What's Happening in Winter Park, FL…

Some residents of Winter Park were hoping the city would use a small parcel of land to expand a park, but their hopes were dashed when the city voted to sell the land instead.

The parcel, which comprises 1.6 acres, is next to Martin Luther King Jr. Park, and was purchased by the city to make room for turning lanes on Fairbanks Avenue. Winter Park will retain a small portion of the land for a turn lane.

Approximately a dozen Winter Park residents criticized the decision. Some wanted to see the land used to expand the park, while others believed officials were too hasty in their decision to sell, and did not consult with the board of the Parks and Recreation Department first.

Sarah Sprinkel, city commissioner, said the decision has been under discussion for over a year, so it wasn’t sudden; the mayor added there was no need to talk to P&R, since the land wasn’t intended to be used as a park. Pete Weldon, the vice mayor, said that while he did not want to use this piece of land as a park, he would like the city to reinvest some of the money it got from selling the parcel toward either improving existing parks or buying more land for eventual park use.

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