Lake Eola Park

[dwSouthEola]

On 5/10/2021 at 1:12 PM, spenser1058 said:

They did knock down the infamous apartments at Osceola and Pine. Rumor was it would become a dog park but last time I was in town they hadn’t done anything with it yet.

So this is true, but again (from what we are told) not a dog park open to the general public. In a recent review of likely short/long term land development in the neighborhood, city planning told us that the owners offered to sell the cleared lot at Osceola & Pine to Paramount so their residents could have their own attached dog park. It appears they declined such an offer. 

Seems a little ridic whoever owns it cleared an income generating property for a 'maybe' and now it sits empty. 

[spenser1058]

UP member @klstorey goes in-depth on the reimagining of Eola Park:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/05/24/lake-eola-is-in-need-of-a-facelift-heres-what-the-person-in-charge-of-revitalizing-the-iconic-park-has-to-say-about-it

From Orlando Weekly 

As always, Ken provides oodles of info - it’s a great read for Eola lovers.

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Sign up for tomorrow’s webinar about plans for Lake Eola renovations:

Future plans for Lake Eola, Orlando’s signature park, to be revealed
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-orange-lake-eola-preview-20210825-t2k6h6jbgjgublk3ivlwir65mm-story.html

From The Sentinel 

[FLheat]

The city is supposed to post the Zoom meeting at orlando.gov/eolaplan .  Nothing earth shattering from what was previously shared in the concept.  It still will be a while before anything will be done.  No specific city funding allocated and sounds like it will be in a phased approach based on funding.

[prahaboheme]

Did anyone attend this meeting and any new information presented?

[FLheat]

2 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Did anyone attend this meeting and any new information presented?

Yes, they showed more details on the hard structures, a LED lighted canopy to support additional stage lighting for the bandshell in front of the bandshell as well as another shade canopy over the "Hill" behind the seating area to provide additional seating on artificial turf up the hill.  Both east and west restrooms new with additional shaded seating area and the east restroom to have a concession area with seating in front.   New kids parks with an older kids park to the north of the east side restroom.  The "international bridge area" will house the swan boat peninsula and shaded area for farmer's market along with another shaded seating area near WOB and the cul du sac revised to create a better transition.  The area in front of the Waverly will be transitioned to the water with seating steps and integrated shade trees.  The North side pond area will also be revised to provide more surface area for weddings. and the North pier will be expanded further into Lake Eola.  Eola Drive to be changed to diagonal parking in the center which will allow for tents for "Fiesta in the Park" and the like when needed.

[smonteserin]

2 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Did anyone attend this meeting and any new information presented?

I also attended the meeting. I was impressed with the low impact ecological/environmental engineering aspects incorporated into the storm water drains that currently dump untreated water into the lake. At the several points of entry, the water will now pass through natural vegetation filtration in raised decorative concrete beds. There seems to be a lot more consideration not only around how people will use the park, but also making the wildlife and the ecology a focus of care as well.   
 

I was the one who asked the question about timeline and funding, and it seems like this will be a project into the next 10 to 15 years. It seems that these kind of projects take a long time to implement especially here. 

[FLheat]

I asked the same question, as well as the 7/11 corner but they did not address my last question about anyway to discourage the homeless, given there will be new shade coverings throughout the park.

[neoanderz]

The only thing I don’t know if I like is the diagonal parking on Eola Drive.  They claim it will increase parking capacity by 4 spots.  I’d rather not make changes aimed for cars at the expense of pedestrians.  It is essentially a small “parking lot” down the middle of the road which will decrease visibility for pedestrians trying to see cars.

 

Supposedly this allows for more tent space but I’m not buying it.  If you need tent space you can just close off the parallel parking for those days.

[spenser1058]

The Little Old Ladies at OLT are funding a butterfly garden near the (faux) Sperry Fountain at Eola Park:

https://bungalower.com/2021/10/21/orlando-land-trust-fund-new-butterfly-garden-in-lake-eola/

From Bungalower 

 

[RedStar25]

I asked a few questions on the facebook post about the acquisition of the property at Rosalind and Central. I asked, "Are they demoing the  historic Masonic Lodge, the historic house next door, and moving the Rosalind Club?" My questions were deleted. Also the "rendering" they showed was a grassy area with sidewalks.  I guess a big win for..... well lets face it, anyone with a view of the lake and the antiquated Rosalind Club. 

[RedStar25]

From Facebook: 

I'm going to be the hold out here. This plot of land will be isolated from the rest of the park until the Rosalind Club moves and the other buildings are torn down or moved. I also hope the city hopes to relocate the private business owners in those buildings.

I am all for expanding the park, but in a responsible manner. Allowing the Rosalind Club to remain (I fully support moving the current historic building) smacks of favoritism.

This area is an already under utilized portion of a thriving urban park and I fully support its expansion, but in a responsible way. With a Master Plan that doesn't change every two years.

Until then, we will have a random park bench with grass and a private social club (with a foreboding black iron fence surrounding it to keep people out) and two historical buildings that are now expendable.

[FLheat]

4 minutes ago, RedStar25 said:

From Facebook: 

I'm going to be the hold out here. This plot of land will be isolated from the rest of the park until the Rosalind Club moves and the other buildings are torn down or moved. I also hope the city hopes to relocate the private business owners in those buildings.

I am all for expanding the park, but in a responsible manner. Allowing the Rosalind Club to remain (I fully support moving the current historic building) smacks of favoritism.

This area is an already under utilized portion of a thriving urban park and I fully support its expansion, but in a responsible way. With a Master Plan that doesn't change every two years.

Until then, we will have a random park bench with grass and a private social club (with a foreboding black iron fence surrounding it to keep people out) and two historical buildings that are now expendable.

You start that sh*t and the old ladies will take their butterflies back and go home!  We all know the driving cause was to get the homeless away from under the awnings next door and not scare the old ladies as they got out of their cars and got to ignore the parking meters.

Edited October 22, 2021 by FLheat

[nite owℓ]

14 minutes ago, RedStar25 said:

From Facebook: 

I'm going to be the hold out here. This plot of land will be isolated from the rest of the park until the Rosalind Club moves and the other buildings are torn down or moved. I also hope the city hopes to relocate the private business owners in those buildings.

I am all for expanding the park, but in a responsible manner. Allowing the Rosalind Club to remain (I fully support moving the current historic building) smacks of favoritism.

This area is an already under utilized portion of a thriving urban park and I fully support its expansion, but in a responsible way. With a Master Plan that doesn't change every two years.

Until then, we will have a random park bench with grass and a private social club (with a foreboding black iron fence surrounding it to keep people out) and two historical buildings that are now expendable.

IMO, the Orlando Land Trust also misled the public with somewhat false advertising. Some people unfamiliar with the project thought the entire corner would be opened up to Lake Eola Park. Most news reports only showed their idealized future rendering instead of showing the public what it would actually look like. Still upset about the way this is being carried out.

Edited October 22, 2021 by nite owℓ

[spenser1058]

4 minutes ago, nite owℓ said:

IMO, the Orlando Land Trust also misled the public with somewhat false advertising. Some people unfamiliar with the project thought the entire corner would be opened up to Lake Eola Park. Most news reports only showed their idealized future rendering instead of showing the public what it would actually look like. Still upset about the way this is being carried out.

Hey, St. Buddy, who y’all have anointed the most perfect human (or maybe he has superpowers!) ever to hold the office of mayor, fully supported the project (as did the two preceding mayors) so it cannot be anything but WONDERFUL. 

One day when the park spreads from Rosalind to Summerlin, citizens will be struck by the foresight of all those who toiled to make so much green space available in the heart of downtown. Embrace it! 
 

[RedStar25]

10 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Hey, St. Buddy, who y’all have anointed the most perfect human (or maybe he has superpowers!) ever to hold the office of mayor, fully supported the project (as did the two preceding mayors) so it cannot be anything but WONDERFUL. 

One day when the park spreads from Rosalind to Summerlin, citizens will be struck by the foresight of all those who toiled to make so much green space available in the heart of downtown. Embrace it! 
 

I support the Rosalind Club, and have been to many of their Debutant Balls and Functions, but if historic buildings must be torn down or moved for the sake of the park, theirs should too.

[spenser1058]

13 minutes ago, RedStar25 said:

I support the Rosalind Club, and have been to many of their Debutant Balls and Functions, but if historic buildings must be torn down or moved for the sake of the park, theirs should too.

I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves assuming the Masonic Lodge and one of the older houses still standing in town are going to be torn down. I’m torn on the Lodge (it has been so Eisenhowered I don’t know what’s left of it but I’m all for restoring it) but I do know that the Rosalind Club is not only over 100 years old but also quite historic so I don’t really want it to go either.

Fortunately, given the number of individual contributors to this project, not to mention who supported it, I think there is more than enough support to proceed as planned. I know I’m glad to have made my small contribution.

[RedStar25]

"Justification" Much? If they honestly wanted to expand the park, there would be negotiation about selling the land and moving the building. 

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, RedStar25 said:

"Justification" Much? If they honestly wanted to expand the park, there would be negotiation about selling the land and moving the building. 

I’m glad you get to make those decisions now and know their motivations. Congratulations!

[RedStar25]

37 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I’m glad you get to make those decisions now and know their motivations. Congratulations!

*Buys Spencer another drink of practical reality. Heck, make it a double.*

Lets be honest, the NIMBYS overruled what's probably best for the city. This "butterfly garden" is a fools errand. 

And lets not get over the symbolism of older white women, dressed in all black, with a fake rendering of what that corner will look like.   I'm all for the symbiology of wearing black, but this is a joke. 

They are girding their loins and protecting what little" heritage" they think they might be apart of. 

I like the Rosalind Club and have been to many of their events, but if they put their money where their mouth was, like all the other decenters, this would be a non issues. 

Until then, it's entitlement NIMBYISM. 

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, RedStar25 said:

*Buys Spencer another drink of practical reality. Heck, make it a double.*

Lets be honest, the NIMBYS overruled what's probably best for the city. This "butterfly garden" is a fools errand. 

And lets not get over the symbolism of older white women, dressed in all black, with a fake rendering of what that corner will look like.   I'm all for the symbiology of wearing black, but this is a joke. 

They are girding their loins and protecting what little" heritage" they think they might be apart of. 

I like the Rosalind Club and have been to many of their events, but if they put their money where their mouth was, like all the other decenters, this would be a non issues. 

Until then, it's entitlement NIMBYISM. 

I believe in the Little Old Ladies and their desire to hold off a very tall tower that had been proposed for that corner had they not started their campaign. There are plenty of places for towers that are not part of what belongs as park space eventually. Once the tower goes up, the potential is gone for as much as a century or more. I fully support what happened and look for more additions one fine day. 

[popsiclebrandon]

I mean that club won't exist in the not too distant future. They have so few members as it is and they will all be dead soon.

[spenser1058]

It’s certainly possible but that’s sort of overlooking they just successfully completed one of the largest grassroots civic projects Orlando’s seen in decades. I’m not counting them out yet.

Edited October 24, 2021 by spenser1058

[RedStar25]

On 10/24/2021 at 3:06 PM, popsiclebrandon said:

I mean that club won't exist in the not too distant future. They have so few members as it is and they will all be dead soon.

Well, that's kind of sad. I have many great memories attending functions there, but, it is antiquated .

It was  funny though, when I saw a woman passing out flyers and campaigning to block the tower she was screaming that it would cast a shadow over the park. I replied, "Well, we should cut all the trees down since they cast shadows over the park too." 

I just liked the proposal because it cleaned up that corner and enhanced the Spivey Fountain area. 

[JFW657]

Just reported on the news today at noon....

So, good news I guess, for all those clamoring for this old building's demolition and replacement with a small patch of lawn. 

Assuming they vote yes, of course.