Articles written by Brian Ackley
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Olmsted Connected Lake Wales With Mountain Lake, Bok Tower Gardens
Long before Frederick Law Olmsted left his generational "City in a Garden" imprint on Lake Wales -- and a decade before he transformed impoverished scrub into the lush gardens of... — Updated 4/14/2022
Edward Bok's Vision For Lake Wales Grew Beyond HIs Gardens and Tower
When Edward Bok visited the site of his carillon tower on Jan. 11, 1927, more than two years before its dedication and opening, progress at the site left him with a smile. "He was... — Updated 4/3/2022
Olmsted's Lake Wales Landscape Plans Preserved Existing Oaks
On Jan. 27, 1931, residents along Tillman Avenue in Lake Wales got good news. The oak trees would be saved. A plan drawn up by the world renowned landscape-architect Frederick... — Updated 3/21/2022
Lake Wales' "Garden City" Roots Run Deep
Although most Lake Wales residents aren't even aware of it, Lake Wales is famous for thousands as the site of the largest group of landscape designs ever created by the legendary... — Updated 3/7/2022
Connected Plan Revives the Goal of City's Founders
When Lake Wales gathers April 30 to celebrate the life, legacy and work of Frederick Olmsted Sr. at "Olmsted Day in the Park," local residents will be paying homage to more than... — Updated 3/2/2022
City Development Services Adds Staff to Keep Up With Surge in Proposals
The year just ended saw a wave of filings for growth projects in the city, with more than a dozen subdivision, townhome and apartment complex proposals now on the books. The new... — Updated 1/26/2022
City Asks For Participation in "Community Conditions Survey"
Lake Wales is getting ready to ask its residents how they think the city is performing. The city plans to conduct a "Community Conditions Survey" in order to assess the current... — Updated 12/8/2021
City Commission Districts to be Re-Drawn
Lake Wales will likely have to tweak the borders of its four voting districts since the 2020 U.S. Census showed the city had grown by about 15 percent in the last decade. The... — Updated 10/9/2021
Plans for City's Largest Development Moving Forward
The largest proposed development in Lake Wales history has taken another step forward. City Commissioners have approved a new zoning designation for over 1,800 acres of vacant land... — Updated 9/3/2021
Mixed Use Plaza Planned for Lincoln Avenue
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has agreed to sell a parcel of land at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and B Street on which developers have proposed a mixed-use... — Updated 9/3/2021
Police Body Camera Training Paves Way for Full Rollout in Fall
Members of the Lake Wales Police Department have been pleased with the roll out of eight body-worn cameras already in use, with an additional 24 cameras to come on line later this... — Updated 8/29/2021
City Explores Options to Ensure Future Water Supply
Lake Wales will need to have an alternative water source in place sooner than experts had anticipated, according to a consultant hired by the city to explore its future utility... — Updated 7/23/2021
City Pledges $1 Million Toward Grove Manor Redevelopment
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has given its tentative approval to contribute $1 million towards the proposed redevelopment of the Grove Manor housing complex. Offici... — Updated 7/23/2021
City Plans Bigger Fireworks Show, Other Activities July 4
Fireworks will be back as the feature attraction for the city's Fourth of July celebration, and in a big way. The city is set to contract with a new vendor – Exposhows Inc.. ... — Updated 6/16/2021
City Commissioners Set to Officially Repeal Mask Mandate
City officials are letting its ongoing "state of emergency" declaration regarding the COVID-19 pandemic expire. In addition, Lake Wales commissioners are expected Tuesday to finish... — Updated 6/14/2021
Northwest Residents Express Hope for Neighborhood's Future
A recent statistically valid survey of residents in the northwest section neighborhood of Lake Wales revealed 60 percent of respondents say they "feel hopeful about the future of th... — Updated 6/9/2021
City Considering Options to Ensure Future Water Supply
Lake Wales commissioners will be tackling a big issue in the coming months, looking to ensure the city has an adequate supply of water for decades to come. City leaders recently... — Updated 5/6/2021
New City Horticulturist Starts Planting Project by Mural
Lake Wales Main Street's most recent mural project at Scenic Highway and Stuart Avenue called "Slice of Happiness" is about to get a whole lot happier. With a new full-time... — Updated 4/22/2021
Drone Helping with Local Crime Fighting
Collaboration between different city departments is a daily occurrence at Lake Wales City Hall. But one of the more unique partnerships help show the good side of Lake Wales and is... — Updated 4/15/2021
City's New CRA Coordinator Already Has Full Agenda
Darrell Starling already has an ambitious agenda in place following his recent hiring as the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Coordinator. In particular, Starling... — Updated 2/17/2021
Shovels to be in the Ground by Summer for Lake Wales Connected Revitalization Plan
City leaders are anticipating shovels in the ground this summer in what will be the first project in its award-winning "Lake Wales Connected" revitalization plan for the historic... — Updated 2/11/2021
City's CRA to Purchase Vacant Lots to Jumpstart Affordable Housing Initiative
The Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency has approved spending $10,000 to purchase two vacant lots on B Street to help jump start a new affordable housing initiative in that... — Updated 1/27/2021
Profile: Fire Chief Joe Jenkins, 2020 Chamber Public Servant of the Year
City residents can thank a local restaurant for helping the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce find its 2020 Public Servant of the Year. Lake Wales Fire Chief Joe Jenkins – born and... — Updated 1/27/2021
AdventHealth Lake Wales Official Gives COVID Vaccine Update
AdventHealth Lake Wales is having no major issues in handling Covid-19 patients, according the Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Brewer, and expects to have vaccinations available to... — Updated 1/10/2021
City Commission Adopting Rules to Eliminate Panhandling
Responding to complaints from downtown visitors, Lake Wales commissioners have unanimously approved the first reading of a new panhandling ordinance for the city. The new law is pat... — Updated 12/25/2020
