Creating the beaten path

Windermere’s Safe Route to School project is just the beginning of a master plan that eventually will connect the entire town.

By Jim Carchidi
| 8:29 a.m. October 6, 2021

Southwest Orange
News

The town of Windermere is building multimodal connectivity by correcting an old mistake.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The route utilizes a railroad right-of-way, which represents a decades-old sore spot in the town’s history. According to Smith, the right-of-way originally was offered to the town for $16,000. The Town Council decided not to move forward with purchase, and the majority of the land was then acquired by two entities — DP Lynn Trust and Ward Trust — with some parcels purchased by the owners of adjacent properties.

“I always felt the town not purchasing the railroad right-of-way was a missed opportunity,” O’Brien said of the decision, which he estimates was made in the early 1990s.

Smith began negotiations in 2011 to buy the portion of right-of-way owned by Ken and Susan Ward of the Ward Trust. The 5.592 acres, extending from 12th Avenue to Windermere Road, represents about 60% of the original right-of-way. Talks continued with the Ward family after Ken and Susan died in a 2017 house fire. In 2018, the Town Council approved the purchase of the Ward property for $250,000.

The Safe Route to School project will connect North Avenue to Windermere Elementary School with sidewalk improvements, wider trails and a new pedestrian bridge. Designs include paths measuring 10 feet wide, a 60-foot berm and new landscaping. Plans will be complete by late November, and construction should begin within six months.

“That is the most heavily traveled area for schoolchildren,” Windermere Town Manager Robert Smith said. “Right now, when we get a heavy storm, the dirt roadway washes onto the sidewalk.”

Ruth Marcus helps pedestrians on their way to Windermere Elementary School.

Smith also pointed out the need to replace the aging bridge at South Lake Butler Boulevard and Dirt Main Street.

“The rationale behind the trail is to make sure pedestrians and children have a safe way to get to school,” Windermere Mayor Jim O’Brien said. “Right now, there’s some sidewalk, there’s some road … it’s not ideal. The other reason is… we needed a new bridge to allow golf carts to pass. Also wheelchairs and any assistive devices.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Safe Route to School represents the first phase of a master-plan concept based on residents’ requests for wider, more user-friendly paths connecting neighborhoods, parks and the downtown area. According to Smith, the concept began in early 2014 and grew to include access to The Grove shopping and dining complex on South Apopka Vineland Road.

“We’re still acquiring properties between North and Second avenues, and that will connect (Safe Routes to School) to the downtown area,” said Smith. “Phase Two will be from downtown, east to The Grove, and Phase Three will be from Sixth Avenue down to 12th Avenue.”

Cyclists cross the pedestrian bridge on South Lake Butler Boulevard. A new bridge will be part of the Safe Route to School project.

O’Brien said the town has made commitments to preserve existing irrigation, wells and other systems installed by the previous landowners. And the town’s clubs and organizations will be offered opportunities to landscape segments of the overall path to promote ownership of the project.

“In the end, we’ll have one unified piece of land that will be all maintained and landscaped,” he said.

In July, U.S. Rep. Val Demings announced funding for 10 Central Florida community projects were approved by the House Appropriations Committee, including $760,000 for Phase One of Safe Route to School. O’Brien and Smith say plans to discuss additional funding through the West Orange Healthcare District’s Healthy West Orange Trails Initiative are currently in the works.

“Providing safe routes to school for our students to enjoy walking and biking with their friends and families is a wonderful way to support the healthy well-being of all,” Windermere Elementary School Principal Dr. Diana Greer said. “I am looking forward to the increased engagement we will see from our families as a result of this project.”

“It checks every box, it’s positive after positive,” O’Brien said of Windermere Ward Trail. “It’ll be good today, and it’s going to be good 50 years from now.”