Tucker Ranch's new 25.6-acre park and botanical garden opened Oct. 23 in Winter Garden

Winter Garden held the grand-opening ribbon cutting for Phase II of Tucker Ranch on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. The Orange Observer's photo story, published at 5:08 p.m. that day, says "Dozens celebrated the opening of the 25.6-acre crown jewel" and that people from the city and the project's partners "gathered to cut the ribbon." Before the event the city's post said: "Join us for a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the 25.6-acre crown jewel park and gardens within Tucker Ranch to the public." The city calls the new phase the "Tucker Ranch Holistic Health & Wellness Park and Botanical Garden".

What changed

• Amenities, as the city lists them: "a botanical garden featuring an extensive collection of ornamental, food, and pollinator plants; trail system with exercise nodes; nature paths; boardwalk; roofed pavilion extending over water; pond and fountain; and more."
• Buildings: "a 5,000-square-foot indoor venue and screened patio at The Retreat Center, as well as The Ranch House, which includes a demonstration kitchen, outdoor patio area, and fireplace".
• Connections: "Walking paths connect to Tucker Ranch's existing playground, nature trails, picnic areas, and canoe/kayak launch."
• The city's account of the build: construction of Phase II within the 209-acre preserve is complete "(and on time and in budget)", in the city's words, just over two years after the Aug. 23, 2024 groundbreaking.
• At the groundbreaking, the Orange Observer reported: "Construction of the $31 million park phase will begin this fall and is estimated to take two years."

When

• Closure announced, now past: the city said the whole park would be closed Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22. On Oct. 16 its closure post said the park "will be closed on Wednesday, October 21 through Thursday, October 22, due to construction." The grand-opening post said it would be closed "in preparation of the Grand Opening celebration." On Oct. 26 both posts return HTTP 404 on the city's site. I found no report on whether the closure took place as announced. The Observer's photo story does not mention it.
• Opening day, Friday, Oct. 23: the city had said "The Park will reopen on Friday, October 23, at 9:30 am." The Observer reports the ribbon cutting took place, and that "Dozens of city leaders, individuals involved in the project and community members attended the ribbon cutting."
• What the report does not say: it does not say in so many words that the gates opened to the public that day, and I found no other report that does. I am treating the ribbon cutting, which the city described as the event "to open" the park "to the public", as the opening.
• The city's own pages never reported it: on Oct. 26 its event page on wgfl.gov still lists the ceremony as upcoming, and the city's news list and wgfl.gov home page show no Tucker Ranch item.
• As announced beforehand: ribbon cutting at 10 a.m., park hours that day 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free admission.

Where

• Tucker Ranch Park & Nature Preserve, 100 Avalon Road, Winter Garden.

What it means if you live here

• Oct. 21 and 22 have passed: the city had announced the whole park closed on those days. I found no report of how it went.
• Opening day was free, per the city's announcement, with the gate due to open at 9:30 a.m.