The renovation of Julian B. Lane riverfront park in Tampa has come with controversy but it is moving forward.
- Dedication Monday for start of redevelopment work on Julian B. Lane Park
- Renovations for Julian B. Lane Park in West Tampa have been approved
- $35 million has been approved for funding
- A portion of the funds will come from BP oil settlement money
The groundbreaking took place Monday on the $35 million project.
Mayor Bob Buckhorn and other community leaders were on hand for the ceremony at the 23-acre site.
The West Tampa park, which is bordered by North Boulevard and the Hillsborough River, has long been the subject of renovation talk. The Tampa city council voted 6-1 earlier this year to revamp the facility.
The renovation will include the addition of several new amenities for the community such as tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball courts, a multi-use regulation-sized field for football, lacrosse, and soccer, as well as a performance pavilion and green spaces for concerts. The new design will also open the park up to the river.
The park opened in 1977 and is named for Lane, who served as mayor of Tampa from 1959 to 1963.