6 x February 16 — March 1, 2023 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com Q Healthy West Orange Wellness Park opens The city of Ocoee held a Valentine’s Day grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Healthy West Orange Wellness Park on Feb. 14. The park is located directly across from the Ocoee Police Department at 1320 S. Bluford Ave. The Ocoee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the city partnered with the West Orange Healthcare District to turn two retention ponds into a park. In 2021, the CRA finalized the design with the goal of building a wellness destination for Ocoee residents to walk, run, bike and train. The 5-acre site includes a half-mile, 10-foot-wide, multipurpose trail around both ponds and four shaded wellness stations, two of which have suspension-fitness equipment for strength training. A shaded pavilion sits in the middle of the large pond, connected to both sides of the trail by a boardwalk. The boardwalk and seating areas offer a serene setting for relaxation. The park’s exercise equipment has QR codes that can connect users to a fitness app that tracks information, including steps and reps. Fitness stations have 10 pieces of equipment with 60 different strength and training exercises. The West Orange Healthcare District awarded the city’s CRA with a $2.25 million seed grant for the construction of Wellness Park. The total cost for building it was $2.95 million. Park hours are 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Q New rail system opens connectivity to Southwest Orlando Orlando’s Right Rail coalition and Universal Orlando Resort officials announced significant progress toward realizing the vision of commuter rail connectivity throughout Central Florida with the creation of the Shingle Creek Transit Utility Community Development District. The limited-purpose public entity will plan, finance, construct, operate, NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS own and maintain a new Orange County Convention Center SunRail station, which advances a key priority for SunRail — the Sunshine Corridor Program. The program creates a commuter rail line between the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center, expanding SunRail and connecting Central Florida communities across the region. When complete, it will provide important regional connectivity for residents, including more than 100,000 local workers in the International Drive area, and visitors, too. The corridor will also connect residents and visitors to Brightline, the privately run intercity rail line currently serving Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and — coming this year — the Orlando International Airport. “We’ve known for years that connectivity between the airport and International Drive area will be essential to our entire region’s future,” said Maria Triscari, president of the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors Orlando’s Right Rail, a coalition that advocates for an inclusive, regional mass transit plan and supports the Sunshine Corridor Program. “This new station is great news for our entire community.” Q Pam Gould resigns from Shepherd’s Hope Southwest resident and District 4 school board member Pam Gould resigned as CEO/president of Shepherd’s Hope. Her last day with the organization was Jan. 31. Founder Bill Barnes is serving as interim CEO while the Shepherd’s Hope board searches for a new president. “Pam Gould has decided to chart another path of service, which cannot be pursued while at Shepherd’s Hope,” said John Miller, board chair of the nonprofit. “Pam’s leadership has been instrumental to guiding compiled by Lauren Salinero Shepherd’s Hope through the challenges the pandemic presented the last several years. On behalf of our board of directors, I thank Pam for her many contributions and wish her the very best in her next chapter of community service.” BUSINESS BRIEFS Ambassadors of West Orange Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Crisp & Green in Horizon West. WOCC builds partnerships, strong businesses and commitment to the community by serving as the leading business advocate in Central Florida, photo courtesy of WOCC West Orange Chamber of Commerce ambassadors celebrate the grand opening of Crisp & Green in Horizon West. Q Lighthouse Central Florida receives grants Lighthouse Central Florida, an Orlando-based nonprofit that provides vision rehabilitation services to individuals living with blindness and/or other visual impairments, received three major grants (totaling $130,000) to support general operations, update technological infrastructure and fund its children’s and adult programs. The grants were awarded by three separate groups — the Bainum Family Foundation, John R. and Ruth W. Gurtler Foundation, and the Universal Orlando Foundation. The funding allows Lighthouse to continue providing vital programming for children and adults, as well as enhance and upgrade its IT resources. For more information about the programs and services offered by Lighthouse Central Florida, including how to support them, visit www.lighthousecfl.org. facilitating opportunity to nearly 1,000 member businesses. For more information about WOCC, call 407- 656-1304 or visit wochamber.com. Some adults are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; however, there are preventative steps that can be taken now to help preserve brain health. One way people can help take control of their brain health is by joining an Alzheimer’s clinical trial like the Ahead Study, which is a preventative trial that aims to get ahead of Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms are apparent. The Ahead Study is currently testing lecanemab, a newly approved Food and Drug Administration treatment, to see if it can possibly prevent Alzheimer’s disease. To speak to an expert about the importance of diversity in Alzheimer’s research, contact K2 Medical Research at 407-500- 5252 or visit www.k2med.com. ª
Southwest Orlando Home & Real Estate x February 2023 x 1 SOUTHWEST ORLANDO Home & Real Estate Volume 3, Issue 11 — February 2023 Do You Know Your Home’s HVAC System? New Home Tech Trends and Innovations A Product A Product of the of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin
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