ST. CLOUD, Fla. – Some floor decals in downtown St. Cloud are peeling off sidewalks not long after being installed.
The city spent $22,000 this summer to place these floor graphics around downtown. The decals indicate areas where people can lawfully carry open containers.
“Within the boundaries of the entertainment district, you can walk around with beer and wine in approved glass or cups from different restaurants and bars downtown,” St. Cloud Communications Director Maryemma Bachelder explained. “The graphics that were installed are just to delineate those areas where alcohol is allowed in the entertainment district.”
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However, just months after installation, some decals are showing signs of wear and need replacement.
“Most of them are doing fine,” Bachelder said. “There are a few locations where, because of the way that the concrete is rougher and a little more porous in some areas, we’re having more issues.”
At today’s Community Redevelopment Agency meeting, city staff will update on the damage and discuss potential solutions.
“So, we’re going to be exploring some options for that, whether it’s some adhesive spray or maybe doing some, some refinishing to the concrete to give it a smoother texture to make them last longer. We do have a number of additional decals that we can use because it’s Florida, we have bright sun, we have rain, we have all the things,” Bachelder explained.
Ryan Gaston, a St. Cloud resident, said he understands the safety purpose behind the stickers but questioned whether the city’s funds might be better spent elsewhere.
“It’s different. I mean, it’s kind of a safety thing, I guess, for alcohol and stuff like that, because they do downtown events,” Gaston said. “Probably shouldn’t be saying this, but the road. I mean, they fixed the middle of the intersections, but some of these older roads, they could probably be fixed rather than [the decals.]”
The Community Redevelopment Agency meeting is at 3 p.m. today.