ZEPHYRHILLS . . . a hidden gem
A real sense of community
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You might be surprised to know that Zephyrhills, Florida is
becoming a destination location. It’s true. There was a time when
Zephyrhills was only known for its seasonal residents, known as
“snowbirds,” but there are so many unique new businesses and
events that year round residents are really starting to take notice.
I live here. Sometimes when you live in a place, you may have
a tendency to take it for granted. One thing that I haven’t taken
for granted is our community page on Facebook. Yes, sometimes
people use that page to vent about neighbors or the random high
utility bill, but they also use it to communicate with each other.
People can recommend businesses, check on the credibility of
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even locate a lost pet. The thing that I notice the most are the people
that are living in other areas posting about how excited they
are about moving to Zephyrhills. There are also many posts from
people that have been living in this quaint, little town for some
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of people welcoming them, sharing a favorite thing they need to
check out or telling the poster their own story of their move and
how much they love it.
There is a real sense of community in Zephyrhills. When a
business opens the citizens are supportive. When a tragedy happens,
the town cries together. I actually grew up here, and in the
neighboring town of Dade City. It has much the same small town
feel as it did back then, but with a few changes that are making it
a place people want to live. The big local park still has the same
giant oak trees that I played on when I was little. It has the same
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place for people to have birthday parties and family reunions.
Today, that same lake at Zephyr Park, right downtown, has a
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park that is free and open to the public. Families can literally
spend the whole day at the park, walking the lake, enjoying the
splash park, playing tennis, grilling or enjoying a picnic. That
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and reunions.
park is the reason I moved back to Zephyrhills. I had dreams of
my kids playing on those oak trees.
I know why I landed back in my old home town, but why are
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can start by taking a look downtown at 5th Avenue, otherwise
known as Main Street. Main Street has come a long way since I
moved back six years ago. There weren’t many retail stores at the
time, and food and beverage establishments were scarce. Much
of this improvement is due to Main Street Zephyrhills (MSZ),
which is a nationally accredited Main Street organization. Their
website (mainstreetzephyrhills.org) explains why they are so important:
Throughout Florida, there is a growing interest in improving
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