Florida's latest urban park: Bonnet Springs Park

[thelakelander]

Completed in late October 2022, Downtown Lakeland's Bonnet Springs Park is a $110 million public space funded one hundred percent through donations from local businesses, organizations and residents. The park was developed on the site of a Seaboard Coast Line rail yard that operated between 1906 and 1982. Bonnet Springs Park is a great example for groups seeking to improve public spaces in their respective cities, neighborhoods and communities.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/floridas-latest-urban-park-bonnet-springs-park/

[Steve]

This one is crazy to me. Lakeland isn't a big place. They just spent 9 figures on what looks like an incredible public space.

Goes to show you that businesses will contribute....if you develop a solid plan so they know what the money is going towards.

Any idea how long it took them to raise the money?

[vicupstate]

^^ Yeah that is an insane amount of money to raise privately, particularly in a city of that size.  100% private financing for a park is pretty rare as well, regardless of the amount.   

[thelakelander]

I believe the park concept was initially proposed around 2015 or so.

[HeartofFlorida]

This one is crazy to me. Lakeland isn't a big place. They just spent 9 figures on what looks like an incredible public space.

Goes to show you that businesses will contribute....if you develop a solid plan so they know what the money is going towards.

Any idea how long it took them to raise the money?

The fundraising for Bonnet Springs started in 2017.  There were several major donors that contributed to the park in addition to the tremendous public support.  Having visited the park back in January, I must say that I'm impressed and anticipate that open space to look even better once the newer foliage starts to mature.