Have you heard of the Lancaster Ranch Project in Kissimmee?

The City of Kissimmee is full of natural beauty all around us, from the tranquil Shingle Creek waterways to the wonderful walking and biking trails. Lake Tohopekaliga allows residents and visitors the opportunity to appreciate nature while fishing, walking, riding, or spending time at the playground. These special spots throughout the city give us a sense of peace and let us escape from the Central Florida hustle and bustle.

 

This 150-acre area just south of Downtown Kissimmee is a perfect location for wide-open, natural park space. In the first renderings for the Lancaster Ranch Project, revealed by the City of Kissimmee, you can see that the area would provide Athletic Fields, a dog park, and much more while surrounded by natural beauty. This park would add an open green space, miles of walking trails, beautiful natural scenery, and recreation space for all to enjoy. If Kissimmee Lakefront Park is the front yard of our City, consider the Lancaster Ranch Project the back yard.

 

Residents of Kissimmee were given the opportunity to fill out a survey or attend a public workshop to help determine how to best develop this area. The City’s goal was to hear what residents would and would not like in this type of park. What the survey and public workshop revealed was that the residents wanted to see native plants in the park. They also wanted to preserve historical and environmental elements. There was a lot of support for active access to Shingle Creek, which runs as the southern border of the park, as well as space for pavilions and a recreation center/fieldhouse.

 

The City of Kissimmee wants its residents and visitors will have the chance to enjoy the natural beauty around them while still receiving the opportunities and amenities that the City of Kissimmee offers. The Lancaster Ranch Project is currently in the engineering and design phase which is projected to take approximately two years. Construction will then run in phases over the following three years pending the allocation of funds by the City Commission.

 

The Lancaster Ranch Project is yet another way the City of Kissimmee continues to make a positive difference in Kissimmee and in Osceola County.