An offer from Harborside Christian Church to house displaced city library and recreational programs was delayed Monday night after the Safety Harbor City Commission had concerns about constructing a walking trail on city property connecting Green Springs Driv e to the church.
The church had reached out to city staff offering its meeting rooms, field, playground and parking five days a week for city programs in exchange for the city to help design and pay for the one-mile walking trail.
Vice Mayor Andy Steingold, who lives near the area where the trail would be located, was concerned about potentially disrupting wildlife, including coyotes and bobcats, in the area. Commission directed City Manager Matthew Spoor to discuss an agreement with the church that does not include the trail for now, pending more research on where the trail might go and what effect on wildlife it will have.
Construction on the Safety Harbor Public Library's second-story begins next week, with as much as half of the library space, including most meeting space, displaced for up to a year. In addition, the Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranch, which hosts some city recreational programs, is undergoing renovations, displacing those programs. Finally, the city will soon do renovations at the Rigsby Center, further displacing city programs.