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Recreation opportunities aplenty in Pasco County

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BY ERIC HORCHY

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: October 24, 2009

With an abundance of parks, beaches, sporting venues and wilderness sites, visitors and residents of Pasco County are never far from an enjoyable day of recreation and relaxation.

Whether it's a day spent soaking up the sun at Anclote River Park, in the Holiday area, or getting together for a game of softball at Hudson's Veteran Memorial Park, most outdoor appetites can be sated on any given moment.

For some areas throughout Pasco, that notion has been further reaffirmed in the form of state and national recognition.

The West Pasco city of New Port Richey, for instance, has been raking in notoriety for its parks and recreation offerings of late.

For the second year running it has received the Florida Recreation and Park Association Agency Excellence Award in its designated population classification that names the department tops in the state. New Port Richey is the only city in Florida whose parks and recreation department has received the honor for two consecutive years.

Also in 2009, New Port Richey was named the Playful City USA Community Award from KaBOOM!, a national organization that promotes play areas within walking distance of every child in America. The city was one of only 93 in the entire country to earn the recognition.

"What makes our parks great (is) the people," said New Port Richey Parks and Recreation Director Elaine Smith. "We have strong support from our mayor, city council and our citizens."

"Great parks make great cities and the city of New Port Richey is a wonderful place to live, work and play."

New Port Richey's vast array of recreational choices factor largely into its continued prominence.

The Recreation and Aquatic Center is a multipurpose facility where users can find everything from swimming pools to indoor basketball courts and an outdoor skateboard park to a fitness center.

There are three other multipurpose facilities in Pasco that are county-operated: Holiday Recreation Center; Veterans Memorial Park, in Hudson; and Land O' Lakes Recreation Center.

On a wider level, the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department operates a total of 37 parks from east to west.

"The high points are basically what we do for the community," said Martin Paventi III, a county parks and recreation manager. "We serve them with programs and facilities that they can come and visit."

Beyond your typical beach, baseball, basketball or swimming experiences, Paventi said that county run programs can attract all tastes.

There is a wide range of programs from facility to facility.

Country western line dancing, fitness classes, martial arts classes, guitar lessons, fishing tournaments and multiple youth and adult sports leagues can all be registered for throughout Pasco County.

And if a call to nature is the day's desired theme, visitors and residents can soak in the pristine ambiance of the 8,000-acre Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, which Pasco County operates on land southeast of New Port Richey belonging to the Southwest Florida Water Management District, or the 80-acre James E. Grey Preserve, in New Port Richey.

Visitors can take up bird watching, hit hiking trails, have a picnic at multiple shelters, enjoy primitive-style camping or check out a horse corral. At Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park hikers and bikers are treated to paved trails that connect to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail.

For more information on what Pasco County has to offer recreationally and to receive a free vacation guide, call 1-800-842-1873 or visit in person at 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey.

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