Plans to revitalize Munn Park were on the minds of city commissioners during a two-day planning retreat this week. Discussions ranged from regulating the feeding of homeless people by charity organizations to adding recreation and also the possibility of closing off some or all of the streets surrounding the downtown park.
The discussions took place Tuesday and Wednesday at the city’s annual strategic planning retreat as the city is contemplating ideas for turning what City Manager Shawn Sherrouse calls a “passive green space” into a family-friendly park for gathering, games, food, and music.
“I understand the community concerns that are out there so there are a couple of cases that I wanted to discuss,” City Attorney Palmer Davis said, regarding feeding indigent people in Munn Park. “Anything is possible in this part of the regulatory arena.”
Homeless:
Mayor Bill Mutz has been a proponent of creating a tiny house village to help transition homeless people into sustainable housing, but he was met with opposition to that and it fell by the wayside several years ago.
Editorial note: Tiny home village in Lakeland is the way to help transition homeless people into sustainable housing.
Recreation at Munn Park
We want a Carousel in Munn Park with over 200 people signing the petition
Possible proposals shared by the city of Lakeland show a park full of color, textures, public art displays, and recreational opportunities, including giant chess sets, bocce, pod swings, and cornhole, wouldn’t a carousel look nice and be a great centerpiece for Munn Park? Sign if you agree!
Why is this important?
Sign and share the petition to ask for a beautiful carousel to be installed in Munn Park!
Lakeland, Florida was incorporated on January 1, 1885. The town was founded by Abraham Munn, who purchased 80 acres of land in what is now downtown Lakeland in 1882 and platted the land for the town in 1884.
Munn Park was established in 1884 as a town square in Lakeland’s first subdivision, the original Munn’s Subdivision. Later the entire block was dedicated by Abraham Munn as a “Public Square” in perpetuity, to forever remain in public ownership.
Many things have changed over the years but if you add giant chess sets, bocce, pod swings, cornhole and etc. it becomes a fair, not a “Public Square” as Munn intended.
We ask the following question – How about a Carousel at Munn Park? https://lakelandgazette.info/news/2023/01/12/how-about-a-carousel-at-munn-park/
Here some of the responses:
Yaritza Toledo-torres says: I think it’s perfect. And dreamy. Lakeland is progressive and growing but there’s still a small town charm to it that should be preserved. This would be a beautiful addition to the down town area.
Brenda W. says: A carousel is my favorite idea for Munn Park that I have heard to date. It maintains the charm of downtown without marring it with more modern design. I am a Lakeland native and have been disappointed in the development styles that have been approved by the city for downtown in the last few years. A carousel would be an improvement.
Doris Schofield says: That would be such a wonderful idea
The Lakeland Gazette posted the question on Facebook. Here are some of the responses:
Mike Hamic I LOVE the idea, ticket sales would pay to maintain it, children and adults alike would use it. Fun.
Jennifer Nguyen Yes please !
Helen Lorenz Brown Much better idea than the ridicules play ground thing. This shows respect for the city and the park, instead of degrading it. The one in San Diego California was fantastic.
Nurs Joy Great idea.
Thelma E. Sherling I totally agree!!!
There are dozens and dozens of older beautiful carousels on the market today and you replace three of the animals and put two swans and an alligator on it to make Lakeland own special carousel.
If you decide the Carousel I do like the idea of putting two swans and the alligator because that’s part of Lakeland.