The $40 Million Dollar Bond Projects
In 2018 the residents of the City of Oakland Park overwhelmingly approved by vote a $40 million dollar bond to update and improve the City’s infrastructure for its second century. When speaking of the bond projects, City Manager David Hebert has shared that “Our new buildings will be models of urban civic spaces that are sustainable, reliable, safe, and beautiful”. In addition to modernizing the City’s pubic infrastructure, each new building will also incorporate a cohesive design which will give the City’s public buildings a consistent and recognizable feel.
Let The Construction Begin!
The celebration of the maiden project for the $40 million bond was held pre-COVID on October 4, 2019. That day the City demolished its defunct water plant in order to make way for a new City Operations Complex. This new and improved complex will house the City's water, wastewater, storm water, solid waste, streets, parks maintenance facilities and fleet services operations and Emergency Operations Center.
Breaking Ground on The New City Park Project
Heidi Burnett, director of the City’s library services presided over the event. Mayor Jane Bolin was unable to attend due to surgery, but Burnett shared a recording Bolin had prepared for the occasion.
"...I am so sorry I could not be there in person, but I'm definitely with you in spirit. I'm really excited about the City Park project. It's going to be a fantastic modern amenity for the surrounding neighborhood and our entire Oakland Park community. Today is about more than kicking off the City Park, today also marks the beginning of construction on a series of bond projects aimed at building our second century, voters approved a $40 million bond in 2018 and that we have spent the last few years getting input design and planning to get where we are today... I wanted to let you know how excited I am about the groundbreaking because of what it represents for the future of our community. I look forward to watching this project progress and seeing our vision for Oakland Park come to life.
Vice Mayor Michael Carn, Broward County Commissioner Lamar Fisher, State Representative Chip Lamarca, former Oakland Park Mayor Caryl Stevens, Brynt Johnson, Director of Engineering and Building Services at City of Oakland Park, and Chris Long from Kauffman Lynn Construction, all briefly spoke about the project and the revitalization that it will bring to the area. After the comments concluded, the ceremonial groundbreaking began.
The New City Park Project
The project will incorporate the cohesive design of all of the City’s new public infrastructure. The goal is for the City’s public infrastructure to have a look and feel that is distinctly Oakland Park.
- New and improved pickleball courts
- A splash pad
- Basketball courts
- Batting cages
- A gazebo
- Butterfly garden
- Community center and library
- Plenty of green space
- Plenty of parking
Phase 1 of City Park
The City On The Move, Moves Steadily Toward Its Second Century
The $40 million dollar bond projects are part of a greater plan to renovate and revitalize the City of Oakland Park. As the City initiates the City Park project, the Sky Building project and plans to redevelop downtown, where the current City Hall is, are already in the works. All of this activity makes it clear that the City is steadily moving toward its second century. As Mayor Jane Bolin once said when commenting on the bond projects “It certainly is very exciting and speaks to a city on the move”( oaklandparkfl.gov) .
