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Holiday Closure:
Memorial Day, Monday, May 31

No trash, recycling, yard waste or bulk collection on Monday, May 31. Services will resume on your next scheduled collection days. City government offices are closed. If you have questions, please call 407.656.2256.

Participate in Your City

 
There are many different ways you can participate in your City government.  Here are some options for you to consider: 
 
Volunteer to be on an advisory board.  If you are interested, you can fill out the Board Interest Form and engage in local affairs.
  
Sign up for one of the many classes offered by the City of Winter Garden Parks and Recreation Department.
 
Attend City meetings. Join us in the City Hall Commission Chambers. Check out the calendar for upcoming meetings & events.

*The City has resumed in-person meetings.  However, due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are allowing remote connections to some of these meetings. Please visit the link above if you’d like to register to attend virtually. (Information on how to register will be posted approximately 1 week before the meeting date.)

The Winter Garden Way to Community Success
A Resident-Inspired Philosophy

The Winter Garden Way is the City’s directional roadmap and foundational philosophy that provides both a narrative and picture of what the desired outcome of success will look like for our community and residents. It is, therefore, citizen-inspired and fully reflects the expectations of the community based on feedback inputs over 10+ years ago from the combination of our Nation Community Survey, several focus groups, community stakeholder interviews and community town hall meetings.  The Winter Garden Way consists of and lays outs our City mission, vision and core values both as an organization and how we intend to serve the needs of our citizens.

• The mission to be the best small city in the State of Florida is bold and ambitious, but it sets the tone for leadership, service and performance excellence throughout the City.
• The vision elements highlight and convey the tangible essence of the City’s destination profile and further define the targeted landmarks of accomplishments.
• Finally, the core values of the City outline the key guiding principles that function as the driving force towards the mission - promoting the highest standard for professional and ethical behavior.

Click to view more on the Winter Garden Way and the City’s Strategic Priorities.

Memorial Day Service

This year’s Memorial Day Service will feature a Roll Call of Veterans, placement of wreaths and patriotic songs as we invoke pride, honor and respect for our veterans.

The speaker is Scott Gration, Major General, USAF (Ret). Author of Flight Path, Son of  Africa to Warrior-Diplomat, Scott grew up in Africa and is the son of American missionaries. He became a decorated USAF fighter pilot with 274 combat sorties over Iraq. His leadership skills put him in a position to help lead the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and become President Obama’s U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and US Ambassador to Kenya.

Monday, May 27 | 8:30 am
Veterans Memorial Park, 420 S. Park Avenue

May is Outdoor Dining Month

The City officially proclaims the month of May as “Outdoor Dining Month” in Winter Garden (at May 13 City Commission meeting)! Enjoy spring weather and a side of sunshine with your meals at restaurants’ outdoor dining patios throughout the city, including the umbrella-lined outdoor seating areas throughout downtown. Or, grab to-go from your favorite local restaurant for an outdoor picnic. The fresh air and outdoor scenery accompanying your meal are guaranteed to make you smile. Share your outdoor dining photos at #downtownwintergarden.

Register your
Golf Cart or Bicycle!

May is National Preservation Month

May is dedicated to National Preservation Month. Also known as Historic Preservation Month, the month celebrates the nation's heritage through historic places.   The City of Winter Garden and the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation want to celebrate by asking our community to take photos of some of our local historic treasures.
 
Please plan on participating in the Historic Preservation Photo Contest. The City is looking for resident or professional photographers to submit photos of historic structures for inclusion in an exhibit later this year.  Please click here to learn more about the contest.

Work for the City of Winter Garden

As our city continues to grow and thrive, we are seeking individuals interested in career opportunities who support the city’s Service Standards and Philosophy while having a commitment to customer service excellence, a focus on making our citizens feel important, a motivated mindset, and a “can do” attitude to find creative ideas, answers and solutions.   
 
We encourage you to learn more about our city as a great place to live, work and play.  Our city has become a favorite gathering place for Central Florida residents due to our warmth, energy, and relaxed charm.  Our city has also been nationally recognized by Money Magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in America, by SmartAsset as the “Best Place to Raise a Family in Florida,” by NerdWallet as the “Best City for Young Families in Florida,” by MoveBudda as one of the most sought out small cities to relocate to in the country, as well as many more. 
 
Check out the City of Winter Garden’s current employment opportunities and become a part of one of the best small cities in Florida and the nation!

May is National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to give biking a try.  Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply to explore your community, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. The following days are celebrated during the month.
 
May 5: Bike to School Day
May 13-14:  Cyclofemme 
May 15 – 19:  Bike to Work Week
May 19: Bike to Work Day
May 18:  Ride of Silence

Here are some ways for you to celebrate National Bike Month:

• Plan a family ride and pick a favorite family spot to visit along the way.
• Ride your bike to the Winter Garden Farmers Market on a Saturday during May.
• Ride your bike to a park along the West Orange Trail.  Some parks to consider are Chapin Station, Winter Garden Station or Killarney Station.
• Ride your bike Downtown for lunch or dinner during Outdoor Dining Month.

Spring into FUN with
PARKS & RECREATION!

Find dates, details and prices at: Parks and Recreation or call 407.656.4155.

*Please note that due to COVID19, all programs are tentative at this time.

AQUA ZUMBA

Activate your urge for variety! Aqua Zumba offers fun, shallow-water movement to improve agility and flexibility while addressing cardiovascular strength and endurance conditioning. This 60-minute class combines some of the traditional elements of aqua fitness with the upbeat, Latin-infused dance moves. You don’t want to miss this pool party!

Mondays, May 10 – August 2 | 6:30 – 7:30 pm
16 years and older
$3 per visit
Due to limited space, advanced registration is recommended
online at enroll.wgplay.com

AQUA FITNESS

A stress-free exercise, that works the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and major muscle groups in one workout. Water surrounds the body resisting every move, and muscle workouts are balanced at your own level. Aqua fitness provides a great workout while putting minimal stress on the body.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 11 – August 5 | 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Saturdays, May 8 – August 7 | 8:00 – 9:00 am
16 years and older
$3 per visit
Due to limited space, advanced registration is recommended
online at enroll.wgplay.com

LAP SWIMMING

The outdoor lap swim program gives adults the chance to take to the water for health and fitness without interruption from other swimmers. Participants who swim 25 miles or more over the summer will receive a free Aqua Exercise Flex Pass for the following summer.

Mondays – Thursdays, May 10 – August 5 | 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Mondays – Thursdays, June 7 – July 29 | 8:00 – 9:00 am
Saturdays, May 8 – August 7 | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
16 years and older | $3 per visit
Due to limited space, advanced registration is recommended
online at enroll.wgplay.com

GENTLE YOGA

Great for beginners or anyone that wants to learn the basics of yoga. Yoga involves stretching and strengthening exercises, breathing techniques and relaxing meditation.

Tuesdays | 7:15 – 8:15 pm
16 years and older
$9 City Resident; $10 Nonresident per class

SYSTEMA

This Russian Martial Art focuses on self-defense methods, greater strength and endurance, patience and working with others. Winter Garden is the only place in Central Florida to practice this art used by Russian Special Forces!

Mondays | 7:00 – 8:30 pm
18 years and older
$15 per class

COVID-19 Update:

Learn About Vaccine-Related Scams

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sharing these tips to avoid vaccine-related scams.

Don’t pay to sign up for the vaccine
Anyone who asks for a payment to put you on a list, make an appointment for you, or reserve a spot in line is a scammer.

Ignore sales ads for the COVID-19 vaccine
You can’t buy it-anywhere, including online pharmacies. The vaccine is only available to federal-and-state-approved locations, such as vaccination centers and pharmacies.

Watch for unexpected or unusual texts
Don’t click on links in text messages-especially messages you didn’t expect. If your health care provided or pharmacist has used text messages to contact you in the past, you might get a text from them about the vaccine. If you get a text, call your health care provider or pharmacist directly to make sure they sent the text. Scammers are texting, too.

Don’t open emails, attachments, or links
Don’t open them from people you don’t know, or that come unexpectedly. You could download dangerous malware onto your computer or phone.

Don’t share your personal, financial, or health information
If you don’t know them, don’t share your information with them. No one from a vaccine distribution site, health care provider’s office, pharmacy, health insurance company, or Medicare, will call, text, or email you asking for your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number to sign you up for the vaccine.

In short, you can’t pay to skip the line, reserve your spot, or join a critical trail. Be wary of any inbound calls or texts that ask for your Social Security number, financial details, or insurance information to reserve your spot.

Report COVID-19 vaccine scams.

Register for a vaccine by going here: Vaccination Registration and Sites

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