LEESBURG — On Aug. 1, Daily Commercial visited the Leesburg Shuffleboard Club at the 54-year-old courts where they play between Second and Palmetto streets downtown. The group is active in a statewide association that includes about 10,000 members. They claim they have a right to be there for community wellbeing and note they provide revenue to the city.
We also visited the Forward Paths luncheon, an event presented by the nonprofit organization, which helps young adults with transitional housing and provides counseling services. The nonprofit needs land for its transitional housing amid drastic federal and state budget cuts. Leaders of the organization say that options are limited for a safe, pedestrian-friendly location such as the land where the shuffleboard clubbers play.
Forward Paths is in conversation with the city to deed the land, which would require demolishing the shuffleboard courts.
There have been no conversations between the groups to come up with a solution.
At the last city commission meeting, City Manager Al Minner said the topic will have its first reading at the Aug. 25 commission meeting, held at the Venetian Center, 1 Dozier Circle, at 5:30 p.m.
To read the city agenda and get other information about the upcoming meeting, visit https://leesburgfl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/343/files/agenda/2087
To see photos of both groups, visit dailycommercial.com
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Downtown land debate: Forward Paths and the Leesburg Shuffleboard Club
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
