City leaders are asking for public input on renovations to Community Playground, located at the northeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
The Parks & Recreation Department will host a community meeting to discuss necessary upgrades and possible additions on Tuesday, July 19, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Winter Park Community Center, 721 W. New England Ave. Project designer Dix-Hite + Partners, Inc. will also attend.
The playground, also referred to as Castle Park, was built in 1987 using donated materials and equipment. Renovations are necessary to correct years of wear and meet current playground safety standards.
“It’s our nicest playground,” said Director of Parks & Recreation Jason Seeley. “We have the opportunity to redefine what it looks like with some very modern equipment, as well as potentially incorporating a spray and play area.”
Aside from the playground upgrades, which do not yet have a final cost estimate, two more enhancement projects are in progress at the 23-acre Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
- Sports fields: According to Seeley, City Commission budgeted $400,000 for new turf and field upgrades that are currently under way with a mid-September completion date.
- Unity Corner: Budgeted at $500,000, the area by the corner of Denning Drive and Morse Boulevard will include a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial and community space that will host Winter Park’s annual Unity Heritage Festival. Construction is set to begin later this year.
The upcoming Community Playground meeting is part of an ongoing effort to solicit public input for all of the projects.
“There needs to be conversations so we can get an understanding of whether the community wants to take this opportunity to create something more modern with a different look and feel,” said Seeley.
For more information on the Community Playground meeting, contact MLKParkReno@cityofwinterpark.org or call 407-599-3357.
