May - IKare Publishing

June / July 2016
Serving the communities of:
Coventry, Newcastle and Sheffield
Westchester Times
THE OFFICIAL Newsletter OF WESTCHESTER
“MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR
AND BOARD” EVENT
A GREAT SUCCESS!
ANNUAL MEETING
NOT SO MUCH!
On April 1st a huge turnout of homeowners
attended the family event held at the
Coldstream Park lot. Not only did a lot of
new and old neighbors meet for the first
time but those who attended also got to
meet most of the Board members.
The Social Committee was so inspired by
its success that it is definitely to be
repeated!
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for
the Annual Meeting. We received a total of
78 Proxies. There were two votes proposed
and the results are as follows:
1. I approve the proposed amendment to
Article VI, Section 19 to the Declaration of
Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions which
amends by adding Section 19 to empower the
Association to special assess the Owner’s lot
with the cost incurred by the Association to
repair or replace damaged common area
caused by the Owner or their invitee. The
assessment shall be secured by a lien as set
forth in Article VI Section 9.
YES 66
NO 12
2. I approve the proposed amendment to
Article X, Section 5 to the Declaration of
Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions to
change the vote required to amend the
Declaration to a majority (from 75%) of the
voting members at a meeting called for such
purpose or that an instrument approving the
amendment is signed by a majority (from
75%) of the voting members.
YES 68
NO 10
A third of the total homeowners are
required to establish a quorum for a
Membership Meeting (123) but to pass an
amendment we need the vote of 75% (276).
Volunteers to walk the community were not
received and consequently those in
attendance voted in favor of not
rescheduling to pursue votes this year but
we will try again next year!
It is apparent that only just over 20% of the
Westchester homeowners are interested in
the business of the community and we must
continue to encourage more awareness
through events and communication.
On behalf of the Board we want to thank all
of the homeowners who sent in their proxy
and special thanks to those who attended
the meeting. The meeting was not all that
unsuccessful because…
Two Board Members Were
Recruited!
Two current Board members have listed
their homes so will not only be leaving
Westchester but the Board as well.
Fortunately at the Membership Meeting we
received two volunteers – thank you Jillian
Peters from Sheffield and Arnie Korshin
from Newcastle. Thank you both for
stepping up in our time of need and we look
forward to working with you to continue to
improve life in Westchester!
Fond Farewell to Maribeth Abbott
and Ron Guido
Both Maribeth and Ron have offered to stay
on the Board until their homes sell but we
know the popularity of your homes in
Westchester so want to take this
opportunity to thank them while they are
still with us! Maribeth has been on the
Board for 4 years and has held the officer
position of Treasurer and Secretary during
her tenure. Maribeth played a big role in
fitting the playgrounds with new
equipment, she promoted social events and
was from the start and still is fully in favor
of speed humps to control speeding. Ron
has been on the Board for 5 years and
played a huge role during the Newcastle
flooding drama and throughout his term has
headed the Architectural Control
Committee. Wherever you go know that
we are so very grateful for your valuable
contributions to the community and wish
you every happiness for you and your
family’s futures.
GATE CODES HAVE CHANGED
Effective MAY 1ST, 2016 the gate codes
will be changed:
General: 0516 and
Vendors: 1605
2016 ASSOCIATION DUES
Your next Assessment of $325 is
due July 1st, 2016
Only one friendly late reminder notice is
sent by Management before the matter is
turned over to the Association’s collection
attorney. Avoid those hefty legal fees by
paying on time or contacting Management
to set up a payment plan.
Sidewalk trip hazard work
The inspection has been completed and this
years’ sidewalk repair list has been
compiled and submitted to the vendor to
commence. The grindings will be done
during May and June and the replacement
sections will be started the last week of
June (weather permitting).
PUBLISHED BY IKARE PUBLISHING INC. WWW.IKAREPUBLISHING.COM - 813-991-7843
Westchester Of Hillsborough Homeowners Association Inc.
is managed by:
The Property Group of Central Florida
11902 Race Track Road Tampa, FL 33626
Phone: 813-855-4860 ext. 316 ~~ Fax: 813-855-5692
Manager: Leigh Slement Email: Leigh@pgcf.com
Board of Directors
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Director:
Director:
Director:
John MacConnell
Carl Paret
Brandon Mullis
Michael DeMare
Jillian Peters
Arnie Korshin
Pete Dashko
We Have New Neighbors At…
12220 Bishopsford Drive
12027 Mountbatten Drive
11231 Cypress Reserve Drive
11449 Cypress Reserve Drive
11533 Cypress Reserve Drive
Welcome to Westchester!
Please contact Management at
(813) 855-4860 to set you up in the gate directory
(for Sheffield and Newcastle homeowners)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keep Your Community Safe and Beautiful
Don’t Speed
Please bin it as opposed to tossing litter
and
Be a Responsible Pet Owner and Pick Up
After Your Pet(s)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET TO
RECEIVE ASSOCIATION
MESSAGES?
If you have not signed up to receive important
messages from your Association we encourage you
to do so. All you need to do is go to the website at
westchesterhoa.org. It will take you less than a
minute to register. Your email address will go to a
secure database and from time to time you will
receive short messages like association dues
reminder dates, meetings, events, etc. This feature
enables us to communicate instantly with you.
Please sign up and enjoy the reminders and short
messages!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tip to Clean Mailboxes
Spray – leave on for 5
minutes – and wipe off!
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
- Dear Westchester families Happy Father’s Day to all Westchester Dads,
Happy Summer to All!
&
Happy Birthday America on July 4th
Thank you for your continued support From the Board of Directors, Committee Members,
Leigh & the staff at The Property Group
Campaign Signs, sports signs and of course advertising signs are not permitted in
front yard. Homeowners may have an alarm sign and if home is for rent or for sale
ONE ONLY PROFESSIONALLY MADE FOR SALE OR FOR RENT SIGN MAY BE
DISPLAYED. Campaign signs may be displayed 2 weeks before Election Day and
must be taken down promptly the day after Election Day.
© 2016 Westchester Homeowners Association-Not to be used for solicitation, or reprinted
without written permission from the HOA.
Approved Mailbox Post and Trim Colors
Body Color: Behr Brand : color Elegant Ivory PWN-40
Trim Color: Dark green
Serving the communities of:
Coventry, Newcastle and Sheffield
Westchester Times
THE OFFICIAL Newsletter OF WESTCHESTER
Publisher:
For Advertising Contact:
Kim @ 813-991-7843
www.ikarepublishing.com
This newsletter is mailed to the residents of Westchester at no cost to the
community. IKare Publishing is not responsible for the actions or credibility of any
the advertisers in this newsletters. It is the individual’s responsibility to check
references on all advertisers. IKare Publishing is not responsible for content and as
editor reserves the right to edit articles for content, length, grammar, and readability.
3
COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SERVICE
EC13001826 - Licensed & Bonded
Joe Cruz
Ph: 813.901.8185
Fx: 813.884.5060
Mobile: 813.924.0063
Email: ehs915@aol.com
11530 Belmack Blvd. S.
Odessa FL 33556
1497 Main Street #100
Dunedin FL 34698
FREE ESTIMATES
SAME DAY SERVICE
(813) 855-2565
(727) 785-5500
Fax (813) 855-5423
#CFCO35713
The Tax District Board needs
Trustees
The Tax District which is responsible for
maintaining the median plantings and some
of the ponds along Countryway Blvd to the
library is in dire need of members. If there
are not enough members then Hillsborough
County will dissolve the taxing district and
take over management. Given the financial
condition of the County there is legitimate
concern that the appearance of Countryway
Blvd will deteriorate – right at your front
door. Two Westchester Board Members
have volunteered to be on the Board so
hat’s off to Carl Paret and Arnie Korshin
but they do need TWO MORE!
No special expertise is required to be on
this Board. Only requirements are:
1.
To be a registered voter in the district
(Westchester)
2. Meet 3-4 times per year at the library
for about an hour
3. & because this is considered an elected
office, there is the basic Form 1 Statement
of Financial Interests that must be filled
out. It DOES NOT require you to list your
annual salary/income, but it does require
that you list the sources of your income,
any real property you own, and any major
investments/liabilities over $10,000
individually.
You can see the Form 1 here: http://
www.votehillsborough.org/About-Running
-For-Office/Annual-Financial-Disclosure
If you have any other questions please call
Richard Pitrowski at (813) 810-0125.
````````````````````````````````````````````````````
NEW WEBSITE TO LOOK
FORWARD TO
Thanks to David Botello of 12002
Evanshire Court, work will begin on a new
and improved website for Westchester
during the month of May. If anyone has
any good pictures taken in the
neighborhood and suitable for the website
please send them to Manager Leigh
Slement at leigh@pgcf.com.
Dog Difficulties
Mosquito's
by President John MacConnell
by President John MacConnell
There have been many recent reports within
the community about difficulties associated
with dogs.
These reports include
aggressive dogs, more than two dogs in a
home and failure to pick up after your dog
does its “duty.”
The below listed
information from the Hillsborough County
web site identifies what to do about animal
bites. More importantly, if you observe
what you believe to be an aggressive dog,
please see the second paragraph below.
Tis the season for increased mosquito
activity. In the past Hillsborough County
has routinely sprayed neighborhoods to
control the nasty critters but they no longer
do that. They have stopped doing it
routinely because they have found that it is
ineffective, costly and environmentally
damaging. If you have specific problems
with mosquitos you can contact Mosquito
Control through Public Works at (813) 635
-5400 .
Report Animal Bites
They will send an inspector and if they
deem it appropriate, they may spray your
area. For more information on mosquito
control, please see the web sites listed
below.
If you have been bitten and/or have
received medical attention for an animal
bite, report the incident to Pet Resources
at 813-744-5660.

Any bite or scratch from an animal
should be washed immediately and
thoroughly with soap and water. Many
victims seek medical attention to stave
off infections, and it’s important to
report bites (link to rabies control
page) and the whereabouts of the
animal if at all possible.
http : // www. h il lsb o ro u g h co u nt y.o rg/
index.aspx?NID=615
http://hillsboroughcounty.org/
DocumentCenter/Home/View/2994
MOSQUITO CONTROL
Call (813) 635-5400 for service.

If possible, report the whereabouts of
the bite animal along with any
information about its owner and
vaccination history to Pet Resources at
813-744-5660.
Report Vicious or Aggressive Animals
You may also contact Pet Resources to
report vicious or aggressive animals at
813-744-5660.
Also, please note that it is a violation of
Homeowner Association rules to have more
than two dogs in the same household.
AND, It is only a
matter
of
c o m m o n
courtesy
and
decency to pick
up after your
dog.
SPEED HUMPS HAVE BEEN
INSTALLED
Speeding remains a problem so in
an effort to control it more speed
humps have been installed. Two
have been installed on Bishopsford
Drive and two on Northumberland
Drive.
Message from a homeowner:
After our Meet Your Neighbor get together Friday April 1st, a few of us
decided to put together a Facebook Group for the Westchester
Community. If you are interested in joining this private group you can
search “Westchester Community” on Facebook.
Thanks- Dina
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
5
Now Op
en
Sunday!
 Quick, Convenient Service and Repair of All Makes and Models
 FREE Car Wash With Every Service
 Free Ride To and From Work with Our Courtesy Van
 We Honor Most Extended Warranties
 12 Month or 12,000 Mile Parts and Labor Warranty on All Repairs
 No Appointment Needed and Same Day Service in Most Cases
 Competitive Prices in a Clean, Friendly and Relaxed Environment
 Free Gourmet Coffee & Fresh Popcorn While You Wait
Valid for
90 Days
$29.95
Yard of the Month
Westchester Treasury
Financial Status as at March 31, 2016
__________________________________________
Cash : $82,769.73
Reserve Funds: $417,832.89
Operating Expenses to Operating Budget:
$38,500.65 / $48,672.00
Delinquencies as at end March: $23,379.53 (57
homeowners)
Delinquencies as at April 21: $14,921.99
(36 homeowners)
16 owe interest only
$
78.08
1 short paid Feb assessment
$
25.00
14 owe Feb assessment or less
$ 4,184.11
5 owe more
$10,634.80
Current delinquency rate is 5.4% (60 days after a
collection month).
The yard of the month voucher for April was awarded to
12019 Mountbatten Drive.
Pure lusciousness and just out of winter! The lawn, shrubs and
palms are as green as you can get, beds are mulched, yard ornaments are spotless, mailbox and all surfaces are clean and the
homeowners are obviously attentive to their yard for
which we thank them!
Great American Cleanup 2016
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful recruits volunteers to foster unity and
strengthen community bonds through beautification and improvement
efforts across Hillsborough County. For more than twenty years, this
locally activated community improvement program brings the power of
volunteers and sponsors together to inspire change and build
sustainable, vibrant communities.
Projects may include:
Community gardens (butterfly, sensory, vegetable)
Habitat restoration
Invasive plant removal
Litter Free Events
Litter cleanups (waterways, roadways, shorelines, parks and underwater
dives)
Landscape maintenance and planting (weeding, trimming, etc.)
Playground/park equipment restoration (painting, mulching, etc.)
Storm drain marking
Tree plantings
-- **Copeland Park playground installation project (**8am to 2:30pm event) Saturday, May 21
Registration: 8:30 a.m. Cleanup Start time: 9:00 a.m.
What To Bring , work or garden gloves, sunscreen, hat/sunglasses,
Protective footwear (close-toed)
* Trash bags, water and soft gloves are provided. Promotional
giveaways available while supplies last.*
Volunteer by registering online at: www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
The yard of the month voucher for May is awarded to
11927 Northumberland Drive. It is the home of the Board
member who has his house for sale. Typically Board members
are not eligible to win the award but Ron is leaving us and the
least we can do is recognize their home as worthy because they
have since the day they bought in Westchester consistently
maintained it way above expected standard. Well done! For
all the years of your ownership we thank you for your beautiful
home and yard!
Congratulations to the Yard of the Month homeowners who are
contributing towards aesthetics and property values in
Westchester!
All Yard of the Month homes are awarded a gift voucher.
7
Our Alligator Neighbors
Floridians have learned to coexist
with alligators. Gators are actually
more frightened of humans than you
think. This is demonstrated by their
quick retreat into the safety of the
water when a human approaches.
This behavior is encouraging and
should be accepted and respected.
An alligator will only show signs of
aggression if it is being fed which is
against the law. If homeowners
respect their space they will respect
yours. Reporting an alligator which
has not posed as a threat is
sentencing the alligator to death
because the trappers don’t pick them
up and relocate them. Instead they
are killed by a baited hook and
removed dead. In some instances
the wrong gator takes the bait so
multiple deaths occur.
A few
trappers will save a female gator
which is less than 6ft but this is not
the norm. The bottom line is please
be certain before picking up the
phone to report a nuisance gator.
The reference number you receive
must be called into management to
authorize the removal and verify
access to the trapper. Alligators
move around especially during the
months of May through June.
During the winter months they
hibernate.
Nearly all alligators become
sexually mature by the time they
reach approximately 7 ft in length
although females can reach maturity
at 6 ft. A female may require 10-15
years and a male 8-12 years to reach
these lengths. Courtship begins in
early April, and mating occurs in
May or June. Alligators will be
very visible during the mating
season.
Alligators are ectothermic – they
rely on external sources of heat to
regulate
their
body
temperature. Alligators control their
body temperature by basking in the
sun, or moving to areas with warmer
or cooler air or water
temperatures. Alligators are most
active when temperatures are
between 82 to 92 degrees F. They
stop feeding when the ambient
temperature drops below
approximately 70 degrees F and
they become dormant below 55
degrees F.
Westtown Public Hearing May 16,
2016 at 6pm Case # MM 16-0462
A number of homeowners were notified
about the Public Hearing regarding a major
modification at the Westtown Church. We
asked the engineer on record for a more
detailed explanation of what was being
proposed and here is his statement:
Written Statement / Project Narrative
Westtown Church PCA
Folio No. 003532.0000
The site is currently zoned Planned
Development (RZ 10-0792 NWH,
approved November 12, 2010).
The
application seeks approval of a major
modification from the current PD approval.
The site consists of 35.4 acres and is
located on Racetrack Road northeast of the
intersection with Country Way Blvd. in
Northwest Hillsborough County, Florida.
The property is currently occupied as a
Church and Daycare facility. The current
use is consistent with the approved PD
zoning conditions and site plan. The
Sanctuary building was constructed as part
of Phase 1 and was completed in March of
2013. As part of the initial phase of the
development of the property, the left turn
lane into the site was constructed on Race
Track Road. An addition to the Sanctuary
to occupy the Daycare was completed in
August of 2015.
All necessary
infrastructure was brought onsite as part of
these developments.
Presently, the Church Sanctuary and the
Daycare facility are at the maximum
allowed capacity permitted under the
current PD. The Owner is requesting to
increase the capacity of both in order to
facilitate the growth of the Church. The
requested increases are as follows:
1. Sanctuary
a. Approved = 400 Seats
b. Proposed = 500 Seats
2. Daycare
a. Approved = 75 Children
b. Proposed = 156 Children
Per the Hillsborough County Zoning
requirements, a major modification is
required if there is an increase in traffic
trips greater than 10% of the approved total
which the proposed increases will result in.
These are the only modifications to the
current PD proposed as part of this
application. All other previous approvals
in the conditions and the site plan will
remain the same.
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
Is it legal to
feed Birds and
other Wildlife
According to the
Florida Fish and
Wildlife website
feeding wildlife is
g e n e r a l l y
discouraged and, in some cases, illegal. In Florida
it is illegal to feed manatees, Sandhill cranes, bears,
raccoons, foxes, and alligators.
Intentionally
placing food or garbage, allowing the placement of
food or garbage, or offering food or garbage in such
a manner that it attracts black bears, foxes,
raccoons, or Sandhill cranes and thereby creates a
public nuisance is prohibited.
Additionally, intentionally feeding species listed as
threatened, endangered, or of special concern –
including Florida scrub-jays – is prohibited unless
authorized by FWC permit. Feeding listed species
is prohibited because it can negatively alter feeding
behavior in some species and can cause them to
become accustomed to people.
Feeding wildlife often has a detrimental rather than
a helpful effect. Feeding animals may cause some
species to concentrate so much on this supplemental
feeding that they become a nuisance or a threat to
people (e.g. bears, Sandhill cranes). When fed,
alligators can overcome their natural wariness and
learn to associate people with food. When this
happens, some of these alligators have to removed
and killed.
Feeding stations where wildlife congregates also
can help spread disease among wildlife.
In
addition, some food that is fed to wildlife is
considered “junk food” to animals. Things like
bread and other human staples are generally poor
substitutes for naturally occurring foods that
wildlife finds in the wild. If you maintain a bird
feeder, it should be stocked with the proper feed and
cleaned regularly. Feeders should be cleaned at
least once every two weeks with soapy water and
rinsed in a 10 percent bleach solution. Feeding
birds responsibly can be a fun and safe activity.
However, if you attract nuisance species (such as
bears or Sandhill cranes), you must stop feeding
until these animals are no longer visiting your
property. Intentionally attracting listed species to a
feeder is prohibited.
Some of the bird species on the species listed as
threatened, endangered or of special concern are:
Wood Stork, White Ibis, Whooping Crane, Roseate
Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Red Cockaded
Woodpecker, Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Osprey,
Little Blue heron, Burrowing Owl & Florida
Grasshopper Sparrow. For the complete list of all
threatened & endangered species go to :
http://myfwc.com/media/1515251/threatenedendangered-species.pdf
9
“48 Things to do in Tampa Bay
with Your Kids Before They
Grow Up.”
List compiled by Steve Johnson
s.johnson@publichealthlibrary.org ǀ
http://publichealthlibrary.org/
1. Beat the heat at Adventure Island,
Tampa’s premier 30 acre water park.
2. Take a pirate-themed day cruise or sunset
cruise on Captain Memo’s Original Pirate
Cruise.
3. Travel back in time with jugglers, jesters
and jousters at the Bay Area Renaissance
Festival.
4. Better than a zoo, take the kids to Big
Cat Rescue, the largest big cat sanctuary in
the world.
5. The Bits-n-Pieces Puppet Theatre puts on
fantastic puppet shows with professional
puppeteers
6. Kids love riding the miniature trains at
the Largo Central Railroad. The first
weekend of the month they are open and
offer free public run days.
7. Take a hot-air balloon ride in the Big
Red Balloon
8. See all of Tampa from CK’s at the
Marriott, a revolving rooftop restaurant
with extraordinary views, particularly at
sunset.
9. The David L. Mason Children’s
Museum is a great museum where
touching, manipulating and handling the
kid-centric exhibits is permitted and
encouraged!
10. Life-sized dinosaurs (and lots of
fossils!) still exist at the campy Dinosaur
World attraction off I-4.
11. Take a 90 minute cruise on the Dolphin
Queen and see friendly dolphin swim
alongside the boat and possible spray you
with water! Dolphin sightings are
guaranteed or you’ll receive a voucher for
another cruise at no cost.
12. Visit The Florida Aquarium, regarded
as one of the best in the nation.
13. Go hunting for prehistoric fossils
with Paleo Discoveries Fossil Hunting
14. Celebrate Tampa’s heritage with beads,
coins and lots of pirates at The Gasparilla
Extravanganza and Children’s Parade,
followed by a fireworks and music display.
15. Guavaween is a Tampa’s very own
unique, wild and crazy Halloween
celebration but it’s not really kid-friendly.
There is, however, the Guavaween Family
Funfest, which happens on the Saturday
afternoon right before Halloween every
year and it’s 100% kid and family-oriented.
16. Help your kids appreciate all of our
modern conveniences at Heritage Village, a
fascinating and historically accurate village
from the 1800’s.
17. Spend the day in Africa at Busch
Gardens theme park.
18. Kids will love all the different things
they can do at Lowry Park Zoo, a family
friendly zoo that has been named the
number one zoo in America.
19. MOSI, the Museum of Science and
Industry, is endlessly fascinating, with
numerous permanent exhibits just for kids,
as well as an Imax theater and an enclosed
butterfly garden outside.
20. Check out a New York Yankees Spring
Training game! They have their own stateof-the-art stadium where kids can see the
players in action while they train for
baseball season.
21. Spend an afternoon at the Salvador Dali
Museum, which boasts the world’s most
comprehensive collection of surrealist
painter Dali’s work. Also, Every Saturday
is Dali Family Fun Day and they feature a
craft relating to some part of his work.
22. Let your kids be junior marine
biologists for a day aboard the Sea Safari.
23. Ride glass bottom boats and see tons of
underwater wildlife at Silver Springs, a
park built around crystal clear natural
springs.
24. Got a budding car enthusiast on your
hands? Then you have to visit the Tampa
Bay Automobile Museum.
25. Go to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football
game.
26. Go to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey
game.
27. Go to a Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball
game.
28. Ride one of the TECO Streetcar
trolleys from Hyde Park to the Florida
Aquarium at Channelside or Historic Ybor
City.
29. Kids love eating at The Melting Pot, a
fondue-themed where everything is eaten
off a stick!
30. Safely climb ancient oak trees with the
kids at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and have
fun
with Pathfinder Outdoor
Education’s harness and rope system.
31. Take the kids to the Big Bend Power
Station Manatee Viewing Center where
they can see the gentle manatees playing
and feeding in the warm water discharged
by the power plant.
32. See the real Florida of days gone by on
a Wild Bill Airboat Tour. Don’t be
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
surprised to see giant wild alligators, wild
boar, otters, eagles, osprey, deer and other
exotic wildlife!
33. See over 600 wild birds of all varieties
at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, the
largest wild bird hospital and rehabilitation
center in the United States.
34. Take a canoe trip down the
Hillsborough River.
35. Join your kids in learning through play
at Great Explorations: the Hands-On
Museum.
36. Visit the numerous Gulf Coast beaches.
37. Let Tampa Bay Ghost Tours take you
and the kids on an early evening tour of the
area’s ghostliest legends and haunted
locales.
38. Go-karts, arcades, bungee-jumping,
batting cages and mini-golf are all kid-faves
and can all be found at the newlyrenovated Grand Prix Tampa amusement
park.
39. Every day is Christmas at the five
Victorian houses of Roger’s Christmas
House. Be sure to check out the upside
down Christmas tree and the Story Book
House!
40. Go rock climbing at Vertical Ventures
41. Take a self-guided tour of the American
Victory Ship, a sixty-year old, 455 ft
marine vessel used in the Vietnam and
Korean wars.
42. Take the kids to see a classic film at or
go on a tour of Tampa Theatre, one of
America’s best-preserved examples of
grand movie palace architecture and a
community treasure since 1926.
43. Treasure hunts, water gun battles, facepainting and a swashbuckling dance party
await your family on the Pirate Ship at
John’s Pass day cruise!
44. For three days in the spring, The Honda
Grand Prix of St. Petersburg renders
downtown St. Pete a 1.8 mile professional
raceway that will thrill the kids as the cars
zoom by and take hairpin turns at top
speed.
45. Check out the underwater mermaid
Show at Weeki Wachi, a place reminiscent
the days when campy road side attractions
prevailed, and then take the kids on a boat
ride down the river or to the Buccaneer Bay
water park.
46. Boys (and maybe girls, too) will get
kick out of the Army-Navy Surplus Center.
It’s crammed floor to ceiling with all
manner of military, camping, hunting and
survivalist gear, both modern and vintage.
47. Skilled chefs cook right at your table
while putting on a show that will amaze the
kids at Arigato Japanese Steak House.
48. Legend and locals say your car will roll
uphill by itself at Spook Hill. Pile the kids
in the car and find out for yourself!
10
New Northwest County
Dog Park (NCDP)
By: Joe Odda, Chair
Northwest Dog Park Task
Force
At the end of March, 2016,
work is scheduled to begin on
the Northwest County Dog
Park (NCDP). Here are some
highlights on location and
design:
 NCDP will be at the
HART Transfer Station at
Waters Avenue and
Sheldon Road, running
alongside the Upper
Tampa Bay Channel.
 There will be a separate
area for Large Dogs
(bordered by Waters
Avenue on the West end)
and another for Small
Dogs (bordered by
Sheldon Road on the East
end), each area will be
fully fenced with
substantial space for dogs
to run and play in a safe
environment.
 The facilities will have
covered shade pavilions,
with surrounding artificial
turf.
 Dog washing stations are
also included.
 The two areas will be
connected by a walkway
accessible from the
HART Transfer Station
free parking lot.
 At a future point, they
look forward to adding
agility equipment in both
areas.
We are deeply grateful to
Sandra L. Murman, County
Commissioner, District 1, and
Jeffrey Huggins and Della
Cury of her good offices, for
leading us through everything
necessary to making this idea a
reality.
Finally, we thank the
Department of Parks and
Recreation, and HART, for
their extraordinary
cooperation, resourcing, and
planning to build a new park
in Northwest County for our
canine family members.
World Oceans Day The Tampa
Bay Way
www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org
Volunteers are needed to protect Tampa
Bay! Bring your kayak, canoe,
paddleboard, or motorboat to help remove
litter and debris from the Hillsborough
River Watershed. Help preserve our
beautiful waterways and improve our
community.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
9 Locations to join:
Bermuda Blvd - 22nd Street to DeSoto
Park, Tampa, FL 33605
Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park - 601 Old
Water St, Tampa, FL 33602
USF Riverfront Park (USF Students and
employees only)- 6200 E Fletcher Ave.,
Tampa, FL 33637
Riverhills Park (Canoes and kayaks only)
401 S Riverhills Dr, Temple Terrace, FL
33617
Rowlett Park (walkers only) - 2401 E
Yukon St, Tampa, FL 33604 - Shelter #206
Water Works Park (canoes and kayaks
only) - 1710 N Highland Ave, Tampa, FL
33602
Colt Creek State Park (Polk County) 16000 SR 471, Lakeland, FL 33809
Crystal Springs Preserve (walkers only) 1609 Crystal Springs Foundation,
Crystal Springs, FL 33524
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Picnic Island Park - 7409 Picnic Island
Blvd, Tampa, FL 33616 This location
allows for volunteers who have their own
dive equipment to help with litter
removal on and in the water.
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Cleanup Start time: 9:00 a.m.
What To Bring
• Work or garden gloves
• Sunscreen
• Hat/Sunglasses
• Protective footwear (close-toed)
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful will provide
trash bags, water and soft gloves.
Promotional giveaways available while
supplies last.
Register online at
www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org
THE WESTCHESTER TIMES ۩ IKarePublishing.com
A
s we are approaching hurricane
season, and whether you live in a vulnerable area
or are just planning to vacation or travel to one, it is
important to be informed for your family's
welfare. Be alert to hurricane notices, and get prepared to
weather the storm.
The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with
the peak season from mid-August to late October. The Eastern
Pacific hurricane season began May 15 and ends November 30.
Protecting you, your family and your property is important to us
and we want you to be prepared if a hurricane comes your
way. The following information and much more can be reviewed
in detail on FEMA's site. But we've included their fifteen point
protection plan below.
To prepare for a hurricane, you should take the following
measures:
 Build an emergency kit that will meet your family & pet
needs for at least 72 hours.
 Make a family communications plan that includes where
you are going to meet if you can't go home.
Know your surroundings:
 Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the
land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your
property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding
are forecast.
 Identify levees and dams in your area and determine
whether they pose a hazard to you.
 Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to
find higher ground.
 Determine where you would go and how you would get
there if you needed to evacuate.
Make plans to secure your property:









Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm
shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second
option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood,
cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent
windows from breaking.
Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof
to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well
trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can
cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage
cans and anything else that is not tied down.
If you own a boat, determine how and where to secure it.
If feasible, install a generator for emergencies.
If you are in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter
on or below the 10th floor.
Hurricanes cause heavy rains that can create extensive flood
damage in coastal and inland areas. Everyone is at risk and
should consider flood insurance protection.
Flood insurance is the only way to financially protect your
property or business from flood damage. If you haven't already
done so, you can learn more about your flooding risk and how to
protect yourself and your business, by calling our office, Craig
Arndt at 813-964-0608 to speak with one of our TEAM members.
11
IKare Publishing, Inc.
www.ikarepublishing.com
facebook.com/IKare-Publishing-Inc
Wave Your Flag High & Proud!
June 14, 2016
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
TAMPA FL
PERMIT NO.1741