LAKE WALES, Fla. — Officials with Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales are relieved a proposed FDOT project to put a parkway near their land is moving further away.

What You Need To Know

  • Bok Tower Gardens officials are relieved that a proposed FDOT project is moving further away from their property 

  •  In February, we reported two of the proposed routes for this new proposed parkway could be roughly 2,500 feet away from the gardens

  •  According to David Price, president of the gardens, FDOT received hundreds of calls, emails and letters from gardens supporters asking the department to consider moving the proposed parkway away from Bok Tower

  • According to the project's website, the county’s population is expected to grow by over 50 percent by 2050 so they report the need is there for additional roadways to accommodate that growth

This comes after crews with the department surveyed the area, along with hundreds of people writing emails and letters asking them to adjust the project’s location.

“As time goes along, when you have a big piece of property, you’re managing for open space, it becomes a target,” said David Price, president of Bok Tower Gardens.

He says that target is for development.

According to Price, two of the four proposed routes earlier this year would have been roughly 2,500 feet away from the gardens.

“We had over 600 of our supporters write emails or letters or calls to FDOT requesting that they do not they take the corridor away from the gardens,” Price said. “That gave them a good clear, good clear image of what we are and what people think about us.”

According to Price, the proposed routes are two and a half to roughly four and a half miles away from the gardens which, to him, is much better than the original 2,500 feet.

“As growth happens, there’s going to be more and more needs for, right of ways, whether for roads, power lines or whatever,” Price said. “And so, you know, from my generation, we’re going to be passing this open land on to the next generation, and they have to be, ever vigilant to protect it.”

According to the project’s website, FDOT held public meetings this month regarding the project.

They say the county’s population is expected to grow by over 50 percent by 2050, so they report the need is there for additional roadways to accommodate that growth.