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Mural finished, skate park ahead of schedule and sidewalks face right-of-way limits in East Ocala
Summary
Staff reported the first commercial-property mural is complete and will receive RGB lighting; the skate park is ahead of schedule with a planned grand opening around March 28; sidewalks and roundabout work may require property adjustments because available right-of-way is limited.
East Ocala — City staff gave construction and public-works updates at the Jan. 27 advisory meeting, including a finished mural under the commercial property improvement grant program, progress on the skate park and persistent sidewalk right-of-way challenges along 8th Avenue and nearby blocks.
"The project was completed. He worked on it for about a month," said Charlita Whitehead, economic development project coordinator, reporting on the mural on 8th Ave and noting positive local feedback. Committee members raised that the mural is not visible at night; Eric Smith, Senior Transportation Project Administrator, said lighting will be installed along the mural "every 10 feet shooting up on it to light it up real nice" using RGB fixtures so the display can change with the seasons.
Smith updated the committee on transportation projects: staff identified parcels for possible 2026 land acquisition and are preparing offer letters, and 8th Avenue work remains on track for a 2027 start with a subsequent 6th Street connector. "We have to establish if we have the right of way first or else it's not even worth looking into it as a project," Smith said, explaining right-of-way limits and surveying needs. He warned that some sidewalk gaps likely cannot meet ADA-standard widths without acquiring portions of private property.
On recreation, Smith said the skate park is running ahead of schedule and could have a grand opening around March 28. "People that are building it, they are generational skaters, and they can't wait to use it," he said, adding construction could complete in early February, followed by landscaping and public art installation.
Committee members also discussed roundabout placement, pedestrian refuge design, and coordination with utilities: Smith confirmed partial undergrounding of electrical service is planned where roundabout construction removes corner clips, but he said he could not confirm that utilities would be buried along the entire corridor.
Next steps: staff will provide better photos of the mural once payment is processed, pursue land-acquisition offers where appropriate, continue sidewalk right-of-way analysis and survey work, and report progress at future meetings. The committee's next regular meeting is Feb. 25.
