Bonnet Springs Park to be a New Central Park for Lakeland, FL
"Great cities have a great park." Creating a special public place out of underutilized, industrial land for the whole Lakeland, Florida community to enjoy
Transforming an abandoned rail yard into an ecological jewel, a cultural magnet, and a connected community asset for a rapidly growing region
Bonnet Springs Park
The Nature Center will welcome all visitors seeking to learn more about the flora and fauna of Bonnet Springs Park. Connected by boardwalks, the Nature Center consists of two buildings providing exhibit space, classrooms, food vendors, and paddle boat rentals.
Between 1880 and the early 1950s, the 180-acre Bonnet Springs Park site was home to the Lakeland Railyard, which served as a major hub for the movement of freight up and down the east coast. In 1952 the railyard closed, leaving the land in an abandoned state and Lake Bonnet all but forgotten.
Then in 2015, recognizing that metro Lakeland is one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and building upon the city’s strong tradition of parks and natural areas, a group of Lakeland enthusiasts proposed the creation of Bonnet Springs Park—a central park for Lakeland.
In 2017 the Bonnet Springs Park board hired Sasaki to create a master plan for the park. Sasaki took input from the public during a six-month outreach period and incorporated ideas and desires into an approved design and park mission: to become an ecological jewel, a cultural magnet, and connected community asset.
Sasaki’s park design includes heritage gardens, a canopy walk, boating activities, sculpture gardens, playgrounds, and an event lawn. New walking and biking paths connect major park spaces with new buildings designed by Sasaki: Welcome Center, Nature Center, Event Center, and Children’s Museum and Cafe.
The master plan shows the actual dimensions of the project: 180 acres of unused land will turn into a “New Central Park” for the city of Lakeland
This densely shaded grove of live oak trees will feature a walkway that soars 18 feet above the woodland floor. At moments along this quarter-mile-long walkway through the canopy, the view opens up to showcase the magnificent 200-year-old Grandfather Oak—a centerpiece of Bonnet Springs Park.
An Ecological Jewel
Decades of industrial use and outdated stormwater management practices have left portions of the site in a degraded condition. Sasaki’s interdisciplinary team, along with a group of local consultants, have developed strategies for restoring natural systems and remediating harmful contaminants on the site. These include the removal of invasive exotic plants, constructing wetlands and bioswales to treat runoff, and capping contaminated soil in large hills that double as overlooks for the park.
In other parts of the site, mature live oak trees and meandering waterways will be protected and enhanced. A Nature Center is planned at the nexus of these environments overlooking Lake Bonnet where park visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the ecology of central Florida. The Nature Center will feature classroom and exhibition space as well as a café and boat rental facility.
A boardwalk leads visitors to the Nature Center exhibit and classroom building, nestled within the existing trees of the Bonnet Springs Valley
The Nature Center displays educational exhibits on native Florida wildlife and species
A series of lush constructed wetland gardens play a vital role in improving the ecological health of the Bonnet Springs Valley and Lake Bonnet. Interpretive elements along the boardwalks adjacent to each pond show visitors how these areas prevent pollution from entering Lake Bonnet by cleaning stormwater runoff.
A boardwalk leads visitors to the Nature Center exhibit and classroom building, nestled within the existing trees of the Bonnet Springs Valley
The Nature Center displays educational exhibits on native Florida wildlife and species
A series of lush constructed wetland gardens play a vital role in improving the ecological health of the Bonnet Springs Valley and Lake Bonnet. Interpretive elements along the boardwalks adjacent to each pond show visitors how these areas prevent pollution from entering Lake Bonnet by cleaning stormwater runoff.
A Cultural Magnet
The park’s downtown location creates a prime opportunity to build upon Lakeland’s tradition of hosting renowned cultural and educational institutions and furthering the city’s commitment to supporting the arts. Interpretive exhibits at the proposed Welcome Center will highlight the region’s agricultural, industrial and cultural history, and outdoor spaces will feature an extensive botanic garden as well as the integration of fixed and ephemeral works of art throughout the park. Most notably, the Explorations V Children’s Museum will be relocating into an expanded facility at the heart of Bonnet Springs Park and will participate in the development of educational and cultural programming for the entire park.
The Welcome Center has an oversized canopy on its west side to provide shade and shelter. Where the overhang meets the hillside, the building and landscape merge to create a playground. Within the building, a restaurant and exhibition space are key draws for visiting guests.
The Children’s Museum and Cafe form a new gateway into the event lawn. The museum facade serves as a blank canvas for colorful murals.
The large, central event lawn will be programmed with cultural events and festivals throughout the year
A Connected Community Asset
Bonnet Springs Park will welcome visitors of all ages and backgrounds from throughout the city and connect neighborhoods currently divided by transportation infrastructure and a gap in the urban fabric. New walking and bike paths, welcoming entrances, and the integration of transit will allow the park to be easily accessible from near and far. The park will also serve as a place to connect people socially with gathering facilities such as a large banquet hall at the Event Center, a full-service restaurant at the Welcome Center, and a large central event lawn for concerts and festivals. Smaller gathering spaces such as a tree house, tea house and nature playground will help bring people closer to the daily magic of the park. The range of activities planned for the park will support physical and social equity for all park visitors in an effort to reinforce shared experiences and forge new connections within this growing and changing community.
Model study of Children’s Museum, Cafe, and Event Lawn
Model study on how landscape and hills merge with the buildings to effectively define the boundary of the event lawn
Inspired by Explorations V Children’s Museum, the Bonnet Springs Botanical Gardens takes visitors of all ages on a journey through a landscape dedicated to exploring all five senses. These ornamental gardens will display the diverse horticulture of the region while serving as a natural setting for contemporary art and sculpture. At the highest point of the Botanical Garden sits the Event Center building, where weddings and other events can be held overlooking the gardens.
Walking paths provide public connections to the Welcome Center at multiple levels
The Heritage Garden will tell the history of Bonnet Springs Park’s site, which was once a rail yard and an orange grove. Featuring pollinator paths and fruit trees as well as large Live Oak within the grand Oak Grove, the gardens will be a peaceful and beautiful setting for both relaxation and learning.
The Bonnet Springs Valley was created by the natural eroding processes of the Bonnet Springs, a sand seep spring. The rare hydrological system is the result of ground water being squeezed out of a porous hillside. A new restored ecosystem along the spring corridor will naturally stabilize the banks, clean the water, and provide new habitat for water-loving fauna.
Walking paths provide public connections to the Welcome Center at multiple levels
The Heritage Garden will tell the history of Bonnet Springs Park’s site, which was once a rail yard and an orange grove. Featuring pollinator paths and fruit trees as well as large Live Oak within the grand Oak Grove, the gardens will be a peaceful and beautiful setting for both relaxation and learning.
The Bonnet Springs Valley was created by the natural eroding processes of the Bonnet Springs, a sand seep spring. The rare hydrological system is the result of ground water being squeezed out of a porous hillside. A new restored ecosystem along the spring corridor will naturally stabilize the banks, clean the water, and provide new habitat for water-loving fauna.
For more information contact Zachary Chrisco.
