Bonnet Springs Park

Text description provided by the architects. Between 1880 and the early 1950s, the Bonnet Springs Park site was home to the Lakeland Railyard, which served as a major hub for freight traffic up and down the East Coast. In 1952, the railyard closed, leaving the land in a derelict state and Lake Bonnet all but forgotten. In 2017, the Bonnet Springs Park Board of Directors hired Sasaki to develop a master plan for the park. Sasaki took input from the audience during a six-month outreach period and incorporated ideas and desires into the approved design and mission of the park: to become an ecological gem, a cultural magnet, and a connected community asset.

Decades of industrial use and outdated rainwater management practices have left parts of the site in a deteriorating state, and the condition of the brownfield was a primary factor that influenced the design process. Sasaki's multidisciplinary team, together with a group of local consultants, developed strategies to restore natural systems and address harmful pollutants on site. The remediation strategy included removing invasive alien plants, constructing wetlands and bio-foulings to treat runoff, and mulching the contaminated soil in large mounds that double as park overlooks.

The park's downtown location creates a key opportunity to build on Lakeland's tradition of hosting renowned cultural and educational institutions and to reinforce the city's commitment to supporting the arts. Interpretive exhibits in the Welcome Center highlight the area's agricultural, industrial, and cultural history, and outdoor spaces feature an extensive botanical garden as well as the integration of still and transient artworks throughout the park. Most notably, the Florida Children's Museum has moved to an expanded facility in the heart of Bonnet Springs Park and is participating in developing educational and cultural programs for the entire park.

Bonnet Springs Park welcomes visitors of all ages and backgrounds from across the city and connects neighborhoods that are currently divided by transportation infrastructure and a gap in the urban fabric. New walking and bike paths, welcoming entrances, and public transit integration allow easy access to the park from near and far.

supports Activities in the park range physical and social justice for all visitors to enhance shared experiences and forge new bonds within this growing and changing community.

The park also serves as a place to connect people socially with gathering facilities such as a large banquet hall in the event center, a full-service restaurant in the welcome center, and a large central event lawn for concerts and festivals. Smaller gathering spaces such as the tree house, tea house, and nature playground help bring people closer to the everyday magic of the park.