Lakeland PAL seeks a new facility for its programs, has multi-prong ask of city officials

As Lakeland Police Athletic League expands its programs and participation, it has outgrown its current location and is reaching out to city officials for help.

James Ring, a volunteer on PAL's board of directors, asked city commissioners to help PAL with the land and funding necessary to build a new multi-purpose facility adjacent to Simpson Park. He said the program's current site isn't meeting the community needs.

"Our current facility is no longer adequate to meet the needs of the program," Ring said on Monday afternoon. "It simply cannot house the staff, volunteers, the programs' equipment and resources we need to be effective."

PAL is currently operated out of 325 W. Second St., a site purchased by the city in August 2015. It consists of a roughly 3,500-square-foot building that is used primarily to house administrative offices and store equipment, according to Ring. It's usable space is comparable to a single-family residence.

"The current site is unable to accommodate any of the programs offered by PAL," he said.

Lakeland PAL has expanded its programs in recent years, increasing enrollment to allow for additional football players and cheerleaders in the fall 2023. It expanded its archery program by adding additional days. This year its Summer Trades Camp was offered at two locations, enrolling over 40 students at both sites.

"It's actually a multi-part ask: We are asking you guys get behind us and support the vision to start a new building. We need it," Lt. Joe Parker, a PAL supervisor, said.

PAL is asking city officials to consider allocating, or donating, city-owned land adjacent to Simpson Park as the site for the program's new multi-purpose facility. "The board believes this location is ideal for the new building," Ring said. "However, we do remain open to additional recommendations from the city commission and stakeholders."

Simpson Park is accessible by public transportation and is in close proximity to a public library and fire station. Parker said the geographic location is important given the number of calls for service Lakeland Police Department receives.

"Simpson Park is there and very active with police calls with a number of issues from homelessness popping up there to gang violence to kids skipping school, you name it," he said. "It's still a very active part of our neighborhood that needs the services there to deter but also be able to rapidly respond to things when they pop up."

To address these issues, PAL's board of directors has suggested its new facility could contain a police substation. In recent years, Lakeland officials have talked about adding a northern police substation, usually north of Interstate 4, but Parker said he believes a substation in or near Simpson Park would help address those needs.

"We believe a new PAL building could serve as an ideal location for the new police substation," Ring said.

In a design created by Lakeland-based Lunz Group, a proposed multi-purpose facility of approximately 40,000 square feet would contain a police substation, small bodega or marketplace for snack and food items, and multi-purpose space to be used by PAL's programs.

Parker said he envisions the multi-purpose space could be leased out by community groups or utilized by city departments for programming when it is not in use for PAL's programs.

PAL has asked city commissioners to consider making an appropriation of funds in its fiscal year 2025 budget to allow the nonprofit organization to hire an architect to draw up detailed plans for the proposed facility. Unfortunately, it has received cost estimates for the designs that range from around $250,000 up to more than $840,000, according to Ring. The estimates are based on a proposed building size of 40,000 square feet, Ring said, with blueprints costing 6% of the total estimated construction costs.

Commissioner Stephanie Madden asked if the city had any funding already set aside in its Capital Improvement Plan for PAL's future. She was informed by City Manager Shawn Sherrouse that there is no money designed for a future PAL building.

The proposed site requested by PAL has raised some debate. Lakeland resident Terry Coney spoke up out of concern for the location, stating he feels Simpson Park is already overcrowded and PAL might be better served by finding a more centralized location to allow better access to PAL for children from a diversity of backgrounds and communities.

Madden said she felt the current proposal is "impossible" to fit into the city's upcoming budget, but that she understand the needs and support for the program. She strongly encouraged PAL leadership to put together a more detailed financial plan along with seeking out other financial possibilities to move the project forward.

Lakeland commissioners will hold a full-day budget workshop starting at 8:30 a.m. July 11 at Lakeland Electric's headquarters, 501 E. Lemon St., where commissioners and city staff will discuss potentially funding for several projects and initiatives next year. The meeting is open to the public, though it is primarily meant for discussion among city commissioners and city staff.

"The time to build is now," Ring said.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.