St. Petersburg’s Parks and Recreation Department released staggering damage assessments Thursday, revealing the extensive impact of recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the city’s nationally recognized park system.

Storm Damage By the Numbers:

• 2,000+ trees down across roads and sidewalks (900 cleared)
• 600 trees lost at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve alone
• 225 trees removed from alleys
• 400,000 cubic yards of debris cleared (equivalent to a 20-story building the size of a football field)
• 28,000 cubic yards of debris cleared daily
• 11 playgrounds remain closed

Major Facility Impacts:

• Lake Vista Recreation Center: Severe flooding with raw sewage contamination; hardwood basketball court destroyed
• Municipal Beach at Treasure Island: Concession facility nearly destroyed; playground completely eroded
• Baseball/softball facilities: Multiple dugouts lost
• St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club: Damaged grandstand
• Garden Club: Flood damage from both hurricanes
• USF Clam Bayou Marine Education Center: Severe damage to boat house and dock
• Boat Ramps: Maximo partially open; Bay Vista closed indefinitely due to structural shifts

Closed Playgrounds:

• Coffee Pot Park
• Crisp Park
• Harbordale Park
• Lake Maggiore Park
• Live Oak Park
• Shore Acres Mini Park
• Puryear Park
• Westminister Community Park
• Venetian Bay Park
• Exercise zones at Lake Vista and North Shore Parks

Recovery Efforts: 

Community Enrichment Administrator Mike Jefferis reported that while all city parks and athletic facilities have reopened, many look different from their pre-storm condition. The department prioritized clearing public areas and ensuring access for first responders in the initial 72 hours post-storm period. Children from the affected South St. Petersburg facility were relocated to Childs Park, Frank Pierce, and Thomas Jett Jackson Recreational Centers.

“I understand the frustration that residents feel,” Jefferis said. “I understand it’s a trigger and a constant reminder of the damage that’s occurred by seeing the debris out in your front yard.”

The department continues working with vendors to restore playground services and is seeking temporary headquarters at a Pinellas County-owned property following flooding caused by the hurricanes at the Leisure Services Administration building.

(Photo credit: Mark Parker)