Starting Monday, July 15, 2024, the City of Lakeland Parks Division will remove two declining oak trees within the Fletcher Park playground area. The trees have noticeable and documented issues that could cause a hazard to those using the playground. The playground at Fletcher Park will be closed for the duration of the project. It is estimated that it will take five business days to properly remove the trees and grind the stumps. Tree crews will be working on full removal and stump grinding during the week to least impact heavier weekend use of the playground. The Fletcher Park Playground will open for regular business hours once the failing trees are removed. The rest of Fletcher Park at Lake Bonny will not be impacted by the project.
The City of Lakeland received Tree City USA status by the Arbor Day Foundation in 2020 for effective urban forestry management. The City of Lakeland boasts over 56,000 publicly managed street and park trees and over 300 distinct tree species. Predominant tree species include slash pine (Pinus elliottii), common crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), live oak (Quercus virginiana), cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto), and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). The public trees in Lakeland provide about 590 acres of the canopy, provide shade, reduce energy use, improve air quality, reduce carbon dioxide levels, mitigate stormwater runoff, and increase property values.
Fletcher Park at Lake Bonny is located at 800 US 98 South, Lakeland, FL 33801. The playground at Fletcher Park received a complete makeover in 2016. There are structures and equipment for children of all ages, plus a parent/baby swing, four-person see-saw, and tactile climbing areas. The Park also includes sport fields, skate park, walking trail and pavilions. For more information on the City of Lakeland’s parks, please visit: www.lakelandgov.net/parks.