On the West side of Orange County lies the master planned community of Horizon West - one of the best places to live in Orlando, Florida.
Its unique feature includes interconnected neighborhoods of Orlando Real Estate with village centers for shopping and dining. These neighborhoods offer everything from single family homes to town homes to apartments, and active, walkable lifestyles for its residents.
“All of the communities in Horizon West are walkable and attached by bike trails. Summerport connects to Eden Isle, then to The Vineyards, all the way to Independence through bike trails and walking trails.
The trails lead you around lakes and beautiful scenery - there’s a lot to see and experience on your journey!” Donnie Garland, Realtor in Orlando.
The plans for Horizon West are still being put into action, and construction for some of the villages in Horizon West haven’t even begun yet.
However, even the neighborhoods that are well underway are seeing major changes - and not just in construction.
To the residents of Horizon West, the most important part of their master community is the lifestyle behind it.
In just one portion of this community, residents have taken charge to transform the very heart of their own neighborhood in Windermere, FL - Summerport.
They've set out to amplify the community’s healthy and active lifestyle, and create an atmosphere where neighbors actually know each other’s names.
Summerport Village's Transformation
Cynthia Dailey is acting as a community catalyst for the transformation of Summerport Village in Windermere. She could see the potential for something great in her neighborhood, so she made it happen.
“My goal is that we set a good example and provide a good blueprint for the villages to come in Horizon West,” she explained. “We have the bones to create a really unique offering for the community.”
Stephanie Lang, Shanny Rios, and Carolina Fagundez work alongside Cynthia in transforming the entire lifestyle of Summerport Village.
Carolina is the owner of Indigo Spa and Wellness Center located in Summerport Village, where she offers a variety of wellness services and classes to the community. She offers a free community yoga class on Sunday mornings, and has played a large role in bringing events to her community, such as their Health and Wellness Fest.
Stephanie organizes free fitness classes for residents every Saturday morning from
9-10 AM through her health coaching service, A Whole New Life.
“It has always been my vision to bring the community together to celebrate health and wellness, allow you to meet your neighbors, and provide what residents need to begin an active and healthy lifestyle,” says Stephanie.
She also offers a walking club every Sunday morning. Residents walk a 3 mile loop that ends right when the Summerport Village Farmer's Market begins - every Sunday at 10 AM.
Creating a Community
Shanny Rios heads up the Farmer's Market, a new development in the neighborhood. She holds several years experience as a market vendor and organizing local events. After participating in the Holiday Bazaar organized by Cynthia, Shanny approached her about creating a weekly Farmer's Market in Summerport Village as well.
To say it’s been successful would be an understatement. She’s had a waiting list of vendors since their first market, and every weekend, residents gather to buy local goods and foods and spend some time with their neighbors.
The women plan events with other businesses within Summerport as well. If you take a look at the community calendar they’ve created, there's something planned just about every night of the week.
In addition to transforming her community, Cynthia also owns ScribbleSpace a shared office and meeting space located right within Summerport Village. This serves as the hub for some of the community events such as Codeteachers.com Classes, Kids Cooking Connection Classes, and Marketing and Networking classes for Small Business Owners.
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Why?
So why are these residents so motivated and inspired to transform their neighborhood?
“I wanted to live somewhere where I can put roots down for my children - somewhere they can feel at home and have a sense of community where they can foster relationships.
I’ve owned two houses in the past, having moved three times in the last three years. Every time I moved it was because I didn’t feel connected with my neighbors. I finally feel that here,” explained Shanny.
The women wanted a high quality of life in their neighborhood, so they led the way.
They want to continually improve the events they produce and offer exactly what residents of Summerport are looking for. They invite residents to share their ideas on how to make their community great, and do their best to make residents' requests a reality.
According to them, we can expect to see family movie nights and food truck nights in Summerport Village's future!
“We have a vision to create a sense of community, provide convenient commerce for residents, and live in a neighborhood where people know each other,” says Cynthia.
