Input Sought On Future Of Hillsborough County's Veterans Memorial Park

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Hillsborough County has launched an online option for veterans and residents to give input on plans to improve Veterans Memorial Park.

The county has held two in-person workshops and open house events at the park. The online option will be available through Nov. 11 and gives those who were not able to attend the workshops or open houses an opportunity to provide input.

Those who attended the workshops or open houses and would like to provide additional feedback also are invited to use the online option. It is recommended that residents open the survey using Chrome, Firefox or Safari as their browser.

Feedback from the public will help prioritize potential improvements and amenities and generate consensus and a vision for the future. Earlier feedback showed support for the following items:

• Park entrance and entry signage
• Signage and wayfinding throughout the park
• Meditation garden
• Active learning zone
• Museum renovation
• Expansion of the Veterans Resource Center
• New pavilion

Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management, which manages the park, and Hillsborough County Consumer & Veterans Services, which operates the on-site Veterans Resource Center, amphitheater, museum and events, are working with the University of South Florida’s Florida Center for Community Design and Research to create a master plan for the park.

Veterans Memorial Park is home to 14 war memorials, the Veterans Resource Center and the Rear Admiral Leroy Collins Jr. Veterans Museum. It also serves as a venue for regional ceremonies on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Patriot Day, along with a variety of other organized events.

Established oak trees provide a well-shaded and tranquil setting for reading, reflection, meditation, picnicking, family gatherings or walking and jogging its many paths, which include a fitness trail along the Bypass Canal.