Five-year plan takes shape

Roads, parks main targets of half-cent sales tax funds.

By Pam Eubanks
| 6:40 a.m. July 5, 2017

Madelyn Fouche, 5, practices her kick during swim lessons from instructor Briana Lutzi, with School of Fish swim academy, at the John Marble Pool. Manatee County plans to modify and expand at the park over the next three years.

East County
News

ive years ago, Manatee County was prepared to fill the pool at John Marble Park with concrete and demolish a community gymnasium there with no plans to replace either.

Parks Projects Spending

JOHN H. MARBLE PARK

Over the past fiscal year, Manatee County added lighting to the pool deck area and heaters in the pool at John Marble Park. The sales tax revenues will fund a second phase of retrofitting the facility, including a zero-entry access into the pool so handicapped individuals enter the pool. It also includes an expansion of the pool deck and a built-in shade along the perimeter of the pool deck.

Total allocation: $3.48 million

$500,000 — Second phase retrofit*

$2.58 million — Gymnasium removal/replacement;

$250,000 — Remove and replace pavilion

$150,000 — Repave parking lot

*The second-phase retrofit will include converting the existing pool to have a zero-entry so handicapped individuals can enter the pool. It also includes an expansion of the pool deck and a built-in shade along the perimeter of the pool.

LAKEWOOD RANCH PARK

Total allocation: $3.29 million

$300,000 —Addition of pickle ball courts

$937,500 —Construction of a destination (or unique) playground

$1 million — Installation of artificial turf on athletic fields

$225,000 —Replace tennis courts

$250,000 —Upgrade tennis courts to LED lighting

$575,000 —Installation of lighting at soccer field

BENNETT PARK

$30,000— Addition of playground shade structure

BRADEN RIVER PARK

Total allocation: $550,000

$250,0000 —Renovation to ball field No. 6

$300,000 — Addition of a dog park with amenities

OTHER PROJECTS

Construction of restroom and drinking water supply well at Myakka Park. Estimated cost is $200,000.

An East County library — $5.14 million

Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker fought that effort. Now, Manatee County plans to invest at least $3.48 million over the next five years to make the park more of a regional destination for eastern Manatee County.

“It’s really good,” said Maria Barringhaus, proprietor of the School of Fish swimming academy, about the upcoming improvements. “(John Marble Park) is somewhat centrally located for people.”

Barringhaus uses the pool to provide swim lessons for the community. The addition of a pool heater over the past year will allow School of Fish to offer lessons year round, and additional plans, such as the expanding the pool deck and rebuilding the bathroom facilities, also will be a welcomed change.

Manatee County’s proposed uses for the first five years of half-cent infrastructure sales tax revenue still must be approved by the Manatee County Commission through the budget adoption process this fall. However, if they stick to staff’s recommendations, East County will benefit in the way of parks and roads, in particular. Among them are the improvements at John Marble Park, and nearly $3 million in improvements at Lakewood Ranch Park.

Manatee County spokesman Nicholas Azzara said voters recognized the county’s backlog of infrastructure needs when they approved the half-cent infrastructure sales tax in November.

“There clearly was a pent up demand for improvements to our parks and our roads and some of those other public facilities,” Azzara said.

Hunsicker said the parks department has many projects it can begin immediately.

“In the next three years, we get a jump start on those,” he said.

Sales tax dollars are limited in use to repairing and replacing existing infrastructure. However, Hunsicker said his department will couple that money with impact fees — used to add capacity at facilities — when applicable. For example, deck and pool improvements at John Marble Park will be matched by $400,000 in impact fees to build a new splash pad on the property.