Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Downtown Inverness awaits a makeover

Work starts Monday on the second phase of downtown streetscaping. A kids' water playground is also on the way.

By JOHN FRANK
Published July 29, 2006

INVERNESS - Downtown's transformation starts again Monday as city officials launch the second phase of a redevelopment project that will bring trees, benches and wider sidewalks to the heart of the city.

If the streetscape project that refurbished the historic Courthouse Square was a face lift, think of the next part as a full makeover.

"More pedestrian friendly, that's the idea, so more people feel comfortable walking downtown," said Ken Koch, the city's development director. "When you're downtown walking around, we want you to feel like you're back in the day when people walked around and did window shopping."

Koch, along with City Manager Frank DiGiovanni, joined City Council members at a ceremonial groundbreaking Friday.

"We're keeping ourselves the best," DiGiovanni said. "It demonstrates our commitment to improve the town."

The $1.3-million project is funded largely by the state, though the city chipped in $325,000 and used $275,000 in county transportation impact fees.

It's the second half of the downtown redevelopment that started in 2003 with the $1-million project to spruce up the block around the Historic Courthouse.

In 2004, the city refurbished part of N Apopka Avenue near the new courthouse by widening sidewalks, building gazebos and planting crape myrtle and East Palatka holly trees. That project, Koch said, offers a preview for this final phase.

Construction crews move in Monday and start with streetscaping on N Apopka and replacing the water line on Pine Avenue.

Koch said the construction will disrupt pedestrian and vehicle traffic downtown but includes no long-term road closures.

"It'll look rough, but we will try to keep traffic open at all times," he said.

The project is scheduled for completion by the end of January, but Koch hopes to wrap it up by Christmas. "If we don't get any hurricanes, the developer said he could do it," he said.

Also Friday, city officials held a ceremony to present the check to launch the addition of a children's water playground at the Whispering Pines Park pool.

Inverness received a $112,500 grant from the state's recreation development program this year, and the city will kick in $37,500 to add the water playground to the current pool.

It will feature a variety of colorful equipment that spray and shoot water in all directions. Parks director Pati Smith said it's designed for children ages 2 to 10 who can't swim or use the diving board.

"The little kids, they get so bored in the pool," she said. "This would be a nice addition for them."

Smith is unsure what equipment the city will buy, but she really wants a turtle that sprays water.

"This is the town of the Cooter Festival," she said.

John Frank can be reached at jfrank@sptimes.com or 860-7312.

[Last modified July 28, 2006, 22:37:44]