Longwood's Candyland Skatepark Reopens After Volunteers, City Complete Upgrades

A fresh pour of concrete and a reconfigured pump track welcomed riders back to Candyland Skatepark in Longwood on March 23, ending a weeks-long closure that began in early March. The upgrade was driven by a three-way partnership: the City of Longwood, local shop Mr. Bikes n Boards and community volunteers who identified the pump track, a series of banked curves and rolling hills central to BMX and bike-skills training, as the park's most pressing priority.

The work involved new concrete pours and structural resurfacing in select sections of the pump track, with specialized crews handling the technical elements while volunteers covered the rest. Crews also reconfigured parts of the modular skatepark to reduce friction between skill levels, a persistent issue at the original layout where beginners on scooters and experienced BMX riders were routed through the same circuit without natural separation. At least one park regular put the change plainly after the reopening: the improvements made the layout "flow better" and allowed riders of different speeds to use the facility more safely.

The redesigned layout now functions as a more tiered experience. Newer riders, children on scooters or first-time skateboarders, can move through sections without getting cut off by faster cyclists working pump-track lines. More advanced BMX riders get a smoother, unobstructed circuit. All four user groups, skateboarders, BMX riders, scooter users and inline skaters, are welcome at the park regardless of age or experience level.

Candyland Skatepark sits within Candyland Park at 950 W. State Road 434. The facility is free. Weekday hours run noon to 7 p.m.; weekend hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 107-space parking lot, including accessible spaces, is reachable from Longdale Avenue. Helmets and protective gear are encouraged under posted park rules. Mr. Bikes n Boards, which helped organize the volunteer component and serves as the local hub for BMX and skate event information in Longwood, can be reached at 407-790-4964.

Supporters of the park have long pointed to ample room on the 17.5-acre grounds for a more substantial expansion of the skate and pump-track facilities. The public-private model built here, city resources paired with a neighborhood shop and volunteer labor, could serve as the blueprint if that expansion ever moves off the wishlist.