Lake Mirror and its Promenade are located in the heart of downtown Lakeland. Lake Mirror Park is the jewel in the crown of Lakeland, Florida’s downtown. “Like an elegant entryway to some great Venetian castle towers the Civic Center of Lakeland,” wrote National Geographic in its January 1930 edition about the region around the lake. Because of the clarity of its waters, Lake Mirror was given its name. Tom Appleyard, the manager of Lakeland’s Chamber of Commerce in the early 1920s, had the idea for the community recreation area. Appleyard’s idea was brought to life by famed New York landscape architect Charles W. Leavitt. The barrier along the northern and southern beaches, as well as the broad pedestrian promenade, were finished in 1926. On the southeast coast of the lake, Hollis Garden opened in 2000 and Lake Mirror Park and amphitheater were dedicated in the fall of 1999. The northeast shore is also home to a sculpture. 18 of the park’s 32 acres are covered by Lake Mirror. The lake is surrounded by seven acres of open space, as well as seven acres of parks, public recreation, and leisure amenities. The park’s most conspicuous and distinctive feature is the promenade and loggia, which is one of Florida’s outstanding examples of the 1920s “City Beautiful” movement. The west side of the Promenade is defined by decorative lamp posts and Corinthian columns, which were designed by architect Charles Wellford Leavitt. The building stands above Lake Mirror, providing a view to the east. A variety of historic structures surround the park, notably the New Florida Hotel, now known as the Lake Mirror Tower Apartments, and the Manolia Building, which add to the park’s uniqueness. After decades of neglect in the 1960s and 1970s, Historic Lakeland was created by a dedicated group of local residents who fought to restore Lake Mirror Park to its former beauty. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as a consequence of these efforts. The city created the Community Redevelopment Area and finalized a master plan for the park in 2010. An aesthetically beautiful stormwater pond was developed to improve water quality by collecting stormwater. Recycled materials are employed throughout the park, including recycled glass in the playground sections’ concrete benches and picnic tables, recycled rubber as a play area safety surface, and recycled tires in place of landscaping mulch. The Tribute to the Volunteer Spirit, one of numerous sculptures around the park, rises prominently on the Lake Mirror coastline. Lake Mirror Park has become the community’s hub of activity, as well as the city’s sole place capable of hosting huge and diverse events. There are campgrounds, hiking routes, skiing trails, and mountain bike trails in the park, as well as various facilities built for wheelchair users. The park’s 151 campsites, 47 of which include electrical hookups for trailers and RVs, are one of the park’s main attractions. The park offers plenty of open areas for residents, employees, and tourists to gather, relax, and take in the beauty.

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