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Orange Audubon and city preview designs for Apopka Birding Park education center
Summary
Orange Audubon Society and the city showed conceptual designs to renovate a former nursery building into an education center at Apopka Birding Park, highlighting restoration work, invasive species control, and a zero‑energy concept with rainwater capture and solar arrays.
City parks staff and the Orange Audubon Society updated the council Oct. 16 on progress toward developing the Apopka Birding Park on the former Hickerson nursery site.
Bradley Williams, parks and recreation director, introduced the project and noted the ground lease finalized in March 2024 with Orange Audubon. Deborah Green, Orange Audubon president, outlined restoration priorities including removal of concrete pads left by burned greenhouses, treatment of invasive cogongrass, seeking an FWC grant to support restoration, and obtaining a water hookup to support native landscaping and visitor amenities.
Architect Philip Donovan of Little Diversified presented a conceptual design that would renovate the existing concrete‑block truck‑shop building into a one‑acre education facility with exhibit and classroom space, restrooms, an observatory with east‑facing windows for bird viewing, and an annex. Donovan said the design emphasizes sustainability: a bird‑wing (butterfly) roof to collect rainwater for cisterns and a solar array intended to make the building net‑zero energy over 12 months. "This building is meant to be 0 energy," he said, describing rainwater collection to flush toilets and a solar array sized to meet annual energy needs.
Staff and the architect estimated construction documents would be completed and permitting initiated next month, with an anticipated opening "just after the Fourth of July" of next year, assuming permitting and contracting proceed on schedule. Council members asked about utility timelines; staff said they were coordinating with Duke Energy and the St. Johns River Water Management District for power and water access and noted some hurricane‑related delays.
Orange Audubon requested continued volunteer support and city assistance with utilities and infrastructure so the site—adjacent to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive—can support restoration, monthly bird surveys and public education.
