CLEARWATER POLICE TO OPEN NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARK - DREAM OF A POLICE OFFICER BECOMES REALITY

Clearwater Police are hosting the grand opening of a new neighborhood park on Saturday, January 5, 2002, announced Sid Klein, Chief of Police.

The park located at 1010 North Garden Avenue will be called the North Garden Avenue Park and is the dream of Clearwater Police Sergeant Wilton Lee.

Children admire Rocky the Turtle, a member of the Tampa Bay Tour of Turtles.

Sergeant Lee having grown up in the neighborhood knew that children in the Old Clearwater Bay neighborhood did not have a playground to enjoy. While on patrol one day, he observed an overgrown lot on North Garden Avenue and began to research how he could turn this overgrown lot into something the entire neighborhood could enjoy. Sergeant Lee working with the City's Neighborhood Services Division determined that AmSouth Bank owned the property. Through the cooperation of local drug dealers, unbeknownst to them, Clearwater Police used asset forfeiture money to pay the back taxes on the property. AmSouth Bank then donated the land to the City. From there the project began to take on a life of its own.

Mr. Jonathan Wade of the North Greenwood Association directed an anonymous philanthropist to the project. The benefactor donated $28,000 to start the playground in motion. Working with Mr. Robert Hudson from St. Petersburg College and his students a design was drawn up for the playground. Other benefactors came on board including the federally funded Weed and Seed Program, Scotto's Plumbing, Grace Smith, and the Allegany Franciscan Foundation.

The City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department finalized the plans for the park and working with the City's Public Works Administration began the project on September 22, 2001. The Home Depot donated landscaping to the park.

Police Chief Sid Klein (r) recognizes Sgt. Wilton Lee at park ceremonies on January 5, 2002

Throughout the project, working with the Clearwater Arts Foundation, an idea was had to place an art object in the park. During the grand opening, Pam Marks of the now famous Tampa Bay Tour of Turtles will be unveiling Rocky the Turtle as part of their program.

The City will be hosting a grand opening of the park on Saturday, January 5, 2002 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Clearwater Police will be displaying their new Project Next Step Mobile Command Vehicle along with displays from the department SWAT and K-9 teams. Food and drink will be provided by Smart and Final for the event.

For further information on this event, contact Acting Public Information Sergeant Doug Griffith at 727-562-4347.

/s/
SID KLEIN
Chief of Police