The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the recently completed Station Square Park on Cleveland Street honors more than just the park’s opening. It signifies the end of the downtown streetscape plan and the beginning of new life in downtown. “It is a project we can all be proud of,” says George Tsitaki, the Project Manager for Station Square.

At 10am on February 26th, Vice-Mayor George Cretekos announced to a group of eager citizens, “This is going to be our park.” The park will draw people to downtown, where citizens can meet up with each other, have lunch or relax and enjoy Clearwater’s year-round nice weather.

Station Square Park is located next to the Station Square Condominiums, another new development providing the downtown businesses with opportunity for growth. The park is distinguished by an elegant fountain out front and stately black gates demarcating the park property. Inside those gates is mounted a grand black clock and picnic tables with attractive green umbrellas.

The downtown Clearwater streetscape plan is just one phase of the City of Clearwater’s effort to provide an environment where private business can grow and thrive. Vice-Mayor Cretekos stresses the importance of making sure the city is people-friendly and somewhere Clearwater residents and visitors feel safe and secure. The next phase of the revitalization of Clearwater will extend beyond the East Gateway.

Apparently, the city’s efforts downtown are paying off; immediately after the opening, the portion of the crowd who did not stop to enjoy coffee and doughnuts compliments of Dunkin Donuts, crossed the street for the grand re-opening of Peter Gillham’s Nutrition Center, another vital local business that will surely benefit from Downtown Clearwater’s recently finished makeover.