Tampa Republic

The City of Tampa is making strides in its recovery efforts following last year's hurricanes. By the end of May, five additional Parks and Recreation facilities are expected to reopen.

Mayor Jane Castor commented on the situation, stating, "Storm clean-up or reconstruction touched nearly all of the City’s parks and facilities, as Helene’s flooding was followed by Milton’s winds." She further noted that damages to these facilities amounted to an estimated $8.4 million.

The DeSoto Community Center recently reopened on March 3 after requiring a new HVAC unit due to submersion during Hurricane Helene. The building's age necessitated retrofitting the unit, which contributed to extended recovery time and complexity.

Next in line for reopening is the Kwane Doster Community Center, anticipated to serve Port Tampa families by month's end.

Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey expressed gratitude for community support and praised staff efforts: "We thank the community for its patience and thank Parks and Recreation and Facilities staffs for the diligent and detailed work that has brought us to this point." He emphasized their eagerness to have all facilities safely available for public use.

The storms caused significant damage, including flooding buildings, submerging HVAC units, downing light poles, trees, fences, signs, baseball/softball backstops, trellises, shade structures, ripping off shingles and aluminum roofing. This incident marked the most extensive and costly damage in Tampa's history.