City of Forest Acres to build new park along Gills Creek

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Forest Acres residents will soon have added green space to enjoy at a new park being built along Forest Lake Place Drive on the banks of Gills Creek.

The park will feature a performance venue, splash pad, space for food truck parking, an observation deck over Gills Creek where fishing will be permitted, and a police memorial, according to information on the city’s website.

Forest Acres City Council approved the new park project “with a goal of creating a community space that could have multiple uses and feature outdoor dining all while reclaiming our city’s environmentally sensitive areas,” according to a statement from city officials.

Construction on the new project recently started, including work to excavate Gills Creek before beginning needed repairs on the Forest Lake Place bridge, which is adjacent to the site of the new park.

The park is being built on two properties that were consolidated and donated to the city after the historic floods of 2015. The first phase of the park is behind Forest Lake Fabrics and the former site of Zoe’s, which will soon reopen as a Cava restaurant.

No name for the park has been selected yet. City officials hope to have the project completed by late 2023 or early 2024.