Gardens may house restaurant, ampitheater

Deck

Pinecrest Gardens could get a new restaurant, picnic area and concert amphitheater as proponents push to upgrade the former Parrot Jungle facility and make it the town center.

The Pinecrest Village Council is looking for new ways to spruce up Pinecrest Gardens with hopes of turning the former bird paradise into the community’s focal point.

The village is asking the Pinecrest Gardens Foundation to pitch ideas to make that happen.

The foundation, a group of 15 community leaders, was formed last year to raise money for the park. Members met for the first time three weeks ago.

“We talked about raising money as an independent foundation to assist the village of Pinecrest in any improvement and changes that could be made in order to develop the park into more of a community gathering place,” said Bruce Toland, a foundation member.

Some ideas members tossed around included adding a restaurant, jogging path, picnic area and a concert ampitheater at the 22-acre park, former home to Parrot Jungle, at 11000 Red Rd.

“We thought we’d get this group in place and get them to make recommendations to us,” said Mayor Gary Matzner.

Matzner, who helped raise $4 million for the village to buy the park in 2002, said he will work closely with the foundation to raise money for the projects and park costs.

Matzner recently did away with the park’s entrance fee - a controversial issue among some residents who did not feel they should pay to go to a public park.

Before Matzner came on board in November, the village built a water playground for kids and a butterfly exhibit in the park.

Also approved but awaiting permits: a two-story, 30,000-square-foot library and community center.

The old park’s concession stand was renovated and now offers snacks and drinks. That is not good enough, says Matzner, who wants to get going with bigger plans.

“When we talk about making this the gem or the centerpiece of the village, yeah, those are nice things, but things like redoing the Banyan Bowl into an amphitheater or building a library and restaurant are the sort of things I had in mind,” he said.

He plans to hold a community gathering in the fall for residents to have a say.

“We want to make sure we’re sensitive to the needs of the neighbors in the community and do not overburden the neighbors with too much noise and other things,” said Toland, who lives near the park.