Lake Wales Breaks Ground on Northwest Neighborhood Sidewalk and Street Tree Project

Lake Wales City officials and residents gathered Friday morning at the intersection of Florida Avenue and F Street in the Northwest Neighborhood to celebrate the upcoming sidewalk and street-tree planting project with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Howard Davies

City Commissioners, CRA officials, employees, and contractors posed for photos during a groundbreaking marking the start of a million-dollar sidewalk project in the Northwest Neighborhood of Lake Wales. The project will include the planting of hundreds of shade trees to advance the city's goals of recreating the founders intentions of creating "a City in a Garden."

The effort is expected to beautify the long-neglected area, coupling with the ongoing Community Redevelopment Agency housing rehabilitation and affordable home construction programs.

The groundbreaking followed only hours after a Thursday evening public meeting to discuss the plans, which will cause some disruption for area residents, including moving cars to allow access for heavy equipment and the relocation of mailboxes and other facilities in certain locations.

The project is part of the CRA's Lake Wales Connected plan, intended to reconnect areas of the city long divided by past segregation. It includes connecting streets, beautifying once-bustling Lincoln Avenue commercial district, and developing a network of sidewalks and bicycle tracks that allow easy access to stores and services for citizens.

The first phase of the project will include repairing existing sidewalks and constructing new ones along the blocks of streets in the area bounded by Florida Avenue and Dr. J. A. Wiltshire Avenue, between G and E Streets. New sidewalks will also increase safety for students walking to J.H. Wilson Elementary School, located on Florida Avenue.

The project is being funded by a Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) grant of $1,193,660 to fund the effort. The project will include planting new street trees along more than 20 blocks of the area.

Howard Davies

Community Redevelopment Agency Chairman Robin Gibson addressed guests at a groundbreaking ceremony at the corner of Florida Avenue and F Street Friday morning. The project will provide better pedestrian access to J.H.Wilson Elementary School and other area resources.

The effort is expected to gradually raise property values, generating additional "tax increments" that will be captured by the CRA and retire the cost of the project over time. It is also expected to increase community pride of place and quality of life for residents.

The contract was awarded to Garcia Civil Contractors of Orlando, the lowest of six bidders who responded to the city's request. That bid in the amount of $536,436.73 will require only half the grant that has been awarded. The project will be extended to the balance of the Northwest Neighborhood within city limits in a second phase, according to city officials.

A survey of the area, conducted as part of the grant application, indicated that 241 households and 486 individuals will benefit from the improvements.