SAVE KILEY PARK !

The hardly noticed park just north of the Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Street intersection is not your typical park. Raised on top of an underground parking garage and tucked between the Tampa Museum of Art and an over 30 floor tall round office building, there are not swings or ball fields. Just an imaginatively designed urban space that allows you to escape from the hustle and bustle of the downtown of a rapidly changing city environment. City council membr Linda Saul-Sena and Harry Wolfe, one of the original architects of the bank site should be commended for raising the knowledge level and awareness of this significant downtown issue.

With a dense coverage of trees, easy walkways, and a riverfront location, this park is at risk due to several key issues.

First, the park has been neglected and ignored. While the city is responsible for the park, it has not been on its priority list (amazing for a waterfront site in a city where the mayor keeps talking about a Riverwalk plan to include better use of this area for our residents). It has been ignored due to the continuing upheavel in the banking and real estate industry that has lead to many changes in the ownership of the adjacent beer can shaped office building.

Second, with the recent defeat of the plans for an expanded Art Museum at the current site,: vultures of every stripe are looking at the three adjacent sites with dollar signs in their eyes. That's right ! Kiley Park, the Art Museum and the farther north park could allow for significant development of commercial or residential space. While we are still hearing about the possibility of an arts district a few blocks more into downtown, the silence as to what might happen to the Art Museum has been almost deafening.

Third, and the largest risk to saving the park is our silence. With the explosion in development and real estate prices, getting land for public green space is getting more difficult with every day. Why would Tampa residents possibly want to give up a waterfront, already established, nationally recognized park in a booming downtown without a fight ? Easy anwer, lack of awareness and just plain apathy.

The Tampa Tribune recently issued an editorial calling for efforts to save the Belleview Biltmore in Clearwater, a noble effort. BUT KILEY PARK is being also called upon by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation as one of Florida's most endangered sites - along with the Biltmore. Get involved. Visit this beautiful urban site, send an email to let your City Council know that you want city park property to stay city park property. Post your comments below AND email them to let them know how you feel. DO THIS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE !