Windermere to install shadecover at Palmer Park playground

The Town Council approved a $26,530 purchase of a playground shade structure from Shade of America.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 9:00 a.m. February 24, 2023

Southwest Orange
News

The Windermere Town Council approved the purchase of a playground shade structure for Palmer Park at its Tuesday, Feb. 14, meeting.

The shade structure, from Shade of America, is $26,530 and will be purchased using funds available in the parks committee line item.

In a letter to the mayor and town council, the Parks and Recreation Committee said it worked with town staff to obtain three quotes for the project: Swartz Associates Inc., declined to quote; Shade America Inc., $26,530; and 360 Recreation LLC, $44,291.68.

“The Parks and Recreation Committee has been dedicated to improving the parks system within the town and has worked tirelessly to bring more recreation opportunities and activities to the residents of the town,” the letter read. “As part of this important work the committee identified a need to install a shade structure at the playground at Palmer Park.”

The shade will be constructed using Commercial 95 340, the flagship of GALE Pacific’s Architectural Shade Fabrics range. Designed for use on tension structures and suitable for a wide variety of applications, the fabric offers the ultimate combination of maximum sun protection, strength and durability to ensure maintenance-free, long-life performance.

Nora Brophy, Parks and Recreation chair, spoke in support of the shade structure at the meeting.

Brophy said the committee is focused on Palmer Park this year and already has ordered new handicapped-accessible swings and a new teeter-totter.

“We lost a couple of oak trees in that park, and now the little kids are in danger of burning their little behinds on the swing,” she said. “The shade will cover most of the swings and the play structures.”

Brophy also mentioned a couple of pieces of playground equipment such as the tire swing were removed from the park recently due to safety concerns.

The council approved unanimously the shade structure.

IN OTHER NEWS

Brophy reminded attendees about the Windermere Pet Fest, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Town Council approved unanimously several meeting minutes: Dec. 6 Public Workshop, Jan. 10 Town Council, Jan. 23 Public Workshop and Jan. 24 Town Council Workshop.

Council members approved unanimously a variance to allow a boat dock at 510 Jennifer Lane with a negative setback from the projected adjacent property lines. The variance allows the construction of a boat dock that extends across the town’s 15-foot undeveloped, platted right-of-way and encroaches across the extended property line at 713 E. Sixth Ave. by 35 feet, for a total of a negative 50-foot setback.

The Windermere council approved unanimously a variance to allow a gross floor area in excess of 38% for the installation of a roof over existing second story balconies at 914 W. Second Ave. The increase will jump from 37% to 40%.

author

Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.