Mirror Lake Improvements On the Way

For years Mirror Lake has been a place residents and city leaders said had the potential to be an attractive centerpiece for downtown St. Petersburg, but the park was mired by deferred maintenance and an increasing homeless population. 

Thursday, the St. Petersburg City Council voted unanimously for funding major improvements to the long-neglected park. 

The plans call for new sidewalks, lighting, seating/viewing areas and new landscaping.

“I’m very happy to hear any kind of improvement,” said longtime Mirror Lake resident Shirley O’Sullivan. “I’ve always felt that it is a jewel of our city, historic corridor of our city. If we don’t take care of it, it will fall in further disrepair.”

The contract council approved Thursday is for $477,923. 

According to city documents, the construction crews will, "demolish existing concrete sidewalk and lighting, and construct a new .6-mile long 6" thick by 10' wide concrete multi-use trail, construct 3,4000 square feet of plaza area with brick pavers, segmental anchor black walls and seating wall. 

"Work includes park signage, bike racks, trash receptacles, benches, site electrical work to supply new pedestrian lighting, landscaping including trees, shrubs and ground cover," project documents said. 

According to city architect Raul Quintana, designs for a boardwalk and floating dock have been completed but were not included in the initial proposal because those items would put the project over budget.

Council member Leslie Curran said those additional items, along with some “pelican paddle boats,” would make the downtown park more inviting.

“Pelican pedal boats are still a great thing to do because they can bring family activity to the area,” Curran said.

She said the money for those items could be taken out of the Weeki Wachi fund. Those project additions would cost around $135,000.

Quintana said construction should begin in November and take four months to complete.