- April 26, 2024
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The city hopes to change the image of the park and eliminate crime.
Ralph Carter Park has been a topic of concern for the City Council in recent months. The council decided to erect a fence to combat the criminal activity occurring in the park and around its perimeter — specifically on Richardson Drive, in the R-section.
Now, the city is hoping to engage the youth in various sports programs at the park, which also will help to bring an adult presence in the park.
First up: a youth flag football league.
Luanne Santangelo, director of parks and recreation for the city, said the program’s plan is in the infancy stage.
According to Santangelo, the league will be a partnership between the city and the Palm Harbor Academy, and will begin March 2012. The league will be open to boys and girls from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“The league will allow for involvement of all participants in a more recreational (and) instructional format, rather than competitive,” Santangelo said Tuesday. “Along with the skills of the game, the league will instill the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, character development, mentoring and molding our future citizens and leaders.”
City Manager Jim Landon wrote in an email to City Council members: “This is exactly the positive organized presence at the park we said we would attempt to start to remove the negative ‘fence’ image that has taken over the park.”
The league will be organized by the Rev. Gillard Glover, of First AME Church of Palm Coast, and Sam Sword, former NFL player and former coach at Matanzas High School.
The cost of the league hasn’t been determined, but Santangelo said information will be provided to the two area high schools to promote volunteerism in the program.
