Westmonte Park — Attraction in Altamonte Springs

I’ve been part of a group that has been playing soccer on Sunday mornings for a couple of years now. Before I joined the group that met to play soccer, they had already been playing at this park every Sunday for several years. Most of us like coming here because we’re parents and bring our little ones to either join us in playing at times or enjoy the playground while we engage in a friendly game of soccer. That is until today, Sunday, June 30th, 2025. Unfortunately, today a ranger told us that the park manager had new rules and that we could no longer play unless it was a group of 5 people at most…. HOW DO YOU PLAY A GAME OF SOCCER WITH ONLY 5 PEOPLE?! This “new rule” is not stated anywhere on the park and we were only given this rule verbally. A police officer came to discuss this matter and while I can say that the officer and ranger were polite and professional, you could tell that even they didn’t get nor agree with this rule. According to the park manager, you cannot play any organized sport with more than 5 people per group. This means that you could never play a 5 on 5 basketball game or even a 3 on 3 soccer game because this violates their new rule of “no more than 5 people per group.

Many if not most of us are from Altamonte Springs. We are law-abiding citizens that have never disturbed the peace and have always sought to set an example for our kids and anyone else in the park. We have never left a single piece of trash on the ground nor bothered anyone while we’re there. We only take up a small portion of the field for approximately 2 hours on Sunday morning so that so that others can also be free to use the field as well. We were not even given the option to rent the field when we inquired about this option and even with this nonsense of a rule, we respectfully and peacefully walked away.

That being said, this has to change. Our walking away today was not a consent to this outrageous rule. How can we strengthen our community if the places we have to gather are taken away from its own people. What is the purpose of a public park if you can’t use it? What is the message we are sending to our community and to our kids?! I have also been made aware that there are multiple other groups that have been kicked out as well. I implore the park manager to consider the men, women, and kids that are affected by this decision. Please speak up and let’s change our community...

We've been playing soccer in this park for over 10 years. It's been more than just a field—it's been a space for community, mentorship, health, and unity. We've always respected the park, helped maintain it, and followed every rule. We never thought we'd be treated like outsiders in a place we've called home for so long.

Recently, park managers Craig Martz and Neida Hernandez have made it increasingly difficult for us to use the space. We were told in a meeting that we needed to allow others to use the field—which we fully agreed with and complied. We’ve never tried to monopolize the field, and we believe everyone should have equal access to public spaces.

But instead of cooperation or appreciation, we were shocked when the same managers who asked for fairness turned around and called the police on us—without cause or warning. This kind of action feels extreme and targeted. We can't ignore the growing sense that racial discrimination may be a factor, based on how we’ve been singled out compared to other groups who use the park.

We’ve never caused problems. We've built a positive environment around the game of soccer for over a decade. This treatment is not only unjust, but it sends a harmful message to the young people who look up to us and rely on this space as a safe outlet.

We call for transparency, fairness, and accountability from park leadership. This is a public park—meant to serve everyone, not just...

One word, spectacular! Westmont Recreation Center is located in the Spring Oaks subdivision. It has been there since the mid-70s. Recently, millions of dollars were poured into top-notch renovations, and is now open to city of Altamonte residents as well as the public-at-large. As to be expected, City residents get a discount on yearly memberships or can pay monthly. Double the cost, the public is invited to join as well for either year-long memberships or drop in classes/pool as desired. Lifeguards are on duty, and pool access is available early morning till the evening. There are extensive senior activities offered monthly as well as a therapeutic pool for their use. There are a variety of aquatic classes offered daily such as basic arthritis as well as advanced classes. The dressing rooms are handicapped accessible, easy to maneuver, clean as a whistle! For the younger kiddos, there is a really unique and expansive playground to enjoy. Including the pool and picnic areas, there are sail and umbrella shades everywhere to help protect guests from the scorching heat and direct Sun. Kudos to the City of Altamonte and those involved in the budgeting for, designing, building and now maintaining this incredible community gathering place. I do believe this project is fully funded and paid for in full. 👍If you haven't already,...