By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

The St. Cloud lakefront, with a few renovations, is ready for summer, and city employees are working overtime to get the word out.

With Memorial Day weekend considered the unofficial start of summer, Stephanie Holtkamp, interim Parks and recreation director, estimated 10,000 people will visit the lakefront to have a barbecue, frolic in the water, eat at Crabby Bill’s Seafood Restaurant or attend an event at the Marina Building. Especially as the Kissimmee lakefront is still under construction.

“We already draw people from everywhere,” Mayor Rebecca Borders said. “Hopefully they’ll visit some of the shops in the area as well.”

Starting with heavy marketing of the city’s Marina Building in September, employees have built a new concession stand, renovated the splash pad and playground area, added new restrooms on the west end of the exercise path and added boat rentals to the marina.

The marina building, located at the end of Florida Avenue, is well known as the location of Crabby Bill’s restaurant but Terri L. Hurt, facility supervisor, and Holtkamp have been marketing the ballroom, upstairs from the eatery, for weddings,

quinceañeras and meetings.

“It’s convenient, it has a beautiful view and the staff does a wonderful job,” Borders said on why the City Council wanted to market the banquet hall more.

Since September, the pair have held 45 open houses attended by 275 people and, as a direct result of the tours, had 20 new bookings. Half of those who attended the open houses said they heard about the Marina Building through advertising.

“It looks like we’re really busy from October to May next year,” Hurt said, adding revenue from renting the ballroom has increase 23 percent in 14 months as a result of advertising, marketing and brochures.

Additionally, the St. Cloud City Council approved revising the rental fees from flat to hourly and loosened renters’ ability to hire their own caterer, as long as the company meets the city’s requirements, such as insurance. Hurt also throws in the free use of the Dan Terrell Memorial Point gazebo, jutting out into East Lake Tohopekaliga, steps from the Marina Building.

To aid with the booking of the room, the city installed Wednesday an interactive kiosk in the building’s lobby where interested parties can use the touch screen to check the rental availability, view a slideshow of the ballroom’s photos, get information about upcoming special events and inquire about marina boat slip rentals.

“That kiosk is going to help. It’s going to be a huge success for us,” Hurt said.

Holding its grand opening this weekend is the city’s new concession stand, built by the city’s building and maintenance departments next to the playground at Lakefront Park.

Sno-Balls, LLC, of St. Cloud, was awarded the contract to serve drinks, soft pretzels, hot dogs, nachos and cheese and, of course, ice cream, at the lakefront as a response to the city’s ban of mobile vendors.

“We were really concerned about kids running near the road,” Kevin Felblinger, engineer manager, said. “It’s really for people who are playing down on the beach and don’t want to go home or eat at Crabby Bill’s.”

The 320-square-foot building, which costs $80,000, is designated as an Orlando Utilities Commission green building, which prompted the company to provide $25,000 toward energy-saving amenities, including LED lighting, an instant heat element for the water heater and spray-on insulation.

“It’s very cool, even on the hottest days,” Felblinger said, adding the awning shades both customers and helps keep the building cooler.

Children can work up their appetite for that ice cream cone in the newly renovated splash pad, which has new water features such as pirate ship, dump buckets, water guns and multicolored pipes that also spray water. Additionally, the ground covering for the playground was also replaced, Holtkamp said.

By July, Holtkamp expects St. Cloud Boat Rentals to be renting pontoon boats and kayaks to lakefront visitors from the slips they’ve commissioned from city.

“As the businesses grows, he plans to add more boats,” Holtkamp said of the owner. “He’s been in business a long time on different lakes.”

Frequent boaters on East Lake Tohopekaliga complained for years about the amount of weeds in the lake clogging their boats’ engines and tangling with their propellers.

Holtkamp said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission in March treated the non-evasive aquatic weed, which had grown wildly due to low water levels and mild winters.

“It is a problem,” she said, adding the complains have stopped since the treatment. “Once the water level rises, hopefully it will slow the growth.”

The treatment unexpectedly cleared vegetation near the wading area of the lakefront beach. Holtkamp took that as a clear sign the lake is ready for visitors.

The city also is gearing up for its annual Independence Day celebration with the St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce, which may be expanded to a two-day event this year. Preparations include tilling the beach to beautify the sand, clearing weed patches and reminding potential visitors the picnic pavilions are available on a first come, first serve basis.

“I think these improvements will improve summer vacation for everyone. (the lakefront)  appeals to all sorts of people,” Borders said.

For more information on facility rentals, visit the Park and Recreation tab at  www.stcloud.org.