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Lauderhill outlines 18‑month beautification, irrigation and canal program; Maple Run drainage construction expected to begin this fall
Summary
Public Works laid out an infrastructure‑first 18‑month beautification plan that converts irrigation to city mains, removes problematic trees, restores medians and schedules canal maintenance; the city also presented a May–July timeline to put the Maple Run drainage project out to bid and begin construction this fall.
Lauderhill public works presented an infrastructure‑first beautification plan Monday that blends short‑term repairs with multi‑phase capital projects over about 18 months, and staff described progress and a schedule for the long‑studied Maple Run drainage improvements.
Public Works Chief Mark Salady said the department has consolidated crews previously split between parks and public works into a single team focused on irrigation conversion, tree removal where roots are damaging sidewalks and roadways, median restoration and city building exteriors. "We broke the city down into four different areas… city buildings, parks, medians, and canals and waterways," he told the commission. Salady said the city has moved wells and converted areas to city water to limit pump damage and invested in in‑house equipment to handle tree‑trimming and sidewalk restoration instead of repeatedly contracting those services.
Examples presented to the commission included converting Veterans Park irrigation onto the city main, making medians green and clean before installing groundcover and curbing, and in‑house reconstruction of problematic parking‑lot asphalt and tree removals at City Hall. Salady said the city established a four‑person irrigation team and has eight employees dedicated to canal maintenance, plus a schedule posted online for canal maintenance and boat crews working in specific geographic zones.
On drainage in Maple Run — a neighborhood long‑identified in the 2019 master drainage plan — engineering work is under way. City staff said the Maple Run drainage improvements are in a three‑phase design (lakes, roads and parking lots) and that the consultant KCI had completed roughly 60 percent of the design by February 2025. City and consultant presentations to the commission showed sanitary and storm infrastructure investigations, soil borings and surveys completed as part of the design. Staff told the commission the design package will be at about 90 percent imminently, they expect to go to bid in May, to select a contractor in July and plan a groundbreaking in October or November 2025, with public outreach to homeowners about staging and temporary access impacts.
Commissioners asked about canal bank visibility, FPL buffer tree trimming, and ongoing maintenance schedules; public works said residents can check a monthly schedule on the city website and request inspections. The department also said it will launch an "Adopt a Park" volunteer program to pair civic groups, businesses and HOAs with scheduled park cleanups and programming.
City staff framed the 18‑month plan as infrastructure first — converting irrigation and removing problem trees to stabilize planting — followed by improved landscaping and long‑term amenity upgrades. Salady said the approach reduces outsourced costs and shortens repair turnaround time.
