County holds groundbreaking ceremony for Raymond H. Neri Community Park improvements
Pinellas County held a ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday for the much-anticipated Raymond H. Neri Community Parks Improvement project in Lealman. The event was attended by County officials, county commissioners, civic leaders and other residents.
“Pretty soon, Lealman will be an even better place where the community can live, work and play,” commissioner Charlie Justice said. “This project is part of a major commitment Pinellas County has to the quality of life of Lealman.”
Scheduled for construction this summer through early 2026, the project will bring several enhancements to the park at 4303 46th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Those include a children’s playground, an adult fitness course, a dog park, restrooms, picnic shelters, an open playfield and new and resurfaced trails. Extensive community input helped shape the project.
“When you go back to 2005 when this facility first opened, it was a basically a field with a trail around it,” said Paul Cozzie, director of Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources. “To see all of the improvements that have happened over the last 19 years, as well as the improvements that are coming in the next year and a half, it really is night and day.”
This project is part of a broader effort by the County to invest in the Lealman area. This undertaking includes the establishment of the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), the opening of the Lealman Exchange community center, and plans for Joe’s Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail.
For more information and project updates, visit pinellas.gov/projects/neripark/.
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