Buccaneers Field in North Greenwood Set to Expand

The Greenwood Panthers went from homeless to an athletic valhalla.

The football and cheerleading program was without a field since environmental concerns closed the Philip Jones field a few years ago.

The teams played home games at Clearwater Central Catholic, Clearwater High School, Countryside High School and Dunedin High School.

A piece of the Panthers' nearly $500,000 home was unveiled at a groundbreaking ceremony for Buccaneers Field that included players Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy and Clearwater local Leonard Johnson.

This week, Kevin Dunbar, parks and recreation director, said the second phase, which includes a practice field, lights, fencing and parking lot improvements, should be ready for the Panthers to play on in just a few months.

“This will be ready for this summer’s football season,” Dunbar said during the city council work session meeting Monday.

The city council is expected to sign off on the nearly $200,000 project at its meeting Thursday.

The $300,000 cost for the first field was partially funded through a grant from the NFL and Clearwater for Youth. The Panthers already are using the completed field which was built on a former Jack Russell Stadium parking lot.

The fields at the recently named Walter C. Campbell Park, in Clearwater's hardscrabble North Greenwood neighborhood, will be the first time the Panthers have their own home and practice fields in years.

“It is now time to actually get to work,” Dunbar said.

By the numbers:

Land development: $14,778.06

Excavating: $49,467

Fencing: $41,995

Electric: $77,605

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