Our First Capital Campaign
Orlando’s heart of the city, Lake Eola Park, started out as a vacant tract of land with a small lake.
Through the generosity of Jacob Summerlin and his family in 1883, the city was gifted the tract with particular restrictions that the property be preserved as a park in perpetuity. Summerlin envisioned a beautiful, serene setting around which Orlando would grow and feature gardens, trees, and a path. It was the addition of the lake fountain in 1912 that changed Lake Eola Park forever. Generations of families and visitors have enjoyed the natural beauty of the lake, the park, the wildlife, and the variety of activities that occur annually. It is truly the centerpiece of “The City Beautiful.”
Where are we today? Growth and development are familiar sights to Orlando’s residents. The city’s downtown core has several buildings over 30 stories, compared to 1971 when Disney World opened and the highest was just 10 stories. Office and condominium high-rises have dominated projects encroaching closer and closer to Lake Eola Park, potentially closing it off visually. Preservationists are concerned that, with time, green spaces and lower-height buildings surrounding Lake Eola Park will be redeveloped with high-rises far exceeding the recommendations of the Project Downtown Orlando Vision Plan (DTO Vision Plan) and the Downtown Orlando Outlook (DTOutlook) of 2015.
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FROM THE DTO VISION PLAN:
“Green spaces are catalysts. They magnetize people and become conduits for community connections. Green spaces enliven and strengthen our city and neighborhoods, making them more attractive places to live, work, play, and thrive. By providing beautiful places to gather, parks and open spaces spark and sustain important interactions between people and the bond with their place. When people enjoy where they live, opportunities follow.
“Green spaces improve our physical and psychological health by encouraging exercise and offering tranquility, relaxation, and a refuge from the hustle and bustle, or simply an opportunity to people watch. Parks and plazas can become a city’s signature attractions, places to host organized events such as festivals, concerts, and athletic events. Orlando’s climate provides us with facilities for outdoor spaces to play a vital role in activating our Downtown all year long.”
“Lake Eola Park is the heart of DTO, an open space anchor, a vibrant centerpiece, and a social hub. We need more places like this. When we create more, we improve the quantity and quality of outdoor spaces and activities, which also increase Downtown’s magnetic effect and make it a more livable and inviting place for all.”
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It is with an optimistic, yet determined mind-set toward Orlando and the future of Lake Eola Park that the Orlando Land Trust is embarking on its first Capital Campaign. The goal is to raise funds necessary to purchase the Murrell Building on the southwest corner of Lake Eola Park in order to preserve the land for park use that will be enjoyed by future generations.
The Orlando Land Trust encourages you to become involved with us through advocacy efforts and by making a personal gift or pledge. We invite passionate individuals, like Jacob Summerlin was 136 years ago, to continue the vision for The City Beautiful that will inspire, motivate and preserve.