A few clarifying details provided by the City of Winter Haven:
“This phase of the project is mostly stormwater and wetland infrastructure. It also includes some recreational elements including trails, boardwalks, shade structures, and disk golf.
$450,000 of the funding is covered by a Heartland Headwaters Grant. $1,159,569 is coming from the stormwater fund. Dollars from the stormwater fund can only be used for stormwater improvements, therefore they are being invested in much needed stormwater improvements in this area. Another $200,000 is funding donated by CSX to the project. The remaining funding is coming from impact fees – meaning fees paid by developers when building something new in Winter Haven, not taxes paid by local residents living here.
The road around this area is a known concern. Our Public Works team has been working with geoengineers to determine the best way to repair the road so that the divots don’t simply reappear. There is also a sidewalk project planned that will continue the City’s efforts to connect continuous sidewalk access around Lake Howard.”
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City of Winter Haven Approves Spending $3.9 Million on South Lake Howard Nature Park Expansion
by James Coulter
New trails, boardwalks, stormwater and wetland infrastructure, and even a disc golf course are some of the new recreational elements and stormwater features planned for Phase II of the South Lake Howard Nature Park Expansion.
At their regular meeting on Mon. Aug. 26, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve their consent agenda. One agenda item pertained to the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the Phase II construction of the South Lake Howard Nature Park Expansion.
On February 26, 2024, the City of Winter Haven entered into an agreement with Whitehead Construction for design-build services for the then-proposed expansion to South Lake Howard Nature Park.
The expansion, as explained by Public Works Director Brittany Hart, would “update and expand the stormwater treatment within the area and develop complementary recreational elements in and around the new stormwater features.”
The project was divided into three separate phases. Phase I would install recreation elements, including a nature trail, exercise trail, playground, picnic area, frisbee golf hole, kayak launch, and fishing pier. Phase I was completed in Apr. 2025.
Phase II would construct stormwater and wetland infrastructure, as well as remaining recreational elements, including trails, boardwalks, island and shade sails, and disc golf. Phase II is in preparation of beginning construction.
Whitehead Construction has since presented an amendment for the project’s GMP, which includes Phase II construction. The total project costs, including the GMP, are $3,991,020, while the total cost of construction for Phase II is $2,970,474.
The lion’s share of the funding will come from the city’s Stormwater Quality Operating Budget at $1,350,000. The remaining funds will come from various grants, city funds, and fees.
