Minneola, Orlando, FL Daycare

Minneola is a city in Orange County, Florida. It was founded in 1883 by settlers from Ohio and named after the Minnehaha Falls near Sioux City, Iowa. The falls reminded them of Hiawatha’s home.     Minneola has been a small but progressive town with close-knit community values since its inception. In recent years, it has seen a large population growth due to the development of many new residential neighborhoods that include homes for all budgets and lifestyles and single-family residences on larger lots. This growth led to the need for additional government services such as police, fire rescue, water management, and recreation services that are now met by area municipalities working cooperatively through an agreement called “The Minneola Community Services District (Minneola CSD).” The term of this agreement is ten years and provides for a five-member board of directors to be selected through elections held in the City Council election cycle.

In 1883, a group of settlers from Ohio founded the City of Millenia in Orlando and named it after Minnehaha Falls near Sioux City, Iowa. The falls reminded them of Hiawatha’s home. Milliaria has been a small but progressive town with close-knit community values since its inception. In recent years, it saw a significant population growth due to the development of many new residential neighborhoods that include homes for all budgets and lifestyles and single-family residences on larger lots. This growth led to the need for additional government services such as police, fire rescue, water management, and recreation services that are now met by area municipalities working cooperatively through an agreement called “The Millenia Community Services District (Minneola CSD).” The contract term is ten years and provides a five-member board of directors to be selected through elections held in Minneola’s election cycle.

Today, the City has grown to over 13 square miles with about 18,000 residents thanks to its excellent location just south of U.S. Highway 27 and County Road Old Winter Garden, near the intersection of State Roads 535 and 15-92 in central Orange County. The City is one mile east of Interstate 4 exit #75 (SR 535/Orange Blossom Trail) with convenient access to major universities, medical facilities, parks, and recreation areas, including downtown Orlando’s prestigious Lake Eola and Walt Disney World. According to the City’s 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the City are:

The Minneola Community Services District (Minneola CSD) was formed by an agreement adopted on March 13, 2009, that provides a five-member board of directors to be selected through elections held in Minneola’s election cycle. The City of Minneola is a member of the Orange County Utilities Solid Waste Service District (SRC), which provides a garbage service contract with Waste Pro, Inc. The City also has an agreement with Public Works Management Corporation to manage its wastewater treatment and collection system.

Minneola has an active forensics program, part of the Orange-Osceola Forensic Union based in Orlando. The team won the 2006 national championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. Minneola High School is also known for its strong baseball and softball teams. Minneola has several festivals, including the Minneola Downtown Music Festival, the Minneola Harvest Festival (including a parade), and its annual Fourth of July Celebration. These events bring crowds from surrounding areas. The City is also host to several community events, such as a monthly pancake breakfast held at the Minneola Public Library, weekly concerts during the summer at Nixon Park, and an “Ice Cream Social” held at Nixon Park in the winter.

Minneola has a police department and is served by the Minneola Volunteer Fire Rescue, recently awarded national accreditation status. This makes it one of five fire departments in Florida to achieve this distinction. The City also provides an award-winning full-time EMS service; two state-certified facilities, including a six-bed emergency care center and a nine-bed long-term skilled nursing facility. The Minneola Recreation Center is located on the west side of Winter Garden Vineland Road at Kenansville Road. The center has a gymnasium, two racquetball courts, an elevated jogging track, locker rooms with showers, and an aerobics/dance studio. Activities offered include youth basketball, tumbling classes, aerobic classes, Zumba classes, after-school activities for children ages 5–12 (both before and after school), and special events like the annual Halloween celebration open to residents of surrounding communities. The center also has a fitness room that is open to the general public.

In 2014, Minneola Recreation Center introduced a summer camp program for children ages 5–12 years old. It included activities such as arts and crafts, sports, storytime, and field trips. Campers experienced activities that focused on math, science, language arts, social studies, and literacy. Campers also had access to a variety of themed, out-of-camp experiences and special events throughout the summer.

The City has one public school: Minneola Elementary School (K–5), with about 1,100 students in 2014, named a “Best Community for Music Education” in 2015 by the NAMM Foundation.
East Orange County Library District operates the Minneola Branch Library at 1001 Cloud Boulevard, which opened in 2002 with about 6,000 square feet of space. It was built to replace an existing community center converted into a temporary library when the MHS elementary school was being expanded in 1999.