Lake Hamilton Wants to Fix Parks

Published: Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 10:34 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 10:34 p.m.

LAKE HAMILTON | To help address the poor conditions in Lake Hamilton's parks, Town Council members approved a grant application for $100,000 from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection during a special meeting Friday.

Two $50,000 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program grants would be used to address the issues in Gunter Park and Sample Park.

In the first phase for Sample Park, town staff would like to replace the roof on the shelter, add a drinking fountain, replace two picnic tables with four recycled-material picnic tables, add four barbecue stands and two trash cans, and extend the water system to the shelter.

Staff also would like to update the signs and replace the wire fencing with the white wood fencing that the rest of the park has.

In future phases, the town would like to pave the parking lot, add a new boat ramp and install new lighting, a playground, a gazebo and modern restrooms.

For the first phase of Gunter Park, staff proposed a plan similar to the one for Sample Park, but added that they would like to redevelop the walking path and develop picnic areas with the grant money.

Town Planner Doug Leonard said the applications will go to the Legislature for approval, and if passed, he expects the town could receive the grant money in July and that construction would start about this time next year.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection website, the competitive program's maximum grant is $200,000.

[ Monivette Cordeiro can be reached at monivette.cordeiro@newschief.com or 863-401- 6969. ]

Original post:
Lake Hamilton Wants to Fix Parks