Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 84
Converting downtown streets into a shady pedestrian oasis through the Lake Wales Connected plan got a financial boost as the City of Lake Wales has received a Federal grant. Congressman Darren Soto (Dem, Kissimmee) arranged an $800,000 infusion for downtown street rehabilitation in the bi-partisan Infrastructure package approved by the US Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden. Those funds will aid in fulfilling the Lake Wales Connected plan, augmenting Community...
On Jan. 27, 1931, residents along Tillman Avenue in Lake Wales got good news. The oak trees would be saved. A plan drawn up by the world renowned landscape-architect Frederick Olmsted Jr. for extensive tree planting in the city had called for some of their nearby oaks to be removed. Residents petitioned Olmstead to reconsider, and he did. As noted in a letter from his firm on that date, Olmsted's plan took many things into consideration, simplicity being chief among them....
The re-imagining of downtown Lake Wales and the application of the Connected plan is now inspiring some significant proposed changes to Central Avenue between Scenic Highway and First Street. In keeping with the concepts advanced in the award-winning Lake Wales Connected plan, a new pavement configuration which will add a bike lane to the north side of the street was approved at Tuesday's Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. The board will enter a $35,000 contract with...
A portrait of a city undergoing numerous changes was delivered to about 100 community and business leaders Friday at the annual "State of the City" report delivered by outgoing Mayor Gene Fultz in a darkened auditorium at the Vanguard School. It was the first opportunity for him to deliver the speech since 2019 due to the impacts of Covid-19. He will be leaving office this year after nine years as the city's first elected mayor. Citing an aggressive pursuit of improvements...
A multi-faceted project to transform Lake Wales' central districts will officially begin within weeks after the City Commission approved an agreement with Cobb Site Development, Inc. to perform the construction of the city's new Park Avenue Connector Trail with a $1.4 million contract on Tuesday evening. The "Park Avenue Connector Trail" will actually utilize a portion of that right-of-way to connect the popular Lake Wailes Trail to the Library Park Trail segment, via Crystal...
A festive February evening and pleasant weather drew hundreds of pedestrians to fill the sidewalks of downtown for the Lake Wales Mainstreet Winedown event. Some two dozen businesses opened their doors to the after-dark social event, offering complementary hors d'oeuvres and beverages to guests who purchased the $20 tickets. Patrons and supporters of Main Street enjoyed a wide range of tasty delights, including shrimp cocktails, pasta dishes, chocolates, a wide variety of...
In hope of landing an additional infusion of grant monies to aid in the revitalization of downtown Lake Wales, the City Commission has authorized engineering design work for portions of both Orange and Crystal Avenues. The proposal on Tuesday's agenda approved the expenditure of $34,975 for Orange Avenue and $34,895 for Crystal Avenue designs. The work will cover the intersections of North Market Street, providing a visual corridor to the redesigned MarketPlace. From there...
Significant growth within the municipal limits of Lake Wales is driving changes in the city’s annual budget, which will see significant investments in improvements to city facilities while reducing the overall property tax rate. Despite the rate reduction, property tax receipts are expected to increase by $240,613 due to growth within the city limits. Several other funds are also expected to grow significantly from 2020, including sales and use taxes, which will jump by $...
Elizabeth J. “Beth” Satterwhite, 61, of Lake Wales passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at Advent Health Lake Wales. She was born April 4, 1960 in Winter Park to Jimmie R. and Jimmie Lou Beasley; she moved to Lake Wales in 1989, but left for Texas in 2006. She returned to the area four years ago and has been a resident since. Beth was a former dispatcher for the Lake Wales Police Department and a former caregiver. Beth was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her daughters, Crystal Guerrero of Corpus Chr...
The final public workshop to help create the city's Recreation Master Plan is planned for Tuesday, May 11. Engineering and planning consulting firm S&ME was hired by the city to put together the master plan. The firm has been working with city staff and meeting with various recreation-related groups and is now ready for the public input phase. The May 11 workshop will be online only via ZOOM from 6-8 p.m. Earlier workshops April 22 and April 29 were in-person and via ZOOM....
The public is invited to help create the city's Recreation Master Plan by attending one of three public workshops in the coming weeks. Engineering and planning consulting firm S&ME was hired by the city to put together the master plan. The firm has been working with city staff and meeting with various recreation-related groups and is now ready for the public input phase. The first workshop will be in-person from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 22 at the James P. Austin Community...
City leaders are anticipating shovels in the ground this summer in what will be the first project in its award-winning "Lake Wales Connected" revitalization plan for the historic downtown and northwest neighborhood areas. The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved several measures this month which set the wheels in motion on several projects in both areas. The board approved an agreement with Chastain-Skillman Inc. that will provide construction documents...
It's starting to feel like the Holiday Season! Whatever it may be that gives you that festive feeling – the festive lights being switched on in the city, the first pumpkin pies appearing in the stores or that friend who always seems to put up the tree in the middle of November– for many of us, the festive period is a time to look forward to. However, for some of us, it may not be such a joyous time as we seem to find ourselves at loose ends on that Special Day. Maybe lov...
City leaders are continuing to cast an eye towards improving the quality of life by approving the creation of a master plan for parks, trails and open spaces in Lake Wales. Commissioners have approved the hiring of S&ME to come up with the plan, a process that will involve a number of public workshops and meetings, and should take around 10 months to complete, according to the Orlando-based firm. "A master plan will serve as a guiding tool in order to elevate the current...
Robert O. "Rob" Mosier (Bobby), 49, of Babson Park passed away Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at his residence. He was born April 9, 1971 in Griffin, GA to Paul Mosier and Frances Lashley. Rob was a longtime manager for Air Gas company but was working for Hawkins Incorporated as a driver when he became disabled. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and spending time with his friends and family. Rob was preceded in death by his father, Paul Mosier. He is survived by his wife...
The city's consultants in an online open house Aug. 20 unveiled a design plan for a Crystal Lake Connector Trail that links downtown to the trail around Lake Wailes. City staff will be showing off designs and answering questions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 in a storefront at 220 E. Park Ave. About 30 citizens participated in the online open house with city staff and consultants from urban planners Dover-Kohl and design architects S & ME. The consultants are working...
The City of Lake Wales is hosting a virtual open house Thursday, Aug. 20 to show off the preliminary site plan for the Crystal Lake Park Connector Trail. The focus of the trail is to connect Lake Wailes Park to Historic Downtown Lake Wales, while capturing the natural beauty of Crystal Lake. The open house from 5:30-6:30 p.m. will include consultants from city planners Dover-Kohl and Associates and SM &E, both of which are working on the city's downtown redevelopment...
This is the eighth installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the private enterprise segment of a successful community redevelopment effort. Florida's Community Redevelopment Act illustrates the point. The very first section of the Act is entitled "Encouragement of private enterprise." The Community...
This is the seventh installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. The Dover-Kohl plan is much more than an update of the well-worn 1973 improvements to Downtown. The plan covers the town's historic core. It is thorough, comprehensive, and doable. The entire plan can be viewed at: https://www.doverkohl.com/lakewales. Appropriately named "Lake Wales...
This is the sixth installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. First, let's talk about where we are headed, and next, about one of the trouble spots we may confront in getting there. Where We're Headed. The Dover-Kohl plan, entitled "Lake Wales Connected," is a comprehensive plan for the revitalization of the Lake Wales historic core. It connects...
The City of Lake Wales has reopened tennis courts, but playgrounds and many other recreation facilities remain closed. City staff will get input about reopening at the next city commission meeting June 2. The June 2 meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the city administration building on Central Avenue. It's being called a "hybrid" meeting since some commissioners and staff will be physically present and others will join online. The public will have three participation options – a...
Lake Wales city officials are asking commissioners to green light a study to determine the feasibility of building a sports and recreation complex that might attract tournaments and other special events. The study would be one element of an overall recreation master plan that would be funded with recreation impact fees. At their May 19 meeting commissioners will be asked to approve a contract with Clearwater-based Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA) for $42,500 plus travel...
In 1912, the early settlers of what is now Lake Wales, were hearty, adventuresome people, real Pioneers, descendants of their ancestors who traveled via oxen-driven covered wagons and were true to their code of "Ten Tandra Via Est" meaning "The way remains to be tried." They came to Lake Wales by way of long, difficult and sometimes dangerous trips through swamps, overcoming their fears of possible snakes and alligators, travelling through Winter Haven, then Haines City,...
The early settlers of what is now Lake Wales were hearty, adventuresome people, real Pioneers, descendants of their ancestors who traveled via oxen-driven covered wagons and were true to their code of "Ten Tandra Via Est" meaning "The way remains to be tried". Such people included Nellie and her husband, Nile E. Stewart. In October 1912, after a long and difficult, sometimes dangerous trip through swamp, overcoming their fears of possible snakes and alligators, they travelled...
Urban planner Victor Dover was man of the hour Tuesday, receiving applause and high praise after presenting a draft Lake Wales Connected plan for redevelopment of the city's downtown and northwest business district. About 75 interested persons, including numerous downtown merchants and community business leaders, listened attentively as Dover described the potential to turn Lake Wales into a popular destination, returning to city founders' concept of a city in a garden, as des...
