Trails, pavilions, and artwork are all features of new passive park
Local residents, hiking enthusiasts and others gathered recently at the newest County conservation park to celebrate the official opening. The passive park, located in Riverview on the Alafia River, provides an additional 27 acres of preserved outdoor space for County residents to explore and enjoy.
The park features a half-mile network of paved and natural-surface trails, large pavilions with picnic tables, and a butterfly garden in the shape of a butterfly, built by a local Girl Scouts troop. Approximately 500 native trees and plants thrive in the park. Restrooms, lighted parking, and drainage improvements are among the other amenities. The addition of a boardwalk and observation overlook along the river is planned for the site.
Local resident John Bakas, who attended the opening ceremony, said he was anxious for the park to open and would frequently stop by on his walks to peer through the gate and get a glimpse of the progress.
Construction of the park came about through a partnership with The Mosaic Company, which owned the land for decades as part of the phosphate mining and manufacturing industry, but the land was never mined.
The center of the roundabout entrance to Pebble Park includes a statue of Benjamin Moody, a pioneer settler of what eventually became Riverview and a three-time Hillsborough County commissioner in the mid-1800s. Additionally, the park will soon include a Native American-inspired statue created by Milligan Studios in collaboration with artists and craftspeople of the Seminole Tribe.
The new park is one of the locations for the Hiking Spree, which began Nov. 1 and runs through March 31, 2023.
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