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Ice center names academy director
By Kathy Steele Special to The Laker/Lutz News
Hockey in Florida is hotter than hot following back-to-back championships by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, AdventHealth Center Ice has strengthened its connection to the Bolts, through a new hire. Glen Metropolit, a former Tampa Bay Lightning forward, has been selected as the new director of AdventHealth Center Ice’s Global Prospects Academy.
The academy provides a tailor-made educational approach — giving students a chance to combine intensive hockey training, along with scholastic pursuits. Gordie Zimmermann, chief executive officer for AdventHealth Center Ice, announced Metropolit’s selection during a news conference last week at the five-rink facility, off Cypress Ridge Drive at the Interstate 75 interchange, in Pasco County. The academy is part of ice center’s mission to build a “developmental pipeline” for future hockey players – both boys and girls
– who want to play on college, professional or Olympic hockey teams. About 30 students are expected to enroll in the program, which will more than double the previous year’s enrollment of 14, Zimmermann said. North Tampa Christian Academy will provide the academic curriculum, with Global Prospect Academy students attending classes at North Tampa Christian, which is about three miles from the ice rink. See DIRECTOR, page 9A
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Gordie Zimmermann is the owner and chief executive officer of AdventHealth Center Ice, the largest ice sports training facility in the Southeast.
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Glen Metropolit, former Tampa Bay Lightning player, is the new director of AdventHealth Center Ice’s Global Prospect Academy.
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INSIDE, PAGE 1B
Florida Department of Transportation District Seven Secretary David Gwynn last week gave an update on the status of state road projects that recently halted operations. Gwynn gave the update during the Aug. 12 board meeting of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Pasco MPO — made up of representatives of Pasco County, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Port Richey and New Port Richey — is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County. Gwynn told the MPO board members:“We had seven projects in our district, three of them in Pasco County, that DAB Contractors either were defaulted on — which was the DDI (Diverging Diamond Interchange) — or self-defaulted, which included State Road 52 and State Road 54. “After that occurred, we met with our surety company — more or less the bondholder. “I can tell you the surety has been very responsive so far,” he said. He expressed confidence that once the surety company awards a bid on the (DDI) contract, the contractor will “try to get this project not only going, but accelerating as quickly as possible.” Gwynn also noted: “We’re also working with our maintenance contractor to ensure that the project sites are secured. I’ve noticed recentFILE ly that some of the vegetation in Work has stopped on a diverging diamond project some of the areas is starting to grow that is being done in Wesley Chapel, which is pretty high, so we’re out there with expected to ease traffic at State Road 56 and our forces, mowing them. In fact, Interstate 75, once the work is finished. An estimated we’re doing (State Road) 54, I think, completion date on the project has not been detertoday. mined. “The surety has let me know the direction they’ve given their people is that they need to get these contracts construction projects we have around in going as soon as possible because they’re Pasco County and around the district, a lot also held to the same penalties as DAB of the contractors are ahead of schedule. would have been held to for being late. In The State Road 52 realignment project is alother words, the end date of the contract most a year ahead of schedule, with doesn’t change. They’ll get penalized for Superior Construction. every day they don’t meet, based on that “The Overpass Road Interchange is original contract. ahead of construction, so I think there’s ca“I’m very optimistic that very soon we’ll pacity out there to get other good have contractors on board working on contractors and get these jobs moving forthose projects. See PROJECTS, page 9A “When you look at some of the other
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
A rezoning has been approved to allow a professional office to be built on a 1.67-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Meadowbrook Drive, in Lutz. The Pasco County Commission approved the request by Kiddie Campus University Inc., at the board’s Aug. 10 meeting. The application drew opposition from some area residents, but it was muted compared to the strenuous objections that accompanied a previous request to change the county’s land use map to allow the potential for a gas station and convenience store at the same location. That proposal fell by the wayside when a divided county board refused to change the land use, which would have cleared the way for consideration of the commercial rezoning. Instead, Kiddie Campus revised its pending rezoning application — asking for an office use, instead. “We amended our application to PO1 (Professional Office 1), it’s the lowest intensity non-residential use in your code,” said Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant. “This is the solution,”Wilhite said. Given the site’s location, at a signalized intersection on State Road 54, its future use will not be residential,Wilhite said. The PO1 office district is designed to be compatible with residentially developed districts, she added. That designation allows only office uses. It does not permit commercial uses, such as a hair salon, a nail salon or other personal services,Wilhite said. She said the applicant didn’t want to bring anything forward that was retail-oriented, so its application calls for strictly office uses. Additionally, the applicant has agreed to a deed restriction that limits the building height to two stories,Wilhite added. “I could see the residents’ concerns,” the attorney said. The voluntary deed restriction is the only thing limiting the building’s height, said Denise Hernandez, the county’s zoning administrator.That’s because the site is located See ZONING, page 9A