Fort Lauderdale secures $2.18 million state grant to advance Carter Park overhaul
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – A long-anticipated transformation is moving forward at Joseph C. Carter Park after the Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved more than $2.1 million in new grant funding to support the effort.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is giving the park $2,180,314 through the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. This money will assist make the park even better than it already is.
City officials noted that the state money makes the larger $33.2 million signature park project even stronger, which is being paid for by the Parks Bond that voters approved. Fort Lauderdale wants to use the new grant money along with local bond funding to make a bigger investment in District 3 and make the park more modern and accessible.
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Carter Park, which opened in 1953 as Sunland Park, has been a location for people in the community to get together for a long time. In 1994, it was given a new name in honor of Joseph C. Carter, who had been a leader in parks and recreation for more than 40 years in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Carter was in charge of Sunland Park for 24 years till he retired in 1977.
The extra money will help pay for a lot of improvements that will make the park a welcoming place for families and people of all ages. There are plans for a new community center and a playground that has been modified to include shade structures. The plan also includes walking paths and outdoor workout stations, as well as upgrades to the swimming pool’s mechanical and structural systems.
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Other things that need to be done are fixing up the water playground, putting in a synthetic turf field with bleachers, improving the lighting in sports areas, and making it easier to park and get to the site.
Mayor Dean Trantalis noted that the initiative is based on years of input from citizens and a shared commitment to making sure everyone has fair access to beautiful green space. Commissioner Pam Beasley-Pittman said that the grant was a big step toward making the community’s vision a reality.
The design and building will happen in stages. City officials said they would put out a full construction schedule after they pick a contractor and give them permission to start work.
