ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A park in downtown St. Petersburg will host new types of programming this year thanks to millions of dollars in renovations.
Parts of Williams Park have been under construction since April.
The St. Pete First United Methodist Church has been across from the park for a century.
Bob Martin, the senior pastor, was appointed to his position in 2022. He said they want to partner with their neighbors, including Williams Park right across the street.
“So we’re all about making sure that we are having an impact, to help the community in a powerful and positive way,” said Martin.
The church has used the park for its Easter Sunrise service and Christmas caroling. Martin said it was time for the park to get revamped.
“One of the things I would say is that the park needed a purpose,” Martin said.
Williams Park is undergoing a transformation, with approximately $3 million from the city upgrading the stage’s bandshell. The nonprofit Williams Park Partnership said the structure was aging and needed repairs before the roof came off during the 2024 hurricane season.
“All of the steel has been stripped and (is) then being redone. So once that steel is redone, new roof goes on, and then from there, new lighting, new AV system,” said Shaun Drinkard, CEO of Williams Park Partnership and the VP for the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership.
The nonprofit, facilitated by the Downtown Saint Petersburg Partnership, secured an additional $800,000 from the state for safety and security at the park. Those dollars will fund electrical infrastructure to improve visibility, make additional and more grand entrances, as well as upgrade the sidewalks.
“That walkway will be widened. It gives us a greater ability to program the space, to bring things in and out. It’s a more manageable space for pedestrians to come through,” Drinkard said.
These projects will allow for new programming at the park. The goal is to have activities happening 365 days. Most would be free with other events that make money to be used to support the free events.
“It can be simple as some food in the plaza, some recreational classes, to monthly reoccurrences such as concerts and movies,” he said.
The first major program will be Winter Wonder, which will have an open-air ice rink. Drinkard said they will work with organizations to have community events as well. Martin hopes to get St. Pete First United Methodist Church more involved.
“The hope in the future is going to be that we can actually do some concerts conjointly with what’s happening here in the park and also some other events that might be more family-oriented,” Martin said.
Construction is expected to wrap up by October, with new programs starting after.
The Saint Pete First United Methodist Church raised concerns about what might happen to the homeless population when more events are happening in the park.
The Williams Park Partnership said it doesn’t expect the renovation to have an impact on the houseless or the social services that are offered there.
Spectrum News reached out to the city for comment and has not yet heard back.