Me and some friends were talking about the Thornby property and how Deltona has been trying to buy it. One of my friends made an interesting point. She said that to only consider Thornby as being a park is narrow-minded. There are many things that Thornby could be and still be an asset to the community. So that got us all thinking of what Thornby could be.

Thornby could be a zoo - something that would really put Deltona on the map. Heck a zoo might even make it eligible for more County, State and Federal grants than a regular park would. Does Volusia even have a zoo now? Or, Thornby could host Deltona's very own partnership center - minus the partners! Imagine your child's graduation or wedding being held there! Visualize the impact you would have by doing your next business seminar at the Thornby Convention Center. Or how about a restaurant row... Deltona's very own eating extravaganza! An array of fine dining establishments from which to choose. Enough eateries to satisfy any taste! Or how about putting a flea market there? You could have a really big flea market there! How about a mall! Imagine having mall shopping only five minutes from home! THAT would put southwest Volusia on the map! Thornby Mall... I like how that sounds. A mall would generate some serious big bucks for the Deltona taxman!

Think outside the box. A park is not the only option for Thornby! Parks do not pay for themselves, but restaurants, flea markets, zoos, malls and convention centers do. Thornby can be a wise investment for Deltona while still being an asset to the community.