Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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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 greatly pleased with the growth that the large live oaks have made. He was equally pleased with the large palms. Mr. Bok hardly thought it possible for the Sanctuary to look so fine during mid-winter," read a report received in the Massachusetts offices of the Olmsted Brothers, the world renowned...
Some 100 guests and supporters of the Lake Wales Main Street gathered Monday morning for a 90-minute session and left filled with not only lunch but inspiration. City planner Ed McMahon visited Lake Wales from his home in Maryland to tout the assets and potential of the city, which is facing unprecedented growth. McMahon is a Senior Resident Fellow at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, DC. "People in small towns don't like change," McMahon told the assembly, including...
Converting downtown streets into a shady pedestrian oasis through the Lake Wales Connected plan got a financial boost as the City of Lake Wales has received a Federal grant. Congressman Darren Soto (Dem, Kissimmee) arranged an $800,000 infusion for downtown street rehabilitation in the bi-partisan Infrastructure package approved by the US Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden. Those funds will aid in fulfilling the Lake Wales Connected plan, augmenting Community...
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 Olmsted Jr. for extensive tree planting in the city had called for some of their nearby oaks to be removed. Residents petitioned Olmstead to reconsider, and he did. As noted in a letter from his firm on that date, Olmsted's plan took many things into consideration, simplicity being chief among them....
Some 300 Florida native plants and 1,052 Florida friendly plants have been planted in select areas by the City of Lake Wales Horticulture Department, and more are on the way, part of the city's new emphasis on reclaiming its original status as "a City in a Garden." New plants are now gracing various parts of the city including the Stuart Avenue and Scenic Highway parking lot, downtown Linear Park and the Lake Wales Family YMCA. "We're kicking up the charm in the city," Lake...
The re-imagining of downtown Lake Wales and the application of the Connected plan is now inspiring some significant proposed changes to Central Avenue between Scenic Highway and First Street. In keeping with the concepts advanced in the award-winning Lake Wales Connected plan, a new pavement configuration which will add a bike lane to the north side of the street was approved at Tuesday's Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. The board will enter a $35,000 contract with...
Dining choices in Lake Wales have expanded recently, and the official grand opening of one new restaurant drew a happy crowd of diners to celebrate. Wales Pointe, already a popular spot for brunch, lunch and dinner. was welcomed to the business community at noon Thursday by Lake Wales Mayor Gene Fultz and Chamber of Commerce officials. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony at the stroke of 12:00 saw more than 30 crowding to be included in the celebratory photos. Wales Pointe is...
As a pair of contested city elections move toward a climactic vote on April 5 citizens will have another opportunity to see and hear the five vying for the two open seats. A forum will take place Monday afternoon, March 14, beginning at 5:00, a time chosen by organizers to allow working people to stop in before heading home, according to Juanita Zwaryczuk, co-president of the sponsoring American Association of University Women. The cosponsoring GFWC Lake Wales Women's Club...
Two candidates for mayor and a single commission candidate discussed their visions for the future of Lake Wales Monday evening at a community forum, with broad agreement on most issues, but with a few significant differences emerging in their positions. Curtis Gibson and Tammy James, both pursuing the mayoral post, and James Loydd, seeking the district 4 commission seat, all accepted invitations to the forum, sponsored by Rotary on the Ridge and LakeWalesNews.Net. About 25...
A zany parade featuring colorful floats, marchers and faux royalty will fill the streets of downtown Lake Wales with thousands of revelers this weekend as the traditional Lake Wales Mardi Gras observances reach their climax. The pre-Lenten festivities end at midnight on "fat Tuesday," or Mardi Gras. Private parading clubs, known as "krewes" will vie for recognition as the best in parade as they liberally douse the crowds with thousands of strands of beads and other parade...
A portrait of a city undergoing numerous changes was delivered to about 100 community and business leaders Friday at the annual "State of the City" report delivered by outgoing Mayor Gene Fultz in a darkened auditorium at the Vanguard School. It was the first opportunity for him to deliver the speech since 2019 due to the impacts of Covid-19. He will be leaving office this year after nine years as the city's first elected mayor. Citing an aggressive pursuit of improvements...
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 just the famed landscape architect whose influence is still very much alive in the city today. By 1929 when Lake Wales civic leaders hired his son Frederick Olmsted Jr. to create a master plan to enhance the city's "Garden City" concept – developed in England 1898 by Ebenezer Howard – Lake Wales and...
Six candidates have qualified for election to two open seats in the City of Lake Wales government in the April 5 municipal elections. Voters will have an opportunity to choose a new mayor and a District 4 city commissioner. Qualifying opened at noon Monday and closes at the same hour on Friday. Three candidates for mayor of Lake Wales include former Commissioner Curtis Gibson, current Commissioner Jack Hilligoss, and political newcomer Tammy James, a downtown investor and...
A multi-faceted project to transform Lake Wales' central districts will officially begin within weeks after the City Commission approved an agreement with Cobb Site Development, Inc. to perform the construction of the city's new Park Avenue Connector Trail with a $1.4 million contract on Tuesday evening. The "Park Avenue Connector Trail" will actually utilize a portion of that right-of-way to connect the popular Lake Wailes Trail to the Library Park Trail segment, via Crystal...
A festive February evening and pleasant weather drew hundreds of pedestrians to fill the sidewalks of downtown for the Lake Wales Mainstreet Winedown event. Some two dozen businesses opened their doors to the after-dark social event, offering complementary hors d'oeuvres and beverages to guests who purchased the $20 tickets. Patrons and supporters of Main Street enjoyed a wide range of tasty delights, including shrimp cocktails, pasta dishes, chocolates, a wide variety of...
A unique and colorful specialty shop is holding a grand opening Saturday in the Rhodesbilt Arcade on Stuart Avenue downtown when "Modern Day Tiffanys" opens their doors to the public. Owner Rita Strempack offers a stunning array of the beautiful and traditional favorites. The shop offers chandeliers, table lamps, and dozens of lighting variations. The appropriate location in the well-known arcade building brings the stained-glass collection in close proximity to the many...
The fate of the storied Walesbilt Hotel has been placed in the hands of the courts after the City of Lake Wales and the Community Redevelopment Agency filed a twelve-count lawsuit in Circuit Court. The lawsuit effectively deters any immediate work to rehabilitate the structure, which has been the focus of interest by a team of developers working with current owner Ray Brown. The lawsuit alleges that Brown, through his corporation Dixie Walesbilt LLC, defrauded the City and...
The historic Friedlander Department Store building has been purchased by Lake Wales investor Tammy James and her husband Stephen James. The building at 101 East Park stands at the corner of Park Avenue and First Street. It was the location of True Value Hardware until 2019, but has been vacant since that time. "We're excited about the changes happening downtown," Tammy James said. "With (new restaurants) Wales Point, Melanie's, and now an ice cream parlor, and The Ranch, it's...
A long-awaited proposal to redevelop the prominent former Walesbilt Hotel into a luxury full-service hotel and conference center is still viable, according to representatives of the development team, who pledged to keep working toward an agreement with the city that will assure the success of the project. Citing "progress" but large remaining differences between the parties, the Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday night authorized legal action against Dixie Walesbilt, LLC...
The Carnival season has returned to Lake Wales, and the annual Mardi Gras event is once again expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators and participants to a zany and colorful parade, and a dynamic two day line-up of musical entertainment on the shores of Lake Wailes. After a hiatus in 2021 due to the global pandemic, Mardi Gras organizers promise a strong rebound, with floats, beads, live music, food, and spirits. A Lake Wales tradition dating back to 1984, The Mardi...
Wales Pointe is the city's newest restaurant and is already proving to be yet another bright spot downtown. Located at 207 East Park Avenue across from the well-known town clock, Wales Pointe occupies space that formerly housed Tres Jolie, a French café restaurant. A few outdoor tables offer dining "al fresco." Serving a varied menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Wales Pointe also hosts a great Sunday brunch that offers a late breakfast menu into the afternoon. Designed to h...
One historic downtown hotel has become city property even as city commissioners wrestle with a development proposal on another. City Attorney Chuck Galloway reported to the board at Tuesday night's meeting that the deed to the Seminole Hotel would be recorded today, Wednesday, and that he would soon prepare documents transferring the title again, this time to the Community Redevelopment Agency. The announcements was met with nods from commissioners. The hotel was acquired afte...
Symbols of Success and Failure Long recognized as the dominant symbol of downtown Lake Wales, the eleven-story Walesbilt Hotel is now among the dominant topics of conversation in the city. Opened with great fanfare in 1926, the hotel has seen good times and bad. It fell victim to the Great Depression in its infancy, hit its hey-day during World War II, and was last renovated in 1972. Vacant since 1995, it's been abused, stripped of its prestigious furnishings and trim, and...
The year just completed saw a number of big stories that impacted the Lake Wales community, and we've taken a look back at them through the perspective of the new year. Here's how our staff ranked the biggest stories of 2021. 1) A development surge saw multiple projects brought forward for consideration by the Lake Wales Development Services and the City Commission, including the long-dormant Winter Haven Corporation project which is expected to include more than 6,000 new...
A large tract of vacant land fronting upon Twin Lakes is now primed for development, thanks to a street redesign as part of the SR 60 bridge project. Lake Wales City Commissioners are expected to take final action this Tuesday to close the right-of-way of a portion of Gibson Avenue that has long divided two small parcels belonging to Hunt Brothers' citrus operations. The former course of the avenue slashed through the two parcels as a 45-degree angle. That street has already b...
