Central Winds Park Master Plan Public Workshop

This document details the proposed master plan for Central Winds Park in Winter Springs, FL. It outlines initial observations, existing conditions, and potential enhancements for six key areas within the park: the Event Lawn, Upper Fields, Lower Fields, Western Edge, Passive Park, and Natural Edge. Designed to engage the community, the plan invites public input through a workshop format, allowing residents to envision future improvements such as enhanced amenities, accessibility features, and environmental integration to better serve diverse recreational and community event needs.

1. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP
Welcome to the Central Winds Park Master Plan Public Workshop!
Help us envision the future of YOUR park.
Central Winds Park provides a variety of functions as a public park. It provides neighborhood park uses through its playgrounds and passive spaces, community park uses through its
sportsfields for both practice and tournament use, and serves as a regional destination for events such as the Hometown Harvest and Highland Games.
The City of Winter Springs is looking to enhance and improve Central Winds Park to better function the needs of park users and accommodate a variety of uses.
Initial Observations
The following diagram shows some initial
observations of the site that may guide the
design direction.
Now it’s your turn!
The following boards break down the park
into six different areas providing additional
information as to the function of each area as well
as the potential proposed enhancements of the
site.
What do you think?
Explore each board and let us know what you
love or would like to see improved within each
area of the park. Place sticky notes with your
comments on each of the appropriate boards.
Areas
1 - The Event Lawn
2 - The Upper Fields
3 - The Lower Fields
4 - The Western Edge
5- The Passive Park
6 - The Natural Edge
2
3
4
6
5
1
YOU ARE
HERECENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 1

2. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE Area 1 includes the multipurpose lawn and stage and is currently
the site of large events in the park. This portion of the park slopes
unevenly from a higher elevation along the road to a lower
elevation before reaching Lake Jesup shoreline. This uneven
slope limits views into the lawn and stage so that the functional
performance area is limited. Past the stage is a retention pond
and Lake Jesup where there is an opportunity to connect to the
future planned boardwalk and provide access into the lakefront.
Currently, views of the lake are mostly blocked by vegetation
which could be improved with selective trimming.
DESTINATION PLAY AREA
FESTIVAL/ FARMERS MARKET SPACEEVENT LAWN
PLAZA WITH SHADE STRUCTURE AMPHITHEATER SHADE STRUCTURE
Amphitheater not visible from top of hill
Opportunity to provide architectural feature with shade
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 1: The Event Lawn
2
3
4
6
5
1
RETENTION POND
MULTI-PURPOSE
LAWN
STAGE
Uneven slopes limit event use and sight lines
Uneven slopes limit event use and sight linesCENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 2

3. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE The Upper Fields currently host competitive sports games
on the diamond and rectangular fields. The site is home to
several Babe Ruth baseball and softball tournaments as well as
national youth baseball AAU tournaments that are held annually.
Additionally, it can support football, soccer, and lacrosse games.
The area includes support amenities such as shaded parking, a
playground, concessions, and a maintenance shop to provide
access to high quality recreation amenities. This parking lot also
provides separate fence-controlled parking during larger events
such as the Highland Games. Access control, through fencing,
allows the competition fields to be maintained the high level
required for this type of play. However, this also creates a feeling
of separation from the rest of the park. The Cross-Seminole Trail
runs along the south of the property and is sandwiched between
high school and park fencelines.
CONNECTION TO CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL GROUP PAVILION SHADED WALKWAYS
FORMALIZED GRAVEL PARKINGRELOCATED SCULPTURE
Well maintained fields host large sporting events
Playground ramps lead directly into parking with no buffer.
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 2: The Upper Fields
2
3
4
5
1
COMPETITION
BASEBALL DIAMONDS
PLAYGROUND
CONCESSIONS
PARKING
COMPETITION
SOCCER FIELDS
MAINTENANCE SHOP
TEE BALL
Trail is sandwiched between fences with no openings from park.
Established tree canopy provides shade.
Parking medians limit tree root zones.
6CENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 3

4. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE Area 3 includes all of the practice fields including unlit soccer and
softball fields as well as a covered sculpture in the center of the
space. Aside from large expanses of sportsfields, this space is
marked by various elevation changes and stormwater features.
Throughout the space, drainage swales carve limit the free
movement between the various fields which limit the flexibility
and circulation of the multi-use fields. Additionally, drainage
issues occur along the parking lot edge to the south. The
eastern and northern edges provide canopy shade under which
spectators often sit. The eastern edge is much higher than the rest
of the space providing sloped lawn to view the games.
While there are sidewalk connections into the softball quad,
most of the space has no formal walkways. Orientation is a major
challenge within the Lower Fields with users unsure of where to
find parking or specific fields.
WALKING LOOP CELEBRATE EXISTING TREE CANOPYSHADED SPECTATOR AREA
EXPANDED DETENTION AREASCENTRAL PAVILION WITH SEATINGTREE LINED FIELDS
Drainage swale limits flexibility of multi-use fields
Natural edge provides nice views
Beautiful character oak
Heavily used soccer fields
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 3: The Lower Fields
2
3
5
1
4
PRACTICE SOFTBALL
DIAMOND FIELD
PRACTICE
SOCCER FIELDS
COVERED
SCULPTURE
PARKING LOT
PRACTICE SOCCER
FIELDS
PRACTICE
SOCCER FIELDS
6CENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 4

5. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE The Western Edge is organized along the north-south roadway
which provides access to the dog park, parking lot, and new
pickleball courts eventually leading into the water augmentation
plant and fishing pier area. The dog park includes both large and
small dog areas as well as an agility course. The new pickleball
courts receive heavy use and are supported by a new sustainable
parking lot and restroom building. The water augmentation plant
at the north end includes a large storage tank which may provide
some opportunity as a observation deck or other hardcourt
recreation amenity overlooking Lake Jesup. Major challenges
along this area include limited parking during event days and the
lack of a north-south pedestrian walkway to connect the different
amenities. This results in vehicle and pedestrian use conflicts
along the spine road. There is also no clear connection between
this area of the park or the rest of the park.
PAVILION WITH SEATING
SPORTS COURTOBSERVATION DECK
EXPANDED PARKING
ENHANCED ENTRY SEQUENCE
Active dog park amenity area
Heavily used state of the art pickleball courts
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 4: The Western Edge
2
3
4
5
1
DOG PARK
PARKING
PICKLEBALL
Opportunity to add pedestrian circulation
Sustainable parking drainage and permeable paving
6CENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 5

6. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE The passive park area of the park is located within a clearing
of the wooded area and includes passive amenities such as a
playground, pavilions, sand volleyball court, basketball half-court,
and open space. This area of the park provides opportunities
for unstructured play and enjoyment of the outdoors. Both
pavilions are frequently used by both casual park users and
users participating in sports practices or tournaments. This area
also provides access into the adjacent nature trails. There are
some drainage challenges within the space particularly around
the pavilions as the area slopes down towards the lake. The
playground is well-loved and may be in need of replacement.
A unifying feature, such as a walking loop, may help unify the
various amenities and provide accessible routes to the various
offerings of the site.
NATURE PLAY LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PARKING FORMAL GARDENS
COVERED EVENT SPACEEVENTS CENTER/ LODGETREE-LINED ENTRY
Playground may need replacement
Pavilions are well loved and used for parties and gatherings
Active basketball court with adjacent shaded area
Drainage issues limit use of pavilion
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 5: The Passive Park
2
3
4
5
1
MULTI-PURPOSE
LAWN
VOLLEYBALL
BASKETBALL
PAVILION
PAVILION
PLAYGROUND
6CENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 6

7. UPPER FIELDS
ORANGE AVENUE
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
CENTRAL WINDS PKWY
HICKS AVENUE
CROSS SEMINOLE TRAIL
LOWER FIELDS
SR-434
CITY OWNED
PROPERTY
LAKE JESUP Existing Conditions
What are your favorite aspects of this area of the park?
Proposed Amenities
What would you like to see in the future?
YOU
ARE
HERE The Natural Edge includes a variety of natural communities
including the lake shore, wetlands, and upland tree canopy that
provide much of the site character. Along with the future planned
boardwalk, there is an opportunity to highlight the natural
character of the site and provide access to the various natural
communities present. Opportunities for low impact recreation,
such as nature trails and disc golf, as well as environmental
education would help highlight the natural assets of the park
while protecting natural resources.
ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS
RENTABLE GROUP PAVILIONS
BOARDWALK ALONG LAKE
SHADED PICNIC AREAINTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE
DISC GOLF
Opportunity to access water’s edge
Natural canopy provides shaded area for spectators
Central Winds Park Master Plan | Area 6: The Natural Edge
2
3
4
5
1
NATURE TRAILS
FISHING
PIER
FUTURE BOARDWALK
UNPAVED
PARKING
Keep existing memorial benches
Opportunity for interpretive signage to highlight natural community
Opportunity to formalize path and make accessible
Large open shaded area create opportunities for passive activities
6CENTRAL WINDS PARK MASTER PLAN
City of Winter Springs, FL | 10.26.24 | Public Workshop
| 7