A new park is now open in historic Ybor City, but this one has a special meaning.
Across from the J.C. Newman cigar factory is now Cigar Workers Park.
The Newman family broke ground on the park, dedicated to the thousands of people who have worked in the community's cigar industry, in 2022.
"Cigars are a natural agricultural product," said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman. "By building a small park, my family and I hope that we can show the connection between cigars and nature and improve our neighborhood for residents, visitors, and our wonderful staff. After taking a tour of our factory, exploring our cigar museum, and taking a cigar-rolling class, our new park is a perfect place for visitors to relax and enjoy a J.C. Newman cigar.”
Cigar Workers Park also is full of tobacco history. The pavilion is constructed from wood salvaged from a pre-Civil War barn in Quincy, Florida.
Wood from that barn is used to form the fountain.
Visitors can also find more than 5,000 bats in houses at the park, as well.
The park is located at 1530 East Columbus Dr. in Tampa.
