Learn More About the Top Home Security Company in Plant City, FL

THE PROJECT COST WILL BE NEARLY $6 MILLION.

Share This Post

With the design phase nearly complete, staff began coordinating with Manhattan Construction Company (MCC) to develop a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the reconstruction of the new Rowena Mays Athletic Park. The five-acre park sits at the intersection of Alexander Street and Baker Street.

“Whenever you are doing park projects, the first priority in my mind is, do you already own the land?” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “That is a huge factor in doing these types of improvements. That has been a city park for a long time. It is a passive park, in that it was not being utilized to its full extent—greatly underutilized. To rebuild it as the athletic park that has been designed is going to turn it into an activity center in the areas of tennis, basketball, and pickleball that the community wants.”

The initial estimated cost of the project came in at $6,166,742. However, the City changed plans for the restroom build, thus lowering the cost by $276,976. So, the GMP for the construction is $5,889,766. Now that it has been approved by the City Commission, the project will take 17 months to complete.

“As the generations pass, interests, needs, and desires change, and the city tries to keep up with those,” McDaniel said. “Here we go, building our first outdoor pickleball courts…..Based on the input we get, a vast majority of people are looking forward to it.” Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, and there are currently 34.5 million players. Florida is the most popular state for pickleball

As is regularly the case with infrastructure projects with large price tags, they get noticed, and some voiced criticism of the build, suggesting the noise from athletic courts will disturb the surrounding neighborhood. Another contention is that the money could be better spent elsewhere such as providing housing for homeless people.

“First of all, that assumes it is a zero sum gain,” McDaniel said in response to the second point. “There are monies that we have through impact fees. We have American Rescue Plan Act money that can only be put to certain things….You build parks to create recreational space, and preserve green space.”

According to the National Park and Recreation Association, 40 years of research shows that nearby parks and green spaces support human health. The exercise that can be had at athletic parks lowers park-goers incidence of diabetes, heart disease and respiratory problems. Even visiting small parks increases brain activity, elevates the immune system, lowers stress and frustration, and alleviates depression.

“Could you imagine living in a city where you had no parks? You had no greenspace? I don’t think it’s a place any of us would want to be,” McDaniel commented. “Having greenspace and places you can go to either recreate or relax is very important to the overall health and well-being of a community. That is one reason that cities and counties invest in preserving, and sometimes creating and building, new spaces.”

Also on the way is an upgrade to Washington Park—a neighborhood park located at 1808 E. Warren Street. This park has been vacant since 2022, and needs renovation. Staff held community meetings to discuss future plans for the park. From this feedback, city government developed a plan. The park will feature a new 16’ x 16’ pavilion and concrete slab. Other amenities include outdoor grills, picnic tables, benches, chess tables, ornamental fencing, sidewalks, and new landscaping. “That neighborhood wants that park,” McDaniel commented. “They see it as important to their community—their sense of place. It is going to give them amenities and greenspace they wouldn’t have otherwise. The project preserves it for use for generations to come.” The total cost for this renovation will be $140,000 including $55,043.33 for the pavilion.

“Parks are very important to what we provide in the way of services and amenities to the community,” McDaniel said. “The fact that you build parks doesn’t mean you aren’t doing other things. I think anybody just has to look to see we are a full-service city, and we are providing all manner of services in addition to building parks and other features for the community. I think it is very important to take a holistic view of providing services to the community like parks and the library, and other amenities are a very important part of that.”

When completed, the park will offer:

• 2 lighted basketball courts

• 8 lighted pickleball courts

• 2 lighted tennis courts

• a pedestrian connector bridge across Mill Creek

• enlarged restrooms

• extended parking

Its effects ripple through the community to local families.

Every spring, more than 650,000 visitors flock to Plant City for the Florida Strawberry Festival, lured by the scent of fried foods, the sound of thrilling concerts and small-town charm, but long after the food is eaten and the concerts end lies a powerful story of economic impact that touches nearly every corner of the community.

In 2015, an economic impact study found that the festival generated $26 million in direct local revenue- a number that has only grown alongside soaring attendance. The influx of visitors means full hotels, bustling restaurants and booming business for local shops. But the real impact, Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson said, is in the ripple effect the festival has on everyday families.

“This is more than a celebration-it provides extra income for local families,” he said. “We hire approximately 600 people every year, with some of them taking paid vacation time from their full-time jobs to make extra money.”

That included Robinson, a retired sheriff’s deputy, who would take time off to work festival security. “It helped cover things like vacations, an unexpected bill or baseball gear for the kids,” he said. “It’s a big financial win for so many families here.”

Law enforcement officers are just part of the workforce boost, with about 100 officers working at the festival daily-on their days off- paid directly by the festival. It’s not just security: ticket takers, parking attendants, office staff, and more find seasonal work during the 11-day festival. Even families fortunate enough to live close to the festival make extra cash by charging festival attendees to park in their yards. “I had one person tell me what they made just on one Saturday and it was a lot,” said Robinson.

The economic benefits extend far beyond paychecks. The Florida Strawberry Festival is deeply rooted in giving back. Its top priority is supporting youth in agriculture. Through livestock shows and auctions, local students have earned a cumulative $1.7 million for their plant, steer and swine projects- money that helps fund their education and future careers. In addition, the festival awards $50,000 annually in scholarships to high school seniors involved in agricultural programs, funded through ticket revenue and the generous support of sponsors.

The festival also empowers local churches, schools and organizations by partnering with them to run festival parking lots. In return, the festival splits the proceeds 50/50. This year, more than $160,000 was distributed to these local groups. “They use that money for youth camps, mission trips, swim lessons, facility repairs- you name it,” said Robinson. “We don’t tell them how to use it but hearing how it changes lives is what makes it so special.”

One organization that has felt that impact firsthand is the United Food Bank of Plant City. Over the last three years, the festival has donated $160,000 to help meet the growing needs of food insecurity in the community.

There are also the small but mighty donations made to local nonprofits, from breast cancer support groups to the Chamber of Commerce. “It’s just part of who we are,” said Robinson. “We’re here to serve our community.”

The spirit of service is seen daily at Gate 10, one of the most beloved entrances at the festival. Gate 10 overall lead Donna Hallback Anderson and her husband Michael are fixtures there, leading morning prayers, welcoming guests and making sure smiles greet every visitor.

“My mom Minnie Lee Hallback started working here 30 years ago. She’s 90 and still worked this year,” said Donna, who herself started working at the festival after retiring in 2014. She appreciates working with hard-working leaders such as Tim Lovett, Wesley Rounds, Mike Hurley, Marie Davis and lead Ann Marcus. Donna and Michael’s team circled up and prayed every morning of the festival ten minutes before the gates opened. “One morning during our prayer, I looked up and saw guests waiting in line reaching their hands through the fence to join in. That’s when I knew this place is something special.”

The Andersons use the money they earn to take family members and children of their former foster kids on vacations, like their upcoming trip to Aquatica in Orlando. “It’s not about the money, though,” said Anderson. “It’s about what we do with it- putting smiles on people’s faces, giving joy.”

Their motto is simple: If we can help someone as we pass along, if we can cheer someone with a word or a song, our living will not be in vain.

With economic benefits flowing to local families, nonprofits, youth programs and so many others, it’s clear: the Florida Strawberry Festival is more than just a celebration of fruit – it’s a celebration of community.

PLANT CITY, Fla. - The Plant City Professional Firefighter's Union says their fire department has a high turnover rate because of high work hours and low staff.

It seems they can’t keep up with the number of calls, allegedly working hundreds more hours than other fire departments across the state.

"Our biggest problem is retention. We're losing people. We've lost like 36 people or so since around 2018. We've lost that many people. A lot of departments around us work a lot less hours than we do," said David Jackson, president of Plant City Professional Firefighters.

By the numbers:

With a small department of only 50 personnel, over 50% of the workforce has left in the last few years. In comparison to other departments, over a year.

READ: Most dangerous beaches in America are in Florida: Researchers

"Four hundred more hours. They roughly get an extra 17 shifts off," said Jackson. "We've lost quite a few in the last year to Pasco County because Pasco is the closest one around here that has gone to what is called a D-shift."

To firefighters, a 'D-shift' refers to one day on, three days off, instead of two. Even with what FOX 13 is told is dwindling staff and resources, they are answering more calls than ever.

"When I first started, a long time ago, we were running, you know, a few hundred calls a year. Now, our department last year, more like over 7,000 calls or close to 7,000 calls out of a two-station department."

Jackson says it can affect mental health.

Big picture view:

FOX 13 also spoke with a Florida lawmaker who wrote a firefighter safety bill that mentions work hours.

"It recommends that firefighters work a 42-hour workweek. I think most people would be surprised to know that firefighters work way past a 42-hour workweek. Typically, they work one day on and two days off," said State Rep. Danny Alvarez (R-Hillsborough County). "That’s really the schedule in Florida. What we're finding is that interrupts their sleep pattern, which interrupts their ability to heal and restorative health sleeping, and therefore that trauma begins to creep in."

READ: Manatee County leaders crack down on dust from construction sites after resident complaints

Alvarez continued, saying, "Protecting firefighters and the people that protect us is tantamount to the biggest responsibility leaders and a politicians should have. Those are the folks that we have to care about the most, and unfortunately, they don't do a great job of telling their story."

What's next:

The Plant City Commission has moved to help, adding an extra ambulance to their fleet and nine more employees to staff the ambulance.

The union says the big push this year is to reduce work hours statewide.

CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube

Jackson says the union is also putting up candidates for the local city commission in Plant City to continue to make changes. That local election is in early April.

FOX 13 has not spoken with any current city commissioners or those running for the positions.

WATCH FOX 13 NEWS LIVE:

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: