Douglas Property to Be Donated for City Park

It was like Christmas come early for Dunedin.

Officials decided to accept a $130,000 land donation from the Douglas family at the final commission meeting of the year — 10 days before Christmas — on the stipulation the land be used as a public park, to be named Gavin R. and Margaret M. Douglas Memorial Park.

Soil evaluated on the property renders the land useless for commercial or residential use, a city report states.

Russel G. Douglas, Joan Demer and Gavin L. Douglas offered the half-acre parcel at 538 and 540 Skinner Blvd. (near where Main Street and Skinner fork) to the city in November.

With the donation, city officials see potential for revitalizing the aging neighborhood around it.

“What a wonderful donation to give to the city,” Commissioner Julie Ward Bujalski said at the Dec. 15 meeting. “The neighborhood around it will really appreciate it in the future.”

The 1920s-era home on the property was found to contain asbestos and will be torn down at a cost of $22,000 to the city. Eventually, a shell parking area, picnic tables and benches will go in its place, and a stormwater retention pond on the property will be expanded, at an estimated cost of $45,000, a city report states.

Vince Gizzi, parks and recreation director, told commissioners upkeep of the property would cost the city about $2,500 annually.

Start-up expenses (after closing costs, an estimated $40,000) would be taken from the Community Redevelopment Agency budget and Stormwater Utility Fund. Future enhancements would come from the Parks & Recreation Department budget in 2013.