Fred Howard Park Beach remains closed due to causeway bridge reconstruction
Major construction on the complete dismantling and rebuilding of the 2 bridges that lead out to the world-famous beach is moving along. In our exclusive photos from June, 2009, you can see the progress on the bridges and what the beach areas look like.
The "second" bridge (the one closest to the beach) provides a clearer picture of the eventual finished bridge. Now visible are two new wide sidewalks running outside of the roadway to allow pedestrians, bicycles and fishing on the bridges without being dangerously close vehicular traffic as before.
As these eerie photos of the deserted beach area show, mother nature is slowly reclaiming the sand, parking lots and grassy areas. Due to the elimination of 9/10ths of the park staff, and the inaccessibility of the beach area by the remaining few staff members, the beach area is looking wild.
It is amazing to see what the beach area would look like if it were left to return to its natural state. Many native and invasive plants are sprouting up everywhere, unimpeded by the constant foot and vehicular traffic. Sea weed is piled up all around the shoreline. Many birds are missing, as there is no source of fresh water from the showers and no "handouts" from park patrons.
The two stone walls that flank the sides of the beach are becoming dangerously unstable. In the last 8 years, park staff have been constantly "shoring up" the rocks with seaweed raked from the beachfronts each week. Now that this constant effort has been stopped, the walls are starting to tumble down.
The Future of YOUR park is looming
The pictures below give a glimpse of what reduced mantenance would look like— and suggest how much work it takes to maintain the park in the pristine manner we were accustomed to. Many patrons take the huge effort for granted, and they assume it will always stay that way.
For over 40 years, park patrons have enjoyed one of the world's great beaches for free— but sadly, that era seems to be ending. Due to the State of Florida's mandated budget cuts, which directly affect the county's budget, most of the park staff has been quietly eliminated in the past few years. In addition, many formerly grassy areas around the park have been returned to native plants which require no watering or mowing.
Apparently the Parks management has decided they need to charge the patrons of the beach area at Howard Park for the privilege of using it. According to a recent article in the news, the park administration wants to charge $5 for access to the causeway/beach area when it reopens late in 2009.
Rumors of "parking meters" and "pay and display" parking kiosks like have been circulating recently, but according to a quote in the newspaper by the Pinellas County Parks head honcho Paul Cozzie, they have decided to charge a fee for entry like they have at Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin. There is no mention of an alternative yearly fee for residents of Pinellas County or residents of the City of Tarpon Springs.
According to the article, on Tuesday, July 14th the Parks department will be asking the county to approve such a fee at a county meeting.
No doubt the County of Pinellas needs the revenue to retain the level of maintenance, safety and security at the parks. What is at issue is how they go about raising those funds. Let's remember that the beaches of Pinellas County are a very strong draw not only to tourism from around the globe, but to actual quality of our residents' lives. Many, many senior citizens and economically-challenged citizens (aren't we ALL these days) depend on their daily visit to the waterfront, to socialize, get some sun and exercise and breathe fresh gulf air.
The officials of the Friends of Howard Park have talked to many residents and park patrons, and it is almost unanimous that we all love the park and would gladly pay to keep our access to it— if it came down to that. A yearly fee for residents would be acceptable to most people, as it is done around the country in many public venues. This would allow shorter visits than the assumed "all day" patronage envisioned by the Park administrators.
Many people flow into the park at different times of the day for different reasons. Walking, bike riding, socializing, nature watching, eating lunch, etc. are all activities that would be curtailed by such a fee. Indeed the many tourists who plan their vacations in our fine county will be unaware and unprepared for the fees and traffic and will think twice about spending their dollars here in our restaurants, hotels and stores. The beach closing has ALREADY had a visible and negative effect on the local Tarpon Springs economy, at a time that it is most critical to the survival of many people's livelihood.
The proposed $5 entry fee would, in effect, amount to an unacceptable hardship on the residents who depend on the beach's many attractions. Further, how will they collect the fees; the undoubtable side-effect of traffic jams entering the park. Idling cars' fumes and noise will disturb the fragile tranquility and clean air of the park. The entrance roads leading to the park go through Tarpon Springs residential neighborhoods, which would be similarly negatively effected by the traffic jams.
We would like to know what YOU think. Please participate in our short online feedback form. The survey results will be forwarded to the Pinellas County Administrators and the Parks administration. Do it today. Time is short.
