Winter Haven to take out loan to give parks facelift

The Winter Haven City Commission is going into hock to the tune of as much as $7 million to provide upgrades to three parks and improve about three-quarters of a mile of Seventh Street. The loan will make up the difference between the cost of the $12 million in improvements and the cash the city will have on hand in its next budget.

The parks to be upgraded are the Lake Maude Recreation Park, South Central Park and the Tennis Center.

The projects were the top four picked from a wish list of 11 projects. Those left out this budget cycle were Chain O’ Lakes Park, Martin Luther King Park, Winter Haven Recreational and Cultural Center, Fire Station No. 3 parking improvements at Sertoma Park, field and concession stand renovations at Sertoma park and a skate park. All told, the 11 improvements would have set the city back more than $29 million.

The City Commission heard the proposals at a recent budget meeting where Mayor Brad Dantzler told his fellow commissioners the entire list couldn’t be done without a tax hike.