Start of Renovations at Historic Lake Lorna Doone Park
Local resident, Tangia Smikle, grew up in the West Lakes neighborhood and fondly remembers spending time with her family and friends at Lake Lorna Doone Park. Now, a mother herself, she still enjoys spending time at the park and has been a key member in the community helping to holistically revitalize the area, including working together to move plans forward to fully renovate the community park.
On Tuesday June 4th, at 10:30 a.m., those efforts were celebrated as Smikle joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 5 City Commissioner Regina I. Hill and Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan to officially break ground on the project.
Located near Camping World Stadium, the project will transform the 12-acre park into a place where, friends, neighbors and visitors can gather to connect, play and exercise. Some of the improvements planned for the park include a new walking loop with fitness stations, a new inclusive playground, two new basketball courts and a water spray park. Other improvements include new restroom facilities, benches, drinking fountains, lake overlooks, a fountain in the lake and a community garden.
The more than eight million in improvements is made possible thanks to funding provided by the City of Orlando and a generous three-million-dollar fundraising commitment from Florida Citrus Sports.
The West Lakes neighborhoods and residents have been actively involved in the revitalization effort, including collaborating on the designs of the new park together with the City of Orlando and Florida Citrus Sports. The park continues to serve as the community meeting spot and is used for everything from cookouts to exercise. In 1955, the park was the site of the first integrated Little League Baseball game played in the south.
Renovations to the park are expected to be completed by late spring 2020.
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