Enjoy Lake Park While You Still Can

The first annual Florida Indian Hobbyist Powwow is scheduled to take place at Lake Park on north Dale Mabry this weekend, Oct. 21-22.

However, listening to park rangers and observing the conditions within the park
might lead one to wonder in what form it will occur, or even if it will happen
at all.

A main artery of the paved road system that links the eastern side of the park to the western side (where the BMX course is located) is totally submerged, as you can see from the photo. The dirt trails have ranged from damp and muddy to flooded over the past few weeks, even though the Tampa area has seen scant rain in that time. With the "tropical" system moving over us this week, it's
highly unlikely the situation will improve in time for the Powwow.

A ranger I spoke to at the front gate said that the flooding is the result of construction in the area, and that it's preventing water from draining into the aquifer. She admitted she had no evidence to back this up other than her own intuition, but she said that she'd never seen conditions this bad in her 10 years at Lake Park. The recent arrival of St. Joseph's North hospital on Van Dyke Road was mentioned as a possible contributor to the lack of adequate
drainage.

All of this raises unsettling questions about the park's long-term viability, at least for visitors like me who understand very little of the ecology involved. In this climate, it's never really "dry," and with this road under so much
water during the ostensibly "dry" season, it's difficult to imagine
the summers won't take an increasing toll on the park's infrastructure. I won't
belabor readers with descriptions of the lush and soothing vistas Lake Park
offers. You should get out there and see for yourself - while you still can. 

If you know more about the situation at Lake Park, tell us in the comments.