The Winter Park Commuter Rail Station will be located immediately north of the present Amtrak station. For many residents in Central Florida, this is a familiar location next to Winter Park's 11 acre Central Park and Park Avenue with its fine shops and restaurants.
Because of its central, highly visible location, there has been no small amount of controversy surrounding its acceptance by the Winter Park establishment. As of this writing, all appears to be well and the station is going ahead as planned.
Central Winter Park is a very walkable community, and the Commuter Rail Station is at its center. Many shops, restaurants, attractions and cultural places are a short, pleasant walk from the station. In addition, many popular events are held each year in Central Park. Commuter Rail will make it easier and more enjoyable to visit and attend events since traffic jams and parking will not be a problem.
To get an idea of all the places near the station check out Winter Park's Cultural Map by clicking here. In the Commuter Rail future you can ignore the parking lot symbols.
There may be substantial benefits to Winter Park from the Commuter Rail station as it will make it easier and more convenient for many people to visit, and will reduce automobile traffic and congestion at the same time. Only valet parking attendants should be adversely affected.