Ask any resident in Canada Woods Neighborhood and they will tell you it’s been far too long the entrance of their neighborhood (located off Canada at Saskatoon Lane) has been deteriorating. If you don’t live there, then perhaps you noticed while driving in to visit Zadie Kuehl Park in previous years. According to Commissioner Wesley Wright, there has been little to no paving budget for Lakeland until 2015 so the city is still trying to catch up. More about that history can be read here.
City officials know there are several other neighborhoods in dire need of repaving and the city hopes to address those in 2023 or 2024. Commissioner Wright noted several thoroughfares involving heavy construction, both in subdivisions and main roads, must be tackled after heavy machines finish driving through those areas. “Otherwise, they would be repaved and simply damaged again,” he said. According to recent comments at a Board of Commissioners meeting, each neighborhood averages approximately $1 Million to repave.
The following areas has been paved this year or will be by paved by this November: Cobb Road, Creekside Manor, Lakeland Heights, Veranda Woods, Canada Woods, Stonebridge-Kimberly Trace, and Stonebridge-Section D. The previous fiscal year the city of Lakeland showed the most commitment to repaving. However, after reassessing the budget and the financial constraints of New Canada Road on city reserves the Board of Commissioners will have to wait a year of two to fund future projects.
