FREE • THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024
VOLUME 11, NO. 42
MEETING OF THE PLANT CITY CITY COMMISSION
The Roseland Park community of 40 to 50 homes should be seeing improvements in drainage and roadways PAUL CATALÁ STAFF WRITER
Jack Duncan has lived in the Roseland Park subdivision in south Plant City for 42 years and over that time he said he’s seen some its infrastructure show its age. Among the problems Duncan said he’s seen is “bad” flooding on McDonald Street, north of his wood frame house at the southern dead end of that road.
“You have to drive a loop around it to get past it,” said Duncan, sitting on his front porch with friends just before noon Tuesday. “I heard about the improvements. This has been needed for a while; something has needed to be done for a long time now.” Following Monday’s Regular Meeting of the Plant City City Commission, the Roseland Park community of 40 to 50 homes should be seeing improvements in drainage and roadways in the neighborhood.
The city commission voted 4-0, Commissioner Michael Sparkman was absent, to authorize City Manager Bill McDaniel contract with Kamminga & Roodvoets, Inc., Tampa, for $3,219,986 for the Roseland Park subdivision drainage and roadway improvements project.
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A PEEK BEHIND THE WALLS
NEW SOUTH FLORIDA BAPTIST HOSPITAL HOLDS PUBLIC PREVIEW OF NEW MEDICAL FACILITY
PAUL CATALÁ STAFF WRITER
For the past 70-plus years, South Florida Baptist Hospital has served the Plant City and surrounding communities in its Alexander Street facility With a goal of a mid-May opening, South Florida Baptist Hospital (SFBH) will be treating and caring for its patients in a new state-of-the-art facility being built off exit 22 of Interstate 4. To give folks the chance to see the inside of the new hospital, SFBH is holding a community preview event. From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21, staff at the hospital, 3202 N. Park Road, will give guests a chance to see what services, amenities and medical services the new hospital will offer. The new $326 million, 424,000-squarefeet facility will be the newest of BayCare’s 16 hospitals across west central Florida. The current hospital is 250,000 square feet.
Ground for the new SFBH medical center was broken in Oct. 2021. SFBH President Karen Kerr said the new hospital will continue the legacy of serving Plant City residents and folks from surrounding areas. “Building this new hospital means we will have the capacity to continue serving the health care needs of our growing and dynamic community,” she said in a written statement. According to information provided by SFBH, once constructed, the new hospital will feature 146 private patient rooms, contain an 85,000-square-feet medical arts building and will employ a staff of more than 800 along with 250 physicians. Among the areas of specialization that will be offered will be general surgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, imaging, cardiac catheterization, emergency care and labor/delivery. SFBH Director of Operations Beth Tan-
credo said the new medical arts building will make it possible for patients undergoing any type of procedure or surgery to get all their tests “done in one place.” “It will house a state-of-the-art outpatient imaging center, provide lab services, a spacious infusion center, wound care and adult physical therapy and also include office space for BayCare Medical Group physicians,” she stated by email. “All the amenities a patient might need for health care will be in one location.” During the 3-hour event, guests will be able to take self-guided tours through designated areas such as the emergency department and the 26-bed intensive care unit. Visitors will also be able to tour one of the eight operating rooms in the new surgery center or one of the seven new labor and delivery suites. “We’re excited to give people an opportunity to preview the new hospital,” stated Kerr. “We’ve worked hard to bring this
project to fruition amid much anticipation. We are looking forward to finally opening our doors for all to see.” In addition to self-guided tours, guests attending the community preview event can visit the “health village” in the hospital’s parking lot. There, hospital representatives will be available to answer questions and provide information on hospital services. In addition, the Community Health Wellness on Wheels bus will be at the event, as well as the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Wellness and Safety Center and Pediatric Transport Team, providing information on pediatric services. To register for the community preview event, go to https://events.blackthorn.io/ en/4PhhY86/south-florida-baptist-hospital-preview-event-5a2g6f3A8Ce/overview or call 800-BAYCARE (229-2273).