city of tampa on kiley gardens
Wednesday we wondered why the city wasn’t listening to the Friends of Kiley Gardens.
So I asked city councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena. I explained that this was to be published on Sticks of Fire, and had to describe this site (see tommy, not everyone reads!).
She told of her relationship with the FOKG and says she is working to have the city renovate the park. Not only to preserve the park, but also to solve the structural problems with the underlying parking garage.
She blamed Mayor Pam Iorio for the decision to rush removal of the crape myrtles. Saul-Sena says Iorio wanted them gone before blooming season, and that Iorio doesn’t “get it” about preserving the park. When driving past the park the mayor even remarked that it looks better now. Maybe Pam should get out of her car now and again, or at least look at those photos we took.
Complicating the preservation is that three disparate groups must work together on the project. Structural engineers will be concerned with the parking garage and solving the waterproofing issues. An architectural firm, Thomas Balsley and Associates (they designed Centennial Park in Ybor) will design the park itself. And, of course, preservationists including Saul-Sena and the Friends of Kiley Gardens. We’ll see if these three can achieve one single vision.
Linda Saul-Sena also requested that supporters email the mayor and city council about this unique space. I’ve already sent my thoughts, I encourage you to let your opinion be known as well. Visit the above links, and direct a few words to the people that have the power to decide what our city will look like.
- submit a contact form to Mayor Pam Iorio
- email Gwen Miller
- email John Dingfelder
- email Shawn Harrison
- email Kevin White
- email Rose Ferlita
- email Mary C. Alvarez
- email Linda Saul-Sena
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April 14th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
For an interesting comparison to a public space with similar challenges, listen to Benjamin Temchine’s radio documentary “The Biography of 100,000 Square Feet”>. UN Plaza in San Francisco had many of the same problems and the stream of committees and politicians that made changes to the space over the years managed to turn it into something that NOBODY was happy with.
April 15th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Thanks for the links. I just sent the mayor a note. I believe this park should be restored to it’s original glory, and not altered in any way. I’m sure there is technology available to properly waterproof the garage. If the Mayor signs the papers designating it as historic, and turns over operation to a non-profit trust, I’m sure the grant money and donations will pour in to save the park.
April 15th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
I have continually asked Mayor
Pam to sign the historic designation. She will not. She has said that the designation is too restrictive. When I have asked her “is the park safe from being replaced?” She has said it is. But after the murder of Kiley Gredns in the past few weeks, I am not so sure.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:07 am
[...] Mayor met with the group and committed to save the park. For some reason, Mayor Pam would not wait for a plan to be put in place. The City of Tampa cut down almost everything in the park. Or as the [...]