LAKELAND, Fla. — For Bill Tinsley, Bonnet Springs Park has been a vision for six and a half years in the making.
“I'm not on Earth right now, actually. I'm over the Moon. It's just been incredible to watch the people and the reaction here during this opening after six and a half years of knowing this day was coming,” Tinsley, the president of Bonnet Springs Park, said.
One of the highlights of the property is a brand-new nature center with interactive displays and wildlife in abundance.
"We have just completely restored the environment. We have osprey, we have herons, we have alligators. We have just all kinds of wildlife have come into this area," Josh Henderson, the park's CEO, explained.
The park was once the largest railyard in Florida.
"It was the hub, the economic hub for central Florida when Tampa and Daytona beach was connected by Flagler," Tinsley said.
As you walk across the hundreds of acres, there’s no shortage of sights and sounds.
"It's a place to escape, engage, and explore. There's something for every member of the family here," Tinsley said.
The leadership team is hoping Bonnet Springs Park will become a mainstay in the Sunshine State for years to come.
"Our goal is to become the central park of central Florida," Henderson said.
Bonnet Springs Park is free to visit and open seven days a week.