Residents urge Winter Springs to finish Central Winds Park lighting as city begins master-plan work

Multiple Winter Springs residents and youth-sports parents urged the City Commission on Feb. 24 to fund and install field lighting at Central Winds Park so local teams can practice and play after dark.

The speakers said incomplete lighting forces families to travel to Oviedo, Winter Park and other cities for evening practices and games, reducing local economic activity and complicating family schedules. David Baer, president of the Lake Tuscawilla Association and president of Save Rural Seminole, told the commission “Winter Springs Exceptionalism” should include finished parks, and said his estimate of the time cost to residents from driving across town amounts to about $384,000 a year for local soccer families. Jocelyn Baer, a Winter Springs mother, said the travel pushes children’s bedtimes later and affects sleep and health.

The public push coincided with a parks master plan report that was on the consent agenda. Commissioner Victoria Bruce said the plan is a starting point and “our work starts now” after the report was delivered to the commission. During public input, Deandra Gonzalez said field lighting is “not just a matter of convenience” but “a necessity for the growth of local sports, community engagement, safety, and the overall functionality of the park.” Speakers handed petitions to the city clerk; the petitioner reported about 1,164 online signatures (308 identified as Winter Springs residents) and a paper petition with 90 signatures (35 identified as Winter Springs residents).

Why it matters: speakers linked finished lighting to public safety, local recreation access, and to keeping consumer spending near the park. David Baer and others said expanding usable field hours could enable more weekend tournaments and increased hotel and restaurant demand near the city’s Town Plaza.

Commission response and next steps: The Central Winds Master Plan report was included in the consent agenda and accepted by the commission; Bruce and other commissioners described the report as the start of staff work. No specific budget allocation or guaranteed timetable for lights was approved at the meeting. Commissioners and staff discussed the need to evaluate funding and logistics; no formal vote on lighting funding occurred at the Feb. 24 meeting.

Details and concerns raised during public comment and commission discussion: - Residents noted that some fields are only partially lit and that half-finished work limits use in winter months when daylight is short. (Speakers: Leah Weisman; David Baer; Jocelyn Baer.) - Petition counts reported to staff: ~1,164 online signatures (308 Winter Springs residents) and a 90-signature paper petition (35 Winter Springs residents). (Speaker: Deandra Gonzalez.) - Local parents and coaches said more lights would let working parents bring children after 5 p.m., reduce overcrowding of available slots, and allow tournaments that draw visiting teams. (Speakers: David Baer; Jocelyn Baer; Deandra Gonzalez; Kyle Reinick.) - Commissioner Bruce and staff said the master plan report now requires follow-up work by city staff to identify priorities, funding and implementation steps; she characterized the report as a starting document rather than an implementation commitment.

What was not decided: The commission did not adopt a funding source, construction schedule, or grant of authority to install lights at Central Winds Park at this meeting. Any capital or operating budget changes would need to be proposed and approved in a future budget process or via a separate agenda item.

Ending: Residents asked the commission to consider lighting as a community investment that supports youth sports, local businesses and safety. The commission accepted the Central Winds Master Plan report and signaled staff work will follow; advocates said they will continue outreach and seek funding options in upcoming budget discussions.