Tampa Republic

City staff in Tampa are working diligently to prepare for the upcoming invasion of the pirates from the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. With the Key to the City as their prize, the city's departments are working together to ensure a smooth pirate takeover and a quick return to normalcy once the pirates retreat.

Mayor Jane Castor expressed her gratitude to the city team members, stating, "I want to give a very special shoutout to all our city team members who help make Gasparilla possible. Because of your hard work and dedicated service, we are able to give our residents and visitors an experience like no other."

Efforts to streamline the cleanup process have been successful in recent years. The Tampa Parks and Recreation, Mobility, and Solid Waste departments collaborate to remove the debris left behind by the parade, which spans 4.5 miles. Last year, the Solid Waste Department collected 21 tons of garbage.

To prepare for the invasion, the Tampa Parks and Recreation staff are assembling over 3,200 trash boxes, which will be distributed along the parade route the day before the event. After the pirates pass through Bayshore Boulevard, the department will supervise the cleanup of trees to remove any beads, balloons, or other items that missed their mark. The city's Recycling Team manages the Bead Reuse Program, in partnership with the MacDonald Training Center, collecting, cleaning, and repackaging beads for use in future parades. Last year, they delivered over 330,000 individual bead necklaces, weighing over 10,000 lbs., to the MacDonald Training Center.

The Mobility Department will deploy six mechanical sweepers after the parade to ensure that all trash is collected. Last year, they covered a total of 228 miles, which is nearly the distance between Tampa and Miami. The department is also responsible for setting up and breaking down event barriers, with a separate team monitoring cleanup efforts from the Emergency Operations Center and the Traffic Management Center.

The Tampa Police Department, Tampa Fire Rescue, and other public safety agencies are also working tirelessly to secure the parade route and monitor the day's events. Various police specialty units are activated to provide security from land, air, and sea, assuring the residents of Tampa that their city is safe even during an invasion.

As the city prepares for the invasion, the collaboration and dedication of its departments are crucial in ensuring a successful event and a swift return to normalcy afterward. The hard work and efforts of the city team members are greatly appreciated by Mayor Jane Castor and the residents of Tampa.

Contact:

306 East Jackson Street

Tampa, Florida 33602

(813) 274-8211