The City of Tampa will celebrate the completion of the Veterans Plaza at Jim Walter Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday.
Jim Walter Park honors veterans and families from WWII who established the first modern homes for African Americans. It was through the efforts and persistence of those first military veterans and families that in 1948, the Veterans Administration at the urging of MacDill Field Base Housing developed the first planned Black subdivision, "Lincoln Gardens" in the Carver City area.
Mayor Jane Castor, along with city officials, community leaders, and families of Lincoln Gardens, will be present to mark this occasion on July 5 at 10:30 a.m. at Jim Walter Park, 1508 N Clark Ave.
"This veterans plaza and memorial is a steadfast reminder of the City of Tampa’s commitment to equity and education to help honor our history,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “I am grateful for the support of City Council, Tampa Parks & Recreation staff and the neighborhood associations who helped spearhead project. We hope this park serves as a space for our community to pause and reflect on where we have been and where we have the potential to go."
The plaza and memorial were designed and improved by city staff and contractors. The plaza improvements also brought water and electricity to the park, which can now support future improvements.
In addition to these renovations, sculpture artist Steven Dickey will be contributing bronze statues for the Veterans Memorial. Dickey has completed other works throughout the city including, “Two on a Swing” near the Hunt Community Center as well as the Tony Pizzo and Nick Nuccio, Immigrant Statues at Centennial Park.
About the City of Tampa Parks & Recreation:
Tampa Parks & Recreation is an NRPA Gold Medal recipient and CAPRA-accredited agency with a mission to provide and preserve quality parks and recreation opportunities for all. With almost 400,000 residents, Tampa is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation that strives to protect the natural environment while creatively using resources to meet the growing needs of our community.
Operating in a highly urbanized environment, we are dedicated to offering safe community green spaces that are conveniently accessible to all residents. With continued support from trusted partners and local community participation, we look forward to continuing to offer new, fun, and educational recreation and environmental stewardship opportunities throughout our community.