Where are all the parks?

Waterford Lakes Resident, Andy Kimpel

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. When you were young, did you go to the park for a walk with Dad, a school outing or maybe just to burn off some excess energy? Have any fond recollections of a church picnic, a pickup softball game or a round of Frisbee with some buddies? It seems that these experiences are destined to remain in the past, since we in East Orlando are suffering from a severe lack of recreational facilities to create new memories with friends and families. Space is always at a premium in fast-growing regions, but many towns are being very innovative in working parks into their plans.

Having lived in various areas of the eastern US, I have seen different areas of the country handle this issue in creative ways. In some neighborhoods, developers constructed recreation areas within each subdivision. Some were as simple as a play area and equipment for young children, while many others included swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts and open play space. The areas were based on zoning, useable space and resident requests. Some neighborhoods even included extensive (miles long) nature trails for jogging, walking and bike riding. And this was in one of the fastest growing areas of the country. Curious? Check out Mecklenburg County Greenway on the web.

Major cities around the Detroit area include parks and recreational facilities to serve the public interest. City planners recognize the need for these areas as a critical component of a well-rounded community. Parks bring neighborhoods closer by encouraging resident interaction and community involvement. These areas become centers of neighborhood activity when well managed. In smaller towns in the northeast, centralized park facilities are a key element of daily life for the town.

Oviedo is a local example of excellent park facilities. This small town of just over 32,000 boasts 10 recreational locations which include a gymnasium, racquetball courts, tennis courts, 12 ball fields, 3 pools, a skate park, soccer fields, playground equipment, picnic pavilions, grills, dozens of acres of open space and walking trails. All supported with classes and programs to engage the community.

Where are the parks in East Orlando? The most we have seen recently was a commitment to build a handful of tennis courts. How does this serve the residents of an area many times the size of Oviedo? Apparently, these tennis courts were proposed to fit into land and budgetary restrictions created by zoning decisions made years before all of us moved here. It was not a decision based on true neighborhood needs or interests, but rather on tossing residents the scraps of land remaining after developers had squeezed out every possible nickel.

We grow weary of the political chatter about high density zoning and mixed-used development. Where are the parks in these equations? We have heard countless discussions about how we must build differently in the future, as opposed to the inefficient way that neighborhoods were designed years ago. Apparently, this means that we should all live very closely together, with immediate access to a wide variety of employment, retail and dining opportunities. Open space? Sorry, none left.

We need open recreation areas to remind us of the importance of our natural resources and environment. We need them so that walkers, joggers and cyclists can have a safe place to exercise, rather than out dodging cars. Apologies to Mickey, but we need them so that our kids can grow up with a park experience that isn’t always preceded by the word “theme”. Creative developers and city planners in other areas of the state and country are able to make this happen for their residents. Why can’t East Orlando do it? It’s about time we asked - where are our parks?