St. Pete is in the final phase of repairing its parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, and city-owned buildings battered by the consecutive hurricanes of 2024.

Mike Jefferis, the city’s Community Enrichment Administrator, reports that the Lake Vista Recreation Center in South St. Pete endured some of the heaviest destruction. A bustling hub, the center has been shuttered since Hurricane Milton flooded it with 18 inches of water and raw sewage.

Upon assessing the devastation, Jefferis says his team swiftly relocated affected students to alternative before-and-after school care programs. “We know working families rely on this spot for childcare with few other choices,” he explained. “Nearby centers stepped up to take in those kids, ensuring parents and students felt uninterrupted support.”

Coaches and staff were also shifted to neighboring recreation centers, providing familiar faces for students returning to school and care programs.

The interior damage was so severe that crews had to rip out flooring, significant portions of drywall, the basketball court, and anything tainted by contamination. Jefferis notes that a mitigation company was on-site the day after the storm to limit the destruction as much as possible. “We tossed out everything contaminated—no risks taken,” he emphasized.

Rebuilding kicked off in February, with daily efforts underway to install fresh flooring, walls, fixtures, and a new basketball court. Repair costs have reached approximately $1.5 million so far, according to Jefferis. “Restoring normalcy is vital—it’s a key part of the healing this community needs and deserves,” he said.

About a dozen playgrounds remain closed since the storms, with flooding causing the ground to buckle and destabilize equipment due to subsurface damage. In early March, the city greenlit funding to replace the subsurface, and officials aim to order materials soon to start repairs.

Additional damages include the city-owned concession stand and parking lot on Treasure Island, as well as parts of the shuffleboard court.

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(Image credit: Spectrum News/Angie Angers)

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