Over the past few months, a massive undertaking has been accomplished in Plant City. There have been facade and landscaping improvements throughout downtown thanks to the Downtown Strike Team.
McCall Park has never looked more welcoming.
Over the past few months, a dedicated group of employees — dubbed the Downtown Strike Team — has brought new life to the community. The group was created in January by City Manager Bill McDaniel, who wanted the team to be dedicated solely to improving the facade of downtown.
The strike team fills in the gaps that are currently in historic downtown. Current city leaders have expressed a vision to revitalize the downtown core and part of that vision lies in making sure the local corresponding amenities are welcoming and pristine. Two city staffers make up the strike team. Saul Ortiz has been in Plant City for 35 years and has worked for the city for more than 10 years. Teresa Lungo has been in Plant City on and off since 1995 and has worked for the City of Plant City for three years.
Together, along with a temp worker, they keep the downtown sector looking the best it’s been in decades. Some of their duties include picking up trash, responding to work requests, landscaping, cleaning debris and buildup, cleaning sidewalks and tackling any issues that arise while walking through the sector.
“This says who Plant City is,” Lungo said. “If everything is beautiful, people will be more inclined to stay downtown. No one wants to come to a town and spend time and their business in a downtown that’s run down or that doesn’t look inviting. Since we’ve started this team we’ve gotten a lot of feedback. People appreciate that we care. People are coming into the park and are having their lunch or getting here early to enjoy a cup of coffee. And we have only just begun.”
Lungo and Ortiz have a passion for landscaping and use their talents to creatively design aspects of and maintain the area. Though the task force was recently created in January, the crew has already noticed a shift in the attitude toward downtown. More people are lingering in McCall Park and using it as a gathering place, as it was originally intended.
When it was announced the city was planning to create this task force, Lungo said she volunteered immediately even though she was in another department at that time. Ortiz was also chosen from another department and said he felt very privileged that he was considered for the role.
“All of the eyes are on downtown,” Ortiz said. “It’s a big responsibility and we work hard to make sure we do a good job. One of the things I like the most is working with the outdoors and working with the natural atmosphere and keeping it safe for the children. We take our job seriously and we’re seeing the results. We have seen families come in and spend the morning with their children. We’ve seen people really appreciating this change in downtown. I really want to thank Bill McDaniel, the City Manager. He has provided us with all of the tools and everything we need to keep this place clean and organized.”
The strike team is a standalone crew managed by the Parks Division. You’ll find them downtown bright and early and they’ll frequently pause to chat with the public as those who pass by stop to voice their appreciation and praise of the massive difference downtown.
The duo said they love the feedback and hope the public takes the change downtown as an invitation to pick up the mantle of taking care of their downtown.
“If people consider us as a team, we can keep it clean,” Lungo said. “Do your duty. Watch your children and teach them to pick up their trash. Use all of the revitalization downtown as a way to teach them this is our earth and we want to protect it and keep it nice.”
