$145K Agreement Approved for Design Services for Tower Boulevard Trail
by James Coulter
Lake Wales residents are one step closer to walking to Bok Tower Gardens after city commissioners approved an agreement to design a new trail connecting the city to one of its most iconic and historic landmarks.
At their recent meeting last month, Lake Wales city commissioners voted unanimously to approve its consent agenda, with one item being an agreement for the design of Tower Boulevard Trail.
The agreement will allow AVCON to provide the project design of the proposed trail, along with construction, permitting, bidding, and construction closeout.
These services will cost $144,775 and will be partly covered by a $282,380 grant (with a city match of $70,595) provided through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Recreational Trails Program.
The proposed multi-use path will span 0.5 miles, connecting Kiwanis Park with Burns Ave. It will also include park benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, and directional signage.
Not only is the trail expected to provide a safer alternative to fast roads when traveling toward Bok Tower Gardens, but also create a lush, walkable corridor that encourages outdoor recreation and reduce car dependency.
“For decades, people have biked here to the Gardens, but some of the roads have gotten faster. So, creating these trails will be a safer system to get here and also more beautiful,” said David Price, President of Bok Tower, as quoted in a Spectrum News 9 article.
Dedicated in 1929, Bok Tower Gardens is a 250-acre garden and bird sanctuary set amid Florida’s natural wilderness. Its centerpiece, the 205-foot Singing Tower atop Iron Mountain, reflects the city’s reputation as a “City in a Garden.”
The proposed trail is part of the city’s broader effort to expand its trail network while advancing its goals for beautification and walkability through its Lake Wales Connected and Lake Wales Envisioned plans.
Lake Wales Connected seeks to revitalize the city’s historic core, comprising the downtown district and Northwest neighborhood, while Lake Wales Envisioned seeks to balance growth with conservation within the city and its surrounding area.
Together, both plans aim to promote economic growth, development, and revitalization within the city while conserving natural resources to preserve its historic character as a “city in a garden.”
Lake Wales Connected is also integrated with the Parks & Recreation Master Plan, which includes a network of multi-use paths linking key parks, natural areas, and the historic downtown district.
Aside from Tower Boulevard Trail, key segments include the Park Avenue Connector Trail, a 3,000-foot multi-use path connecting Lake Wailes Park to downtown, Lake Wailes Trail, a paved path circling the titular lake, and Lake Wales Trailway, a 2.3-mile rails-to-trails path linking Scenic Highway to Buck Moore Road.
