Plans for a post and beam pavilion were presented to the Brooksville City Council on Monday, August 7 as part of the ongoing Water Tower Beautification Project. Post and beam construction has been used in America for centuries and has been revisited to accent historic buildings and homes. They feature large exposed posts and beams and create a rustic old world feel to the surrounding landscape.
During the City Council meeting Bill Geiger, Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Executive Director, Don Lacey, Engineer at Coastal Engineering and David Mango of David Mango Designs Inc. reviewed the plans with the council.
On June 20, 2016 during a regularly scheduled meeting, the council voted to approve a proposed budget of $118,000 to complete the project at the water tower site. The Good Neighbor Trail Advisory Committee (GNTAC) requested the city to add a pavilion along with an information kiosk for the City of Brooksville. According to Geiger the project is expected to begin towards the end of 2017. “I would anticipate that the project will begin in either November or December,” Geiger said on August 7.
The proposed plan calls for a large cedar framed structure to be placed around three sides of the water tower. “The pavilion wraps around three sides of the water tower,” Mango said during the August 7 City Council meeting, “leaving the southeast corner open.” Stone will be wrapped around the base of each post and the pavilion will have a metal roof. There will also be an information kiosk that will educate visitors on the amenities in Brooksville. The pavilion will accommodate bikers and hikers from the Suncoast Parkway Trail that will eventually continue through Brooksville via the Good Neighbor Trail.
The Suncoast Parkway Trail opened in 2001 and includes 41 miles of scenic routes that feature native plants along various creeks and streams. The trail is part of Florida’s Statewide Greenways and Trails System. The trail begins in northern Hillsborough County and meanders through Pasco and Hernando counties. The trail will eventually connect to other trails within the area including the Good Neighbor Trail, the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and the Pinellas Trail. According to Geiger the trail will lead more people into the downtown area.
The plans for the pavilion along with resurfacing of the connected parking lot were unanimously approved by the council and will be presented to the Good Neighbor Trail Advisory Committee (GNTAC) for their feedback. Once the GNTAC reviews the plans, Geiger said the council will then vote to allow the project to move forward with the bidding process to secure contractors and craftsman to begin construction. Check later editions of the The Hernando Sun for further updates on the Water Tower Beautification Project.