"Current and future residents spend a lot of their free time enjoying our existing parks, trails and outdoor venues, and they have expressed a desire for even more opportunities to connect with nature and experience being outdoors," said Rick Severance, President of Wellen Park. "We're excited to offer new play areas and nature trails that will enhance the well-being of our residents and visitors, while fostering environmental stewardship."
Two new parks will be located in Downtown Wellen, a vibrant area and popular gathering space known for its restaurants and boutiques. A temporary Pop-Up Play Park for children 6 years and younger opened in early March, featuring two sets of playground equipment, with climbers, planks and slides.
Grand Lake Dog Park, opening in October 2025, will offer an area for pet owners to let their pets run free. The two-acre fenced park will include canine agility equipment, large open areas, jumping rings, a grassy mound with a tunnel, benches and seating, and two large shade structures.
A new and larger community playground – Park 87, opening in early 2026 – is set to become a vibrant and engaging community space, featuring custom-built fire station-themed playground equipment. The theme pays homage to its location next to Wellen Park's future Firehouse No. 87. In addition, Park 87 will offer a multi-purpose lawn for recreational activities and community events, shaded areas and a covered pavilion with restrooms and dedicated areas for toddlers. The surrounding freestanding play equipment, such as a rope obstacle course, spinners, a Universal Carousel and swing set with ADA-accessible seating, cater to children of all ages and abilities. Poured-in-place rubber surfacing lets children with mobility-assisted devices move throughout the play space with greater ease.
Also slated for construction is Oakheart Nature Trail, a winding three-mile trail, anticipated for spring 2026, offering shell paths, boardwalks and an immersive natural experience. It will include a fishing pier and connect to a planned school campus for kids walking and biking to school. The trail will include two trailheads with restrooms and parking.
Wellen Park has also unveiled the Buttonwood Trail, a 2.5-mile shell path and boardwalk trail through natural scenery, which will include a gated entry directly to Wellen Park's Palmera community. The Buttonwood Trail development is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025.
Wellen Park's investment in public spaces underscores the importance of fostering connections among residents while enhancing the overall quality of life. By welcoming families and creating spaces where neighbors can interact, these parks play a crucial role in strengthening the fabric of local communities.
About Wellen Park
As the #6 top-selling community in the United States, Wellen Park is a place where genuine connections and shared community come together to flourish and grow. Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, Wellen Park combines a diverse mix of neighborhoods with dining, entertainment, shopping, and outdoor recreation to offer an exciting destination for residents and visitors from the young to the young at heart. Wellen Park is committed to the wellness and wellbeing of our residents, visitors, and community partners. We are proud to support physical wellbeing by offering a variety of healthcare services on-site, including a free-standing emergency clinic opening soon. Educational wellbeing also thrives at Wellen Park, with schools and classes for all ages, from pre-school to college and beyond. Wellen Park is also proud to be home to CoolToday Park, the site of the Atlanta Braves' spring training facility.
SOURCE Wellen Park
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