Title

Archive for March 15th, 2009

Pinellas County parks: Great places to go

Pinellas County offers some of the finest parks you will find anywhere.

Some, like Fort DeSoto at the southern tip of the county, have beaches that are considered among the best in the country. Others, like John Chestnut Sr. Park, offer plenty of lake frontage.

But Phillippe Park is special, because it offers lots of frontage on Tampa Bay; because it has been a public park since the 1940s, which is pretty much ancient history around here; because it is named after the man who brought the citrus industry to Tampa Bay; and because it has a big Indian mound within its borders.

 I attended a picnic at Phillippe Park this weekend and was reminded of how beautiful it is.

Tampa Bay from the park

There are a number of shelters you can reserve for picnics, and the grounds are kept in immaculate condition by the park rangers. 

There is plenty of parking, and Phillippe Park is a great place for a walk, or just a sit on one of the benches that overlook the water.

If you want to learn more about Pinellas County’s parks, you can click here.

Tags: parks, Phillippe Park, pinellas county, Tampa Bay

Palm Harbor may incorporate

If you don’t live in Palm Harbor (or at least in North Pinellas County), you may not know this, but Palm Harbor is not an incorporated town, even though it is pretty much built out and is home to around 60,000 people.

All of its services – police, fire, public works and so forth – are provided by the county. It has always been that way.

Palm Harbor has a small historic district

But maybe not for too much longer.  

Bills have been filed in the state legislature that would allow Palm Harbor residents to vote on whether they want their community to become an actual town. If that ever happens, Palm Harbor will become Pinellas County’s 25 incorporated community.

As you might imagine, some residents think incorporation would be a fine idea. Others, of course, feel otherwise. At least some of those who like the idea are represented by the Palm Harbor Coalition. Some people who don’t think it’s a great idea are represented by the Crystal Beach Community Association.

Supporters generally feel that a new town government would be more responsive to the people who live here. Many opponents say they think taxes will go up if Palm Harbor incorporates.

Whether you like the idea or hate it, the people of Palm Harbor will ultimately make the decision. The measure will go on the 2010 ballot if the legislature passes the enabling legislation. And before the legislature can do that, it has to conduct a feasibility study to see if it makes sense fiscally to make Palm Harbor a real, official town or city.

Tags: city, incorporate, Palm Harbor, pinellas county, town

St. Paddy’s Day in Palm Harbor

One thing you have to say about Downtown Palm Harbor — for a small downtown area, it seems as though there’s always something going on there.

I went there early in the morning on Saturday to just get a few photos to go with the previous post. When I got there, Florida Avenue was roped off. Hmmmm, I thought — what could this be?

Turns out it was sort of a mini-celebration. Peggy O’Neill’s, the Irish pub, was about to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick's Day vendor

The interesting thing about Downtown Palm Harbor is they are always doing something fun that draws people to the area. This weekend its St. Patrick’s Day. Next weekend there is an arts and crafts display. After Thanksgiving there is a really big art program, and on another weekend there is a big motorcycle event.

There aren’t a lot of merchants in Downtown Palm Harbor, but they go the extra mile to make their neighborhood fun.

Tags: Add new tag, Palm Harbor, St. Patrick's Day