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Residents press council over Sulphur Springs boardwalk and pool; council asks for seawall, assessment and equity plan
Summary
Multiple residents and council members pressed for repairs to Sulphur Springs boardwalk and pool and for more equitable parks spending across the city. Staff said $1.8 million is budgeted for an assessment and seawall work; council requested clearer cost breakdowns and asked parks staff to prioritize accessibility upgrades and small repairs.
Residents from Sulphur Springs told the council the neighborhood’s riverfront boardwalk and public pool have been out of service for years and present safety hazards. At the special budget workshop, residents urged immediate action. Parks and administration staff told the council they have programmed an assessment and seawall work and that some capital and emergency funds are available; staff asked the council to allow time for studies to define exact construction needs.
Charlie Adams, Sulphur Springs community leader and director of Kids on the River, appealed for repairs to a long‑out‑of‑service boardwalk and for funds to strengthen the neighborhood’s farmers market and cultural hub. “We have a boardwalk in the Sofa Springs community that’s been deemed unusable by the city for maybe, like, in the last 7 years,” he said in public comment. Councilmembers and staff also discussed the adjacent pool; administration staff confirmed a proposed $1.8 million package would be used for seawall repairs and an engineering assessment to identify further needs.
Councilmembers asked parks staff to prioritize safety hazards and to return with costs and timelines. Council members also emphasized equity across neighborhoods: several said they had repeatedly received complaints from South Tampa residents about deteriorating neighborhood parks and urged staff to provide a parks master‑plan annex and a breakdown of new capital projects. Councilmember Vic Viera proposed adding targeted funding for accessible playground equipment in neighborhoods outside of CRA boundaries (South Tampa, North Tampa, Sulphur Springs); staff agreed to evaluate costs and report back.
On Thursday’s agenda staff will present an initial pool/seawall request for emergency work, and council members signaled they expect follow‑up materials that separate emergency stabilization work from longer‑term construction and that clarify which funds are bondable vs. pay‑go.
