Outdoors

Woman seeks to restore area lake

By RODNEY PAGE
Published January 15, 2006

Shirley O'Sullivan has a long history in St. Petersburg. Her family settled here in the early 1900s. Though the 49-year-old lived from 1977-89 in New York City and Los Angeles, she maintains a keen sense of St. Petersburg's history and takes pride in its landmarks.

That's why when she moved into the Mirror Lake Condominiums (the former St. Petersburg High School) 21/2 years ago, she took the state of downtown's Mirror Lake personally. Plastic containers and beer bottles littered the shoreline. O'Sullivan recalled twice as many trees along the lake when she visited the park as a child.

"You used to be able to see the bottom," O'Sullivan said. "Mirror Lake provided the first drinking water for this community. Now it's a mess."

She decided to do something about it. She solicited volunteers from her condominium to clean up the lake and also asked others in the community.

Ten people showed up for the scheduled cleanup in April.

"I guess the idea of picking up trash wasn't that appealing," O'Sullivan said.

Undeterred, she solicited Mike Connors, the city's administrator of Internal Services, with her idea. Connors responded by providing a boat, trash bags, a dumpster and four city workers.

O'Sullivan set a time and date: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. She has contacted the Sierra Club, USF-St. Petersburg, environmental groups, businesses surrounding Mirror Lake, neighborhood associations, canoe and kayak clubs and the Lawn Bowling Hall of Fame, located across from the lake.

O'Sullivan is seeking experienced canoeists and kayakers as well as people with just a pair of gloves or long net. A lunch will be provided, donated by Harvey's 4th Street Grill.

"I'm hoping for at least 40 people," O'Sullivan said. "The goal is to bring this back to the beautiful park that it once was."

During the first cleanup, O'Sullivan said, they dragged out mattresses, seat cushions, clothing and paper trash.

Some of the homeless have made Mirror Lake a resting spot, and O'Sullivan said she sees themhanging around the park at all hours.

"I've seen people sitting out by the lake drinking and using the lake as a bathroom," O'Sullivan said. "I think if we can clean up the lake we can cut down on crime and restore it to what it once was. I can remember the beautiful trees around the lake and how everyone would gather there. Somewhere along the line the city just let it go. We need to clean it up."

If you would like to volunteer, contact O'Sullivan at (727) 827-1432, or show up at the lake at 9 a.m. Mirror Lake is located along Fifth Street and Second Avenue N.

[Last modified January 15, 2006, 01:48:18]