The stretch of Park Avenue between First and Market Streets is rapidly nearing completion, offering business owners and shoppers a tantalizing hope that it will soon be opened to vehicular traffic. Work is also advancing on the eastern stretch of the street closest to Scenic Highway.
New sidewalks through the area have offered pedestrians a close-up view of the construction, which has featured rumbling heavy equipment and laborious hand-work efforts to place many thousands of new brick pavers. Work is also underway to expand and recreate the popular MarketPlace as a center for community activities and festivals. That work should be completed in September, according to the City manager James Slaton.
That new phase of the vast Lake Wales Connected project, expected to cost well over $40 million in total, will utilize $750,000 in awarded federal grant funds toward the projected $1,617,648.50 cost. The balance will come from Community Redevelopment Agency bond funds.
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