CITY OF LAKE WALES – Famed University of Florida basketball player, Walter Clayton Jr. is scheduled to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Albert Kirkland Gymnasium in Lake Wales on Friday, April 18 at 5:15 p.m.
A small motorcade will begin at the corner of Kissimmee Avenue and 4th Street at 5:00 p.m. and travel to the gymnasium. Citizens are encouraged to line the streets and follow the motorcade.
“It is exciting to see a hometown hero return to the gym he played in for years,” Stephanie Lutton, director of parks and recreation said.
More than 13,000 square feet of surface area in the gymnasium was restored to be more durable. It accommodates various types of athletic sports, such as basketball, volleyball and pickleball.
“Many generations of our citizens have frequented the facility, since it was built in the 1930s,” Lutton added. “We want it to be known as a safe space for the youth to play sports and engage with one another.”
Following the motorcade, citizens and the media are invited inside the gymnasium to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:20 p.m. A brief press conference will be held for questions by the media.
Due to time constraints, Clayton Jr. will depart the event following the press conference. Autographs will not be permitted.
Following the ceremony, staff in the parks and recreation department invite citizens to stay at the gymnasium and continue the celebration. Music and outdoor activities will be on site.
Press release provided by the City of Lake Wales.
