several conservation parks, along with walking trails at six neighborhood parks on May 4.

Residents will be required to follow social distancing guidelines, and portions of the parks will remain closed, including playgrounds, picnic areas, and kayak/canoe facilities.

The following conservation parks reopened at 8 a.m., on May 4:

  • Flatwoods Conservation Park, 14302 Morris Bridge Road, Thonotosassa, and 18205 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa
  • Morris Bridge Off-Road Biking Area, 12651 Morris Bridge Road in Thonotosassa
  • Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park, 100 Alderman’s Ford Park Drive, Plant City, for hiking and biking only
  • Upper Tampa Bay Trail and all parking areas

Walking trails are open at these neighborhood parks:

  • Jackson Springs Community Center, 8620 Jackson Springs Road in Tampa
  • Northdale Community Center, 15550 Spring Pine Drive, Tampa
  • Carrollwood Village Community Park, 4680 W. Village Drive, Tampa
  • Ruskin Community Center, 901 6th St. S.E., Ruskin
  • Apollo Beach Community Center, 664 Golf and See Blvd., Apollo Beach
  • All People’s Life Center, 6105 E. Sligh Ave., Tampa

All other parks remain closed.

Published May 06, 2020

Local athletes celebrate paralympic achievements

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Whenever she competes, 12-year-old Danielle Kanas gives it her all.

And that mindset has worked for the Martinez Middle School seventh-grader, who ran, swam, threw and jumped her way to 15 gold medals and six national records this summer at the Adaptive Sports USA Junior Nationals in Middleton, Wisconsin.

From left, Eric Lowry, 17, of Land O’ Lakes; Logan Krepop, 15, of Parrish; Andy Chasanoff, coordinator of Paralympic Sports Tampa Bay; and 12-year-old Danielle Kanas, of Lutz. The athletes won the Small Team Division at the National Junior Disability Championships, in Middleton, Wisconsin, combining for 18 gold, 11 silver and four bronze medals. (Kevin Weiss)

Kanas — a single-arm amputee, missing her left arm below the elbow — recently added another achievement to the ever-growing collection of honors in her trophy case.

She received the “Spirit of Excellence” award at the annual Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay Award (PSTB) Luncheon, held Sept. 30 at All People’s Life Center in Tampa.

The club’s highest honor, it recognizes courage, strength, determination and demonstration of a positive attitude as a role model.

Her life circumstances are distinct.

She was found in her infancy at a train station in China.

When sent to an orphanage in the Asian country, doctors determined the circulation in her left arm had been compromised, causing irreversible damage to her left hand and the lower part of her arm below the elbow. Both impaired areas were amputated.

She came from China to the United States as a toddler, settling in New Jersey with her adoptive mother, JoAnne Kanas.

Over the years, she’s received multiple prostheses, as well as occupational therapy beginning at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Philadelphia and now at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Tampa.

Yet, those challenges have not stopped her from living a well-rounded life.

Beyond athletics, Kanas is a “straight-A” student and member of the National Junior Honor Society, a Girl Scout, and patient ambassador at Shriner’s Hospital for Children—Tampa.

She’s also a talented guitar player, who’s served up renditions of the national anthem at various Shriners conventions.

Her advice to fellow amputees is to be ambitious, and not hesitate to try new things.

“Every time you try something new, it’s exciting to see what happens next, and to see what you can improve on,” Kanas said.

The involvement in athletics, meanwhile, elicits a smile on JoAnne Kanas’ face, noting it’s helped her daughter gain confidence over the years.

“It’s just fun to see her. She puts on her game face,” JoAnne Kanas said. “When you watch her compete, she’s serious. She goes out there and tries her hardest. I just like to see her enjoy it.”

Kanas’ favorite event is javelin. It’s clear why: her 19.66 meter throw is a national record — by 6 meters— for her age group in Adaptive Sports.

“I like to watch how it goes far in the distance,” Kanas said. She wants to break 20 meters next season, she said.

Besides the countless victories, Kanas recalls the memorable experience of traveling, for the third straight year, to the junior disability championships, the oldest and largest continuously held competitive sports event in the country for athletes with physical disabilities, ages 6 to 22.

Throughout the July trip, Kanas enjoyed dining out with teammates and excursions.

“It felt good to meet other people. We got to build friendships,” she said.

Kanas, however, isn’t the only local athlete shining in Paralympic sports.

Eric Lowry, a 17-year-old Land O’ Lakes resident, is another.

Lowry, who has spina bifida and competes from a wheelchair, also earned several medals this summer.

That includes a gold medal for his 190-pound bench press, an Adaptive Sports Junior national record.

Lowry, involved with Paralympic Sports Tampa Bay (PSTB) for nearly 10 years, said he recently picked up weightlifting, originally to complement track & field, swimming and archery events.

“I think it all goes together because you need strength to participate against your peers,” he said.

He offers advice for fellow amputees similar to Kanas’ suggestions.

“Try something before you give up, and if you like it keep doing it,” said Lowry, who attends Focus Academy, a charter school for special needs students in Tampa.

Andy Chasanoff, coordinator for PSTB, regularly coaches both Lowry and Kanas.

He said both are models for the program, stressing their positive attitude, hard work, enthusiasm and overall consideration for other teammates.

“They’re not only good athletes, but also they’re great kids,” Chasanoff said.

“They’re respectful, polite, honest. And, they want to be seen as athletes.”

Under Chasanoff’s guidance, Lowry, Kanas and 16-year-old Logan Krepop, of Parrish, led PSTB to its second straight Small Division Title at the national event.

“It’s never been about (the medals). It’s been about doing your best,” Chasanoff explained.

“I ask one question at the end of the meet: ‘Did you do your best?’ If you do your best, it doesn’t matter where you finish. They just happen to be very good, and we’re very humbled by it. But, it’s nice to see, and watch them grow,” he said.

Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay
As a signature program of Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, the mission of Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay is to promote health, independence and personal growth through sports for people with physical disabilities. Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay (PSTB) is one of more than 100 community-based programs established by the Paralympic Division of the United States Olympic Committee.
It provides year round sports and recreation programs that promote physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and recreational and competitive sports opportunities for area children and adults with physical disabilities.

Here are few facts about the program:

  • More than 300 athletes participate in at least one PSTB program or event each year.
  • Ongoing programs are offered for athletes at all levels, from recreational to competitive elite, in multiple sports such as wheelchair basketball, track and field, tennis, swimming, and archery.
  • Periodic clinics are offered, in additional sports such as power lifting, golf, and water skiing.

Published Oct. 11, 2017