ATV Florida Forum

I have been talking with a few Government officials from Polk County lately. Instead of explaining all the conversations we have had I will copy some important quotes from emails.

These quotes are from the Leisure Services Director.
To share a little history with you I will state the Board appointed a
"citizens ATV committee" approximately three yrs. ago to strive to
investigate the possibility of useing phosphate properties for ATV activity.
The vision was to lease / obtain a property and possibly contracting the
operation and management of the site for eventual public use.
Our committee was on the verge of recommending a reclaimed phosphate site
offered to us through Cargill Fertilizer when a citizen appeared at our
meeting and stated he had purchased 3,000 acres, south of the City of
Mulberry for the development of an ATV Park.  The citizens have since been
awaiting this development and opening.  We recently (within the past five
weeks) have learned that the citizen has dropped his ATV project based on
liability issues he has encountered relative to his sole ownership of the
parcel.

I have also made verbal contact with the recently merged phosphate company
to inquire as to their willingness to re-open discussion on possible land
use consideration again.  Their response was they are very willing to
discuss land use but can not open discussions until their legal beagles
conclude their "liability policy mergance work" which will take no less than
six months to conclude.


Now, this is where I think we will have the most luck. County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson.

We are attempting to open a 1600 acre site in south Polk to ATV's and water sports.

I will let you know when our next meeting is.  I would assume that utility trails will be primary but that we may also include a track. We could certainly use you list of friends to help get this pushed through.

I need as many names, addresses, and contact numbers as possible. I am not sure if he can only use Polk County residents or not. If you are a Polk resident PLEASE PM me your contact info if you want to be used to help out this cause. If you are out of the county I will know sometime soon if you can be of any help. I let him know that many out of county riders would love the park and take care of it.

Great info  ;)  I'll send you my info and e mail other guys and get there info to you as well.

Keep us updated down there!!!
Let us know what happens.


http://www.atvflorida.com/forum/index.php/topic,524.325.html

Thanks,
amhighlander  :)

I'm with you....sent info to your e-mail

Very nice!  If you need my help you know I'm there given some notice.

I grew up in Lakeland, fishing all those old pits from S. Lakeland to Bradley Junction. Those pits would offer some unbeleivable areas with white sugarsand areas  , monster hillclimbs(and dropoffs!!) and trails. This sounds almost to good to be true. Also if it does turn out to be true will they do air test & ground tests, would like to know how a dusty day riding there would be on life expectancy. If it is safe it would make an unbeleivable riding area. Keep us informed.

I also think the old mines would be a great place to ride. It is otherwise unusable land. I know the mining companies reclaim it afterwards but I am not sure of the health risk. I think it would be quite healthy, look at the size of the bass there, lol.

Thats the best news I've heard in a while. Something closer would be good.

just PM'd you my contacts, this would be great!

my family and I have just started riding. we live in North Lakeland and we would be glad to help any way we could to have a place nearby to ride

Great idea! I've recently wondered about the old pits. If ya can keep the enviromentalists out you (we) may be in luck. Also have noticed that in the past few years SWFMD (swifmud?) has purchased at least two huge parcels of thousands of acres in west Pasco county off of SR52 anyone ever thought about contacting them? I'm not much on the politics side, tend to speak my mind when I shouldn't!

Hey Bigscrb.  Info sent lets get us a place to ride. ;)