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County drops plan to build ball fields on school land
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Published: July 4, 2009
EAST LAKE - Plans for Pinellas County to construct four multipurpose recreation and practice fields on Pinellas School Board land at the southeast corner of East Lake and Keystone roads has been dropped.
In a year of budgetary constraints the project's estimated price tag for developing the fields, of from $9 million to $12 million, was too costly, according to Paul Cozzie, the county's cultural, education and leisure services director.
Mitigation that would have to take place on the property to make the fields ready for play while protecting wetlands and lowlands increased the projected costs, according to Cozzie.
The School Board will continue to land bank the property, he said.
Meanwhile, the county Parks and Recreation Department acquired about 100 acres of land north of Keystone Road, at the Eldridge Wilde well field. The county added the land, which cost $2 million, to its Brooker Creek Preserve.
The county is now planning to place two practice fields on a portion of the property east of the water treatment facility. The fields will not have lights, bleachers, concession stand or other amenities. They will be sodded and striped for practice.
The fields will be as far as possible from residential areas and Old Keystone Road, Cozzie said. "These fields will be hundreds of yards away from the nearest home," he said.
The addition of more practice fields in the East Lake area should alleviate some of the strain placed on ball fields, he said.
Pinellas officials are still seeking funding to develop the practice fields. They hope that local athletic groups donate to the cause, according to Cozzie.
In July Parks and Recreation officials will ask the Pinellas County Board of Adjustment for a special exception to rezone the portion of preserve property in which the fields will be created from agricultural to recreation.
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