Clearwater should turn South Garden Ave. into an open-air museum | Column
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Clearwater is at a crossroads.
In the coming weeks, the City Council will vote on whether to sell South Garden Avenue to the Church of Scientology. On the surface, it’s just a transaction — $1.375 million in exchange for a public street. But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll see something much deeper. This is not just about a piece of land. It’s about what kind of city we want to be.
For years, downtown Clearwater has struggled. Vacant buildings and dwindling foot traffic have clouded the dream of a bustling, welcoming center. Some believe that if we give the Church of Scientology one more piece of land, church officials will finally open their doors and fill the streets with life. But let’s be honest: Hope is not a strategy. There’s no guarantee that those doors will open to the public. And even if they do, the tension between the city’s residents and Scientology isn’t just about access. It’s about trust.
That’s why The Garden matters.
The Garden is our community’s alternative proposal for Garden Avenue. It’s a living, breathing tribute to the people who built this city — Black and white, side by side — even during times of enforced segregation. You may not know this, but Garden Avenue was once the heart of Clearwater’s African American business district. It was a place where barbers like Jack Morris served everyone, where cafés welcomed people from both sides of the racial divide, and where cab drivers like Sidney Wigfall quietly bridged the gaps that society had forced between us.
That’s the real story of Clearwater. Cooperation. Dignity. Peace.
Yes, peace. That’s what this project is ultimately about. Not protest. Not politics. Peace. The kind of peace that is forged when people choose to work together instead of against each other. The kind of peace that was lived ou — unspoken but undeniable — on Garden Avenue decades ago.
We want to bring that spirit back.
In partnership with the Clearwater African American Foundation, The Garden will be a memorial park. But more than that, it will be an open-air museum and walking tour that invites residents and visitors alike to remember what Clearwater once was and imagine what it could still become. With multimedia installations, a Conversation Circle and QR-coded stories from our elders, this will be a place of reflection, connection and hope.
Some have questioned the location of our project, suggesting it would be better off somewhere else, like the Greenwood area. But that’s missing the point. Garden Avenue is the history. To bulldoze this street is to erase the memory. It’s not about real estate. It’s about respect.
As someone who has spoken to hundreds of residents, I can tell you that this is about the people of Clearwater saying, “We want a downtown that belongs to everyone.” Not just those with the deepest pockets or the most influence. Everyone.
The City Council must be brave enough to vote in our favor. This moment requires strength — the kind of strength that doesn’t give in to pressure, that stands up for what’s right, even when the odds are stacked against us.
We’re not asking the city to fund this project. We’ve pledged to raise the money ourselves — $2 million to purchase the property and build The Garden. On behalf of the people of Clearwater, we are pleading that the city choose us.
To the City Council: You have a chance to do something truly meaningful. To choose people over property. Peace over pressure.
To the residents of Clearwater: Join us. Sign our petition and donate to this cause. Let your voice be heard. Help us save the Garden — not just for today, but for future generations.
The fading vitality of downtown Clearwater has left more than empty buildings — it has left a deep civic wound. Some blame Scientology. Others point fingers at the City Council. And too often, the blame circles back to the people themselves. It’s the same cycle of the Jim Crow era: shifting responsibility, deepening divides and stalling progress. But human nature, while flawed, also holds the capacity for growth, and we’ve seen that growth before. The story of Garden Avenue is one of quiet courage, where Black and white citizens overcame barriers, challenged prejudice and built a thriving community together. This park honors and learns from their legacy. The Garden is not just a memorial — it is an invitation to heal, to listen, and to build again.
Content retrieved from: https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2025/04/30/clearwater-should-turn-south-garden-ave-into-an-open-air-museum-column/.
