WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Winter Garden has grown rapidly in recent years, but that growth has not translated to a community just east of the city’s historic downtown district — East Winter Garden. 

But community leaders are now working on a more than $20 million plan to revitalize that community.

What You Need To Know

  • Community leaders are now working on a plan to revitalize East Winter Garden

  • Johnson-Brunson was recently one of three women appointed to a Community Redevelopment Agency making plans to improve the community

  • Plan includes better streets, sidewalks and more affordable housing 

  • The City of Winter Garden and Orange County are investing more than $20 million for the improvements

Anyone who lives in East Winter Garden either knows Chloe Johnson-Brunson or will likely soon see her delivering flowers to people’s doors.

“My goal every day is to at least make one person smile, whether I know them or not,” said Johnson-Brunson.

Along with a flower and a smile, she’s also delivering something else – hand-written notes of encouragement.

“Because you never know who’s on their last, their last little piece of strength,” she said. “So with little words of encouragement, a little act of kindness, that can make someone’s whole day do a 360.”

Johnson-Brunson is one of three women who recently joined a Community Redevelopment Agency that’s planning major improvements in East Winter Garden — better streets, sidewalks and more affordable housing — to help it grow in line with the downtown Winter Garden.

“When a community looks good, with the plans they are trying to do, you’ll start feeling good not only about your neighborhood but about yourself as well,” said Johnson-Brunson.

Johnson-Brunson’s family moved away from East Winter Garden when she was a child, but she decided to move back and raise her family there.

She admits it’s not the safest area, but she hopes her work with the city’s plans for improvement will help make life better.

“So that my kids can be brought up in a nice area, a safe area, a better-looking area,” said Johnson-Brunson. “So I’m all for that, I’m all for the change. I feel like it’s going to be a force and I’m ready for that movement.”

Johnson-Brunson made a stop in the center of the community, near 10th and Central streets, where Dorothy Slaughter has lived since the 1960s.

“I’m glad she’s doing it, because that’s going to help a lot of people in this neighborhood, especially our black people out here,” said Slaughter.

Slaughter lives across the street from a lot where a new building is going up. It will be an annex to the Winter Garden Police Department, and it’s the the first of several new buildings that will be part of the new improvement plans. 

“This is the first foundation they’re building,” said Johnson-Brunson. “I’m excited to be a part of this.”

Community leaders hope that new police annex building and a bigger police presence in the area will improve the relationship between police and the community.  The Community Development Agency meets again in January to further discuss plans for the community.