Groundbreaking March 4 for Fort Mellon Park Amphitheater Project & Lake Carola Improvements

The City of Sanford will break ground on the new Fort Mellon Park Amphitheater and Lake Carola improvements on March 4 at 2:00 PM at Fort Mellon Park, 600 E. First Street. The public is welcome to attend.
The $5.3 million, six-month project, funded by the Sanford Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Sanford, to be built by S.A. Casey Construction, will add a state-of-the-art amphitheater near the historic Fort Mellon park site and enhance the area surrounding Lake Carola with new landscaping, hardscape, and improved pedestrian access.
The project connects to the park’s existing promenade and iconic serpentine walk, creating a vibrant, scenic destination for community events and everyday enjoyment.
Centrally located within the park, the amphitheater will sit near the former site of Fort Mellon, a significant U.S. Army fortress established in 1836. The new facility will allow citizens to proudly reflect on and preserve Sanford’s history while celebrating the area for future generations. This gracious amphitheater will also boast a state-of-the-art audio-visual system to assuredly handle many types of events.
Simultaneously, to the west of the amphitheater, another landscape/hardscape project will take shape around Lake Carola. Named after the granddaughter of Henry Sanford, the lake rests among beautiful oaks and once hosted a showcase garden that welcomed visitors strolling along its arboretum paths beside Lake Monroe. Serving as the promenade terminus for the park design, the new hardscape and bank enhancements will allow easy strolling and highlight a variety of passive landscape features.
The creation and preservation of passive and functional parks will remain essential in the years to come, and Ft. Mellon Park will undoubtedly serve as an award‑winning backdrop for generations to enjoy.
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