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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCentral Winds Park Opening-1992 • Central Winds Park opening By Elaine Bennett Wagner's Curve on State Road 434 south OF THE SENTINEL STAFF of Lake Jesup. City officials had hoped the state De- partment of Transportation would push WINTER SPRINGS — Scoreboards are ahead its plans to widen and realign the going up, but it probably will be summer road so motorists could safely make the before children can circle the bases at the curve driving 45 mph. Motorists now 59-acre Central Winds Park in Winter must slow to 15 mph. Springs. State planners,though, said they would Commissioners had hoped to open the be unable to complete the project ahead - park in February, but they have since of schedule because the agency had not learned the gates will remain closed to yet obtained right of way for that portion the public until June or July. of the road's expansion. Planners blame the delay on problems DOT plans to spend about$4.77 million with the park's entrance at the 90-degree to widen the two-lane S.R. 434 between thrown a curve by roadwork ,„, State Road 419 and Tuskawilla Road to lane four lanes, starting in the spring of 1996. At the same time the road is being re-' The project includes the realignment of designed, crews will be installing safe the curve,which is located midway in the equipment, such as lights, bells and stretch of highway. crossing arms at the CSX railroad tracks, After learning DOT would be unable to which the park entrance road crosses. complete the work early, city officials Both projects should be finished by . agreed to spend about $120,000 to move June or July when the first phase of the, the curve slightly southward, away from park's construction is completed. the park's entrance, and to install turn Phase I includes fields for baseball, lanes as recommended by DOT. softball and soccer, a playground, multi- That realignment is expected to begin purpose field,bicycling and hiking paths, later this month and should be completed picnic areas, restrooms, a concession in about 60 days, according to Winter Springs Planning Coordinator Don LeB- Please see PARK, K-4 _ _ - .. ._. te 7 op -+N • . K q t 4 eraser i -.1 Allifthr: • • • _-- dk 41 . _ _ , EL4 E BENNET SENTINEL Attention is given to detail as workers work on a concession stand at Central Winds Park. 9Aco 3 I Problems with .$1,. .:' ' t ) , road will delay - 1 park opening ,, ,,,� ! , from K-1 'ro4 . " ii PARK , - . F.#f stand, scorekeeper's building, a ,`�. - maintenance building and park- 1 - }, " t II ' '`' '. Ong spaces. ,,„' The entire park, which is ex- i ” I pected to cost more than $4.8 mil- p r lion, will include 380 parking }�♦ ' • " ` • �' :.. '==�' spaces and an overflow parking 1 i area fields for soccer, softball,Lit- 1 t t• 'I,� . > .. tle League, Babe Ruth and T-ball; r , , 4, �.: tennis, racquetball and volleyball " . `, ',. - courts; basketball areas; a recrea- r ' . .,1' tion center; observation deck; pa- ," vilions; amphitheater and per- 'Y ' forming arts stage; picnic areas; -N( *4, : . -'"r" playground equipment; and shuf- fleboard area. r+!,a Also included in the design are a boardwalk, fishing pavilion, hik- '1 - .. • ing path with exercise equipment and a conservation area for four rt ` gopher tortoises living on the ;. property. The city also hopes to °'9-4 #' • build a caretaker's home on the i`` J;-. '�. park property. �.'.. s • EL ;NE BENNETT'SENTINEE4 F The city has discussed putting Officials say it will probably be summer before the gates at the end in ti all-purpose pool and thera- y peutic pool. of this path leading to Central Winds Park will be open to the public. 5 2 0 3 if -..-.: . , 1 \:....\\.. , hi 4i _. . \.`\4\\�1 L\ t k t I DO NOT =' :-. � .. _ ENTER " " -- PARK , CLOSED ,' i •.• fir'' ' / '/ f rf �/ i -• i,, , ` f ' ` I j . / /f f/v'✓i./� � I, y , �•u‘/ ,, DENNIS WALL/SENTINEL The new Central Winds Park remains closed while problems with the road are fixed. Curve problems get straightened out By Elaine Bennett The city of Winter Springs had When work is completed, motor- OF THE SENTINEL STAFF hoped to complete the$120,000 re- ists should be able to handle the alignment last month. curve safely at 35 mph. The proj- Work on the road was stopped ect calls for reducing the curve to WINTER SPRINGS—Problems after the city learned that Florida 11 degrees and moving it to the at Wagner's Curve have been Power Corp. had installed utility south and farther from the park straightened out, opening the poles in the same location as the entrance. path for the realignment of the proposed new section of S.R. 434. During the realignment, crews sharp turn on State Road 434. The utility has since moved those will add turn lanes into the park. While the road is being re- poles. Work on the entrance to the park, aligned, eastbound motorists will The city also learned that a tele- which is expected to be open by use a temporary bypass road be- phone box, which handles 30,000 October. will start after the new ing built south of the new section connections for customers of section of road is completed. of State Road 434. Westbound traf- Southern Bell and is located in DOT plans to spend $4.77 mil- fic will continue to use the exist- the path of the proposed new sec- lion to widen the two-lane S.R.434 Mg road during the realignment, tion of S.R. 434, could not be between State Road 419 and Once work is completed in moved. Tuskawilla Road to four lanes, about three weeks, the temporary The state Department of Trans- starting in the spring of 1996. road will be removed and the ex- portation recently approved new At that time. DOT will tear up isting road will be redesigned for designs for the realignment. the portion the entrance to the 59-acre Central The 90-degree curve has re- the city and again�real realign the Winds Park, which is being built quired motorists to slow to 15 mph curve so motorists can safely drive at the curve's northern edge. to get around the sharp corner. the curve at 45 mph.