BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
With the arrival of spring, the city of Starke has been preparing its parks for families.
The splash pad at Edwards Road Park received a $17,000 upgrade with new features. Basketball backboards and nets were replaced at a cost of approximately $5,000, and both Wainwright Park and Edwards Road Park have had their bathroom fixtures updated.
At Thomas Street Park, improvements were made to the playground and football field. New sod was laid on the field to ensure a safe playing surface, and new playground equipment was installed using state grant funding amounting to around $42,000.
“We added the pickleball courts last year and recognized that it was just the beginning of restoring our recreational facilities,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jimmy Crosby. “There is still work to be done, but by combining city finances with grants, the public will see ongoing improvements and maintenance,” he stated.
Music pavilion in the works
A grant-funded project introduced last fall has been designed and Starke is in search of the contractor to build it.
Starke is constructing a new pavilion in the Downtown Square to host live events such as concerts and movie viewings. It is a first step in the CityWalk downtown revitalization project which will be expanded overtime as the budget allows.
Architect Paul Stressing told the city commission last September that the design was based on Tioga’s amphitheater but upsized by 25% with an estimated price tag of $600,000 to $650,000.
Stressing elaborated on the amphitheater’s key features, which include a large stage with storage space, a handicap-accessible ramp, and a stairway on the opposite side. The design also features a back buffer of landscaping to add visual appeal. The amphitheater could be used for performances and public events like outdoor movie nights, with a motorized screen that can drop down from the back of the stage.
The surrounding area would also support events, with flexibility for closing Church Street to accommodate food trucks or event vendors. Stressing said they would create a shopping list of potential enhancements that do not fit into this grant and price them for addition down the road.
The amphitheater will sit in the northwest corner of the park, opposite the existing stage. The southeast corner of the square will accommodate Veterans Memorial Park when it is relocated to make way for the private CityWalk townhouse project.
The amphitheater, once complete, will serve as a central entertainment hub, drawing residents and visitors alike to the heart of the city. Bids for the project were set to be open April 3.
Downtown vision project
A separate grant is paying consultants to create an overall vision for Starke’s downtown entertainment district.
Engineers with Woodward and Curran discussed the project with city commissioners last December. Having actual plans in place for the downtown should help the city in its pursuit of grant to fund projects identified in the visioning process.
The final piece of the project is due by the end of May.
Woodward and Curran described the project background like this:
“The city has experienced a decline in visitors to the downtown district since the completion of the FDOT 301 Bypass. To promote the economic output of the city’s downtown area while simultaneously meeting the needs of the rural community and increasing tax revenue for the city and state, the city of Starke desires to create a Downtown Entertainment District Visioning Plan.
“The project will address the needed recovery from the loss of pass-thru and foot traffic occasioned by the Route 301 Bypass by developing a public facing and pedestrian friendly entertainment district that connects key downtown destinations, unique programming, recreation opportunities, and ecological networks.
“The project will integrate stormwater management and urban heat island mitigation to address associated climate resiliency challenges to ensure sustainable revitalization.
“The resulting visioning plan will serve as a downtown revitalization plan appropriate for the city commission to adopt, implement, and add to its comprehensive plan.”
Editor’s note: Starke Director of Administrative Operations Stephanie Mann assisted with this story, including providing photographs.
