Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-25-15 Edition

Features
Public Hearings Set To Change Land Use Where MLK Center Sits
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
In a series of meetings held at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center on Oregon Avenue, Tampa Housing Authority and City of Tampa officials discussed and offered visual concepts of the redevelopment plans for North Boulevard Homes and the MLK Center.
In the presentation con- cerning the recreation center, a conceptual drawing of what the complex would look like at the completion of the proj- ect was presented that in- cluded a new and bigger recreation center.
The plan, however, showed the new center being constructed to the north and west of the existing center, and it was proposed that the existing center be moved to that location.
Some citizens in atten- dance at the meeting opposed moving the building, and sug- gested that the redevelop- ment project occur around the existing center, leaving it in its historic state.
Now, it has been an- nounced that the City of Tampa is proposing a plan amendment for the MLK Center property, changing the existing Public/Semi-public land use to Neighborhood
Mixed-Use 35 (NMU-35). The city recently processed an amendment to change much of the land in the West River project area to NMU-35.
Once the area is re-platted (required to sub-divide land for building homes, creating parks, and setting aside rights of way), a portion of the cur- rent MLK Recreation Center property is planned for resi- dential development.
City officials said this is necessary as they prepare the application for the Choice Neighborhood Grant. Once the final plan is produced and the area is re-platted, the city will follow up with another plan amendment redesignat- ing the recreation uses pub- lic/semi-public.
The Planning Commission Public Hearing is scheduled for Monday, January 11th and the City Council Public Hear- ing is scheduled for Thursday, January 14th.
Residents and community leaders can ask questions or hear comments about the proposed land use request once the signs have been posted and noticed pub- lished.
Anyone with questions is asked to contact Randy Goers at (813) 274-8694, or at Randy.Goers@tam- pagov.net.
Former Olympic Participant To Be Immortalized In Mural
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
By the end of January 2016, students at Middleton High School are slated to complete a mural of Ms. Theresa Manuel. It will join two others completed by previous students in the Art Program at the school.
Ms. Manuel recently visited the school and met with Art Teacher David Kramer and the students.
“There are typically 8 to 10 students working on the mural. The first mural is of the round-about on N. 22nd Street and the second is of the Produce Market on East Hillsborough Avenue. The first two panels will be on display at the Florida State Fairgrounds,” Kramer said.
The panels of plywood in which the murals are painted measure 8’ by 4’ and they are designed to connect to each other. At some point when all of the murals are completed, it will give the appearance of one mural of East Tampa, he said.
A native of Tampa, Ms. Manuel attended the public
MS. THERESA MANUEL
... To be immortalized in Mural by high school students
schools of Hillsborough County. She graduated from Middleton High School and continued her education at Tuskegee Institute.
She went on to lead the school to four straight con- ference championships. But, it was also at Tuskegee where Ms. Manuel, who played basketball, was encouraged to run track.
Ms. Manuel became the first African American woman from Florida to par- ticipate in the 1948 Olympics
in London, breaking the color barrier. She competed in the Women’s 80 meter hurdles and served as the third leg in the Women 4 x 100 yard relay.
Ms. Manuel returned to Hillsborough County and embarked on a teaching ca- reer at her alma mater, Mid- dleton High School. She also served as the Girls Basketball Coach. During her 38-year career, Ms. Manuel was voted Coach of the Year on the county level and once on the state level.
In 1994, Ms. Manuel once again became “the first African American woman” to be inducted into the Tampa Sports Hall of Fame. The Manuel-Griffin Relays, the one of the largest high school track events, is also named in her honor.
In 2004, the high school track at Hillsborough High School, from which she re- tired, was named in her honor.
Ms. Manuel will cele- brate her 90th birthday on January 7, 2016.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2015