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Activities Mark Opening Of Town 'N Country Complex

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

The ribbon is cut during the Town 'N Country Commons grand opening Dec. 3 in Town Country.

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

Updated: 12/03/2008 01:30 pm

TAMPA - The centerpiece of a project dreamed up eight years ago opens to the public today.

Town 'N Country Commons, an $11 million complex, includes a sprawling library, a senior center and a Head Start center. It's a big change from the old site, which housed Head Start in a doublewide mobile home and the old West Gate Regional Library.

The West Gate library, at 14,000 square feet, was torn down in May 2007 and temporarily moved to an office park on West Waters Avenue. The library closed in October to prepare for its permanent move.

Now known as the Town 'N Country Regional Library, it has more than twice as much space, a separate children's wing and a teen room that the Town 'N Country Youth Council helped design.

"This whole room looks like the size of the library before," said Carmen Wood, looking around the children's wing. She said she couldn't wait to bring her grandchildren.

Overall, the county-funded Town 'N Country Commons, at 7606 Paula Drive near Hillsborough Avenue and Hanley Road, contains more than 45,000 square feet, including community rooms and a Friends of the Library bookstore.

Shimberg Gardens will open next door in the spring or summer, Town 'N Country Garden Circle member Rob Gamester said. The club hopes to establish a Florida-friendly garden with signs identifying plants once it sees how watering restrictions affect its timeline. The garden, which will cover half of the 8-acre commons property, will feature a gazebo and butterfly garden.

Past and present county commissioners, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and community leaders unveiled the commons at a ceremony this morning. Speakers told the crowd of about 100 how hard residents and politicians worked to bring the building to fruition.

Commissioner Jim Norman said the county supported the project but the residents made sure it got done.

"This would never have been here unless y'all had the pride and love for Town 'N Country like you do," Norman said.

The project is part of the Town 'N Country Community Plan, drawn up in 2000 to set goals for the area roughly bordered by Linebaugh Avenue to the north, Memorial Highway to the south, Sheldon Road to the west and Veterans Expressway on the east.

The plan included developing town centers, such as the commons. But it also addressed efforts to improve the look of the main roads, strengthen code enforcement, deal with traffic congestion and speeding, and make the area easier to navigate for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority opened the Northwest Transfer Center last summer at Waters and Sheldon with a shelter, restrooms and a park-and-ride lot for bus commuters.

Gamester got a preview of the commons with the Garden Circle in the spring and said the architecture amazed him. The design needed to serve senior citizens and preschoolers, and does, he said.

"This is a revitalization of Town 'N Country," Gamester said.

The ceremony today kicked off four days of events highlighting different aspects of the project. Head Start will show off its wing Thursday, offering tours, door prizes, story readings, face painting and a trike-a-thon.

The senior service center opens Friday. Besides tours and musical entertainment, visitors can attend discussions on handling medication and take part in a Zumba dance class.

The library ends the week with programs for children and teens on Saturday. The bookstore will be open all day; jazz, string and barbershop musicians will perform; and local authors will speak.

For a schedule and parking information, go to www.hillsboroughcounty.org/tnccommons.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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