TAMPA, Fla. — After four years of planning, Harvest Hope Park is expected to mark its grand opening next week.
- Grand opening of Harvest Hope Park on Nov. 21
- Park includes playground, organic garden, fishing pond, etc.
- Next phase of park to include designing, building splash pad
“It’s so helpful for the community because there’s not a common place where residents can come together and meet each other and form relationships, form friendships, and then also have a great place to be able to relax,” said University Area Community Development Corporation CEO Sarah Combs.
Combs said the park wasn’t just built for people who live in the surrounding community — they helped design and build it.
“It’s showing that there’s an opportunity to really create positive change in this community, and we’re improving it from the inside out, starting with Harvest Hope Park,” Combs said.
The park includes a playground, a 33-bed organic community garden with fresh produce available to residents, a teaching kitchen where they can learn how to prepare healthy foods, a fishing pond, and more. Combs said the goal is to extend the positive impact of Harvest Hope beyond its borders.
“As we create the park, we’re adopting the blocks that surround it – putting in lighting and sidewalks and housing, and so you start to feel a sense of community, and it also ensures that safety precautions are being put into place,” she said.
The next phase of the project will include designing and building a splash park, and Combs said she expects features to be added regularly through the years.
The grand opening for Harvest Hope Park is scheduled for Thursday, November 21 from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. at 13704 North 20th Street.