Oldsmar officials shower praise on new rain garden

Several Oldsmar officials, including Mayor Eric Seidel, Council members Linda Norris and Dan Saracki, and Assistant City Manager Felicia Donnelly, attended a dedication ceremony for the city’s new rain garden on July 16.

Created in partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program using a mini-grant that funded the planting of the garden, the natural feature, located at the Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve, is designed to hold and collect excess water during rain storms in order to filter it before it enters water systems as well as reduce pollutants and attract pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and ladybugs, that are beneficial to the environment, according to experts.

“As a city, we are dedicated to ensuring we provide environmental stewardship,” Seidel said to the small group that gathered for the event. “This rain garden helps us move towards our goal of becoming a more sustainable community by protecting our waterways and enhancing our quality of place. This garden also helps beautify the city, making it a pleasant place to visit and live.”