County Parks System Discusses Cuts, Changes

For the fifth year now, 100-plus employees of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department have been working under the threat of layoffs. The way County Parks Director Mark Thornton sees it, enough is enough.

“They still do a fine job, but it’s wearing down on them,” Thornton said during a public meeting June 15 at the . “I don’t know how long we’re going to be able to do that.”

Still dealing with the effects of a sluggish economy, the county wants to change the way it funds its park system and reduce the programs and services it offers. The meeting was part of a slew of informational sessions the county has been having to get the word out about the plan and to solicit input on the proposed changes.

While previous sessions have been well-attended and “arousing,” as Thornton described them, the one on June 15 was attended by just a dozen people with few of them taking the mic to address the possible changes. Among the cuts the county is considering is to do away with the after-school programs at county parks. Only 1,800 out of a possible 138,000 children are currently using the after-school programs, Thornton said.

The county also wants to take its 42 centers, remove staff and consolidate them into 12 regional centers. The 30 centers that would close could still be used for community activities by senior groups, civic organizations and the like for a reasonable fee, Thornton said.

Going from a neighborhood system to a more regional system would allow the county to create “super centers” by using funds from its capital budget, said Parks employee Russell Elefterion, who works at the Roy Haynes Recreation Center on South Village Avenue.

“I really think it’s a good thing,” he said of the proposed changes that also include selling name rights for some sports fields. “The quality of programming is just going to increase.”

It has been suggested that the University Area Community Center be one of the centers that remain in operation by the county.

Other public meetings include:

• June 20: Westchase Recreation Center, 9791 Westchase Drive in Tampa
• June 21: Town ‘N Country Recreation Center, 6039 Hanley Road in Tampa
• June 22: Riverview Civic Center, 11020 Park Drive, Riverview
• June 23: Ruskin Recreation Center, 901 6th St. S.E. in Ruskin 

For more information about the plan, click here.