Riverview/Apollo Beach
6
September 2023
Volume 21, Issue 9
Ph: 813-657-2418
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CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
SPURLINO FAMILY YMCA LAUNCHES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
By Libby Hopkins
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
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The Spurlino tian principles Family YMCA into practice is about to emthrough probark on a capital grams that campaign project build healthy which will bring a spirit, mind and state-of-the-art, body for all. 17,000-squareIts focus areas foot indoor basinclude youth ketball court to development, the Riverview healthy living community. “The and social reThe Spurlino Family YMCA is about to embark on a idea for the ins p o n s i b i l i ty. door gymnasium capital campaign project which will bring a state-of-the- “Anybody in art, 17,000-square-foot indoor basketball court to the was always in the the community Riverview community. works from the who is interestmoment we broke ground on ed in contributing in any capacithe main facility,” said Spurlity — financially, time, expertise no Family YMCA executive di— can reach out to me directly rector Jarrod Williams. “It had at jarrod.williams@tampaymalways been a phase two of ca.org,” Williams said. “We are our overall plan. However, the looking for community champidemand we are seeing for our programs and ons who are ready to leave their mark on services has forced us to expedite this next the future of Southern Hillsborough Counphase so that we can continue effectively ty.” serving our rapidly growing community.” Williams has high hopes for the campaign Williams and his team at the Y are look- and what a new indoor basketball court will ing to raise $1,000,000 in capital funding bring to the community. “My hope for this to bring this project to the finish line. “Our campaign is that the community gains a full goal is to wrap up our capital fundraising understanding about the Y’s commitment efforts by the end of January of 2024,” to being a leading charitable organization Williams said. “It is a tight window, but I in our community, that we are an inclusive am confident that our community will rally community here to help everybody reach around this cause and bring this amazing their full potential in sprit, mind and body,” new amenity to its residents as quickly as Williams said. “This indoor gymnasium will possible.” not only enhance the program experience Williams is currently putting together a and capacity for some of our existing proteam to help raise the funds for the indoor grams, it will allow us to introduce new probasketball court. “Our steering committee grams such as youth volleyball, indoor pickle will be finalized in early September,” Wil- ball, adult basketball, adult volleyball and so liams said. “From there, we hope to use the much more.” resources of the committee to identify and If you would like to learn more about secure key sponsorships from community the services offered at the Spurlino Family champions. It is important that we partner YMCA, you can visit its website at www. strategically with sponsors who are aligned tampaymca.org/locations/spurlino-familywith the mission of our Y and want to help ymca-big-bend-road. The Spurlino Family build a stronger community together.” YMCA is located at 9650 Old Big Bend Rd. The YMCA’s mission is to put Judeo-Chris- in Riverview.
WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL MARKS HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT’S LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EVER
By Linda Chion Ground has is surely going to been broken for be more than a the strongest teshigh school,” said tament to date of Van Ayres, HillsSouthern Hillsborborough’s newly ough’s breakneck appointed interim growth as High superintendent, School UUU takes who noted that as shape just south a “state- of theof Sun City Cenart center point” ter Blvd. off West in the community, Lake Drive. UUU will accomSchool officials at the August 3 groundbreaking The school, (from left to right): Chris Farkas, deputy superinten- modate families whose official “moving into this dent for operations; school board members Lynn Gray, Henry ‘Shake’ Washington, Patricia ‘Patti’ name is yet to be area in enormous decided, is set to Rendon and Stacy Hahn; Interim Superintendent numbers.” meet both the Van Ayres; and School Board Chair Nadia Combs. “We are here to massive growth of Wimauma, a histor- accommodate them with the best educaic, mostly rural community not too many tion, best opportunities, best advancement years back, and to relieve overcrowding at and best technology possible,” Ayres said. Earl J. Lennard High School in Ruskin and The same team that built Sumner is at Jule F. Sumner High in the Balm/Riverview work on High School UUU. Harvard Jolly area. PBK, a full-service architectural firm speWhen Sumner opened in 2020, it was cializing in educational design, joins with the largest school in the Hillsborough Beck/Envision, responsible for construction County School District, by some reports management. now the nation’s eighth-largest school disHigh School UUU is set to house a 2-stotrict. But that wasn’t enough, as the $75 ry media center, a 2-story gymnasium million school,, built to accommodate 2,905 (with seating for 3,400) and a 973-seat students, quickly needed more space. A theater/auditorium, with an orchestra pit. 25-classroom wing opened in January Additional highlights include an automotive 2023 as Sumner’s enrollment continued lab; a culinary lab; JROTC labs; digital, 2-D to grow, surpassing 3,800 students by the and 3-D art labs; and a lab for EA Sports, end of the 2022-23 school year. a division of Electronic Arts that develops In contrast, the $176 million, multibuild- and publishes sports video games. ing, 359,000-square-foot High School UUU Plans call for 142 classrooms and a syncampus, slated to open in time for the start thetic turf, multisport playing field and staof the 2025-26 school year, is set to ac- dium set to seat 3,500 attendees. commodate 3,428 students at the outset. Site enhancements include five retenSituated on a nearly 100-acre greenfield tion ponds, a driver’s education practice site, the land, in due time, is set to house lot, eight electric-vehicle charging stations both a new elementary school and a new and parking spots for students (548), staff middle school. (189) and visitors (42). At the August 3 groundbreaking ceremony, the focus was on High School UUU, taking root adjacent to Southshore Bay by Metro Places, one of the many new ST. JOE’S SOUTH NEWS..................PG 3 subdivisions and multibuilding, multistory MOTORING TAMPA BAY ................PG 5 apartment complexes taking shape in and around Wimauma and the Balm/Riverview ECHO OPENS IN RIV .....................PG 12 EYE ON BUSINESS................PGS 25-26 area of Southern Hillsborough County. “Welcome to the groundbreaking of what FALL FOOTBALL .....................PGS 34-37
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Friday Night Lights are back! Osprey Observer Sports Editor Nick Nahas previews the season for four local high schools including Sumner, East Bay, Lennard and Riverview High Schools. Each team has a chance to build its program with this year’s schedule and strong seniors and talented juniors will build up team rosters. For full stories see Pages 34-37 in the second section.