At the next Blueprint Intergovernmental meeting on May 11th, elected officials will consider approving the project scope and the revised project budget of $18 million for the Northeast Park.
Officials will also consider authorizing Blueprint staff to advertise and award a contract for construction of the park.
See detailed map of park here.
Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch – who campaigned on getting a park built in the Northeast – told said, “I am very excited to bring the NE Park to it’s final stop on the Blueprint Board and look forward to finalizing the concept plan and funding for this long-awaited facility. “
Welch added, “This will be the first County Park in NE Tallahassee and will allow us to grow robust Little League baseball, softball and Pop Warner football programs along with space for soccer, pickle ball, sand volleyball and basketball, as well as as providing a playground, trail head and other fantastic elements that will enhance our quality of life and be enjoyed by our community for generations.”
The park will be located along Centerville Road and adjacent to Roberts Elementary and Montford Middle Schools. As an “area park”, it will serve the needs of multiple neighborhoods, generally within a radius of approximately 3 miles, and the rural community in NE Leon County.
The proposed park amenities will include:
- Four full size lighted baseball/softball fields (60, 70, 90) with batting cages, scoreboards, dugouts, and bullpens
- One full size lighted multipurpose field
- One sports court with accessible features (e.g., basketball)
- Four regulation pickleball courts
- Two lighted sand volleyball courts
- Playground and picnic shelters
- Walking trails
- Open lawn space for picnic or other uses
- Restroom facility/Community room with a solar roof/ Concessions building
- Maintenance building
- Paved parking with a drop off area
- Access road connecting to both Centerville Road and Welaunee Boulevard
- Electric vehicle charging stations
Controversial Access Road
The proposed plan includes a road that connects Centerville Road to Welaunee Blvd., providing access to the park. However, the Killearn Homeowners Association has recently addressed concerns with this proposal.
In a letter from the KHA board, the group stated the KHA “vehemently” opposes the construction of any additional public road connecting Welaunee Boulevard to Centerville Road in addition to the approved Shamrock Extension, Roberts Road, and Pimlico Extension.
The agenda item notes the benefits of the access road and indicates that re-directing the path of the road to run through the park – in an attempt to mitigate cut through traffic – would impact the proposed amenities.
Staff states that the existing farm road use provides the most efficient, safest, and maximized use of the 50 acres and adjoining greenway. This access was illustrated in previous agenda materials and was contemplated as a future public roadway during the land purchase.
Please, support the NE Park. It is much needed as District 4 has way fewer parks than any other district. Our citizens living in this area pay taxes yet are forced to dive across town for 30 min. To as much as an hour to other parks. ( it takes 45 minutes from my house in Ox Bottom Manor to Messer Park. This would alleviate some of the scheduling and traffic concerns, as well as use of gas.
@ Commonsense, you know what? My bad. I am emotional because I really want this park. I live nearby and want to see my kids play there. That got the better of me.
@ Mr. White
Your rather immature name-calling tactics to make your point don't really play well at Tallahassee Reports. Statements like "heads out of your a**, look like a fool, single cell organisms, and single brain cell." Really? Very thought provoking.
Most commenters on TR know what they're talking about and provide factual information in an unemotional manner to make their point. No name-calling and insults needed.
Please consider taking your type of comment to a place where your rather basic style is welcome and appreciated.
Ric Fernandez' son in law gets what he wants from our local leaders.
The inflation on this Blueprint budget is close to fraudulent. $36m+ more for Welaunee Blvd? $15m more for Bannerman? They are projecting 16% more revenue to come in? Seems very strange and borderline fantastical
Pingree’s books look about as legit as they were in Wakulla
When will our city and count realize that squeezing the citizenry for tax $$$ and then spending it on unnecessary projects is not stimulating anything.
@ DeepSix,
Again with the single brain cell response.
I am supportive of what's being done. Obviously most people are. Otherwise they wouldn't be in office!
@ Rob White; You First...
Lake Munson should be renamed Lake Ghazvini and while they're at it rename Weelaunee to Ghazvini, also. Environmental irresponsibility at its best. Welcome to Tallahassee!
Rumor has it that Blueprint will soon present a huge unplanned budget modification of tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for more infrastructure costs for Welaunee Blvd and other areas.
Also, in other news the Friends of Lake Munson Group (hint: TR) boycotted the County’s recent Science Advisory Committee meeting where county staff were to provide an update on the Lake’s drawdown to reduce toxic Harmful Algal Blooms. Seems the Group is pissed at SAC and staff for not revealing a 2011 FDEP report on the last drawdown indicating drawdowns don’t remove certain nutrients responsible for HABs! The report actually recommended more aggressive methods (hint: dredging) be considered. In the meantime, Florida Dept of Health refuses to conduct a health assessment of residents around the Lake.
Yep, they'll do that and ignore the longstanding, essential need for sidewalks in Tally.
But as long as Welch gets what he wants...
Some of y'all need to get your heads out of your a**.
To say they should be focused on something else (like crime or homelessness, which they literally have an entire meeting on this month) makes you look like a fool.
Heard of multitasking? Or can you single cell organisms not comprehend it?
This park will be transformational for the area. There isn't a County owned and operated park in Bradfordville. We need this. Kids need this. Parents need this.
Stop hating everything just because it comes from the government.
As so many of you love to say...
Don't like it? THEN LEAVE!!
Looks like an amenity for the Welaunee Plantation development. It will benefit Powerhouse. The cut through road is not about Centerville rd. or easing of congestion. These are excuses to justify building a road for Powerhouse so they can develop. If it is just a road then watch how much infrastructure ( water, sewer..etc.) they put in.
THAT... is one expensive future homeless encampment. Build it and they will come.
Well... that’ll stop the spiraling crime rate I’m sure. Who wouldn’t want to play ball for no money, instead of selling drugs and stealing... (sarcasm off)
Electric vehicle charging stations??? WHY?!?!? I'm so damn tired of the green energy madness in this town I could scream.
This "park" is obviously not well planned; e.g. there are not enough parking places or bathrooms or enough native trees/vegetation.
It is not a "park" it is an athletic facility.
It is the result of a Commissioner trying to hurriedly fulfill a campaign promise cuz he doesn't want to run again and be asked about too many unfulfilled campaign promises. It smells of alot of Welaunee influence cuz which future residents will truly benefit from this the most?
Residents in this City/County deserve better; leadership, decision-making, ethical and fiscal accountability, etc.
It looks like you just threw every thing in there, one on top of the other, it's crazy. Aren't Pickle Ball Courts Paved? Are those Pickle Ball Courts in the one Baseball Field? Maybe you should drop it down to just two Baseball Fields. I think you might want to separate the two Volley Ball Courts by at least 20 feet.
What, no gender neutral restrooms?! Leon county your better than that.
@ = The County and City loves all the warm and fuzzy feelings that they get for BUILDING the Parks, they just don't like spending Money to maintain them because they don't get any Accolade’s when they are maintained.
As far as the Controversial Access Road goes........ make it curvy and put in Speed Bumps. That should keep a lot of people from using it as a "Cut Thru" passage.
Cynic
Excellent and well stated and Thomasville, Georgia does a better job of a lot of things than Leon County.
Please sign up to run for Leon County Commissioner!
Here's a thought. The county and city should pool their resources to improve the Meadows in particular the Meadows soccer complex. The soccer complex is in a sad state, despite having new artificial turf forced to replace the old chewed up one and if you visit other municipal soccer facilities throughout the state and elsewhere you'll see a stark contrast. The dirt parking lots at the Meadows soccer complex are awful, especially after a good rain. The nets are all ripped and balls constantly go through them. The grass and fields are in terrible condition and there is inadequate drainage. Thomasville, GA does a better job of maintaining their soccer fields.
Many soccer tournaments are held throughout the state and elsewhere at extremely well kept municipal soccer complexes. These complexes are a good source of revenue. The two main clubs in Tallahassee are forced to use FSU for any of their tournaments.
Finally, I see only one soccer field in the picture despite it being the number one youth sport in the nation. But there are definitely four baseball fields, while we have six already at the Meadows. Rather than build more parks spreading limited resources thinly, why can't we look at improving the ones we already have?