PORT ORANGE, Fla. – It’s not too often people vote to be taxed more, but Port Orange voted to do just that this week.
The city will now borrow up to $30 million and pay it back over time to expand its parks and build a new rec center.
Mayor Don Burnette told News 6 that the city has one of the largest turnouts for youth and adult sports leagues in the county.
“We have trouble holding multiple events because it’s just not large enough to hold everybody,” he said. “We actually have 5,000 playing field sports, which is double the second-closest city in Volusia County.”
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Burnette said four parks will be expanding with the bond referendum that passed Tuesday night.
Coraci, Depot, Willow Run, and White Place parks will see new fields, paths, retention ponds, and facilities – each park getting different upgrades based on the needs.
“Our growth has happened, but it’s happened in the last 10, 15, 20 years. A whole lot of new neighborhoods out there that are served but from a distance. We want to do it better,” Burnette said.
The mayor said they’ve especially seen growth on the west side of the city, so on top of expanding the parks, a second rec center will be built on the west side, too.
“It’s a 30-year bond, so there are things that are going to be stretched out over time,” Burnette said. “They are on the books, they’ve been looked at, our Parks and Rec board has been working on them for a long time.”
Property owners will pay the bonds on their yearly tax bills.
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