DPLL excited about new home

ation Division Manager, the “four acres next to the OCPS property were already designated as a park. The additional acres were acquired through a partnership with OCPS.”

The league is looking forward to the new facility, because it will provide a better experience for its players and their families.

“We absolutely want to maximize this opportunity,” Ansari said. “Our program has seen exponential growth since COVID, so we plan to demonstrate and provide the best Little League program in all of Florida — and bring great quality baseball, softball and T-ball — and make it a place where they community can come and enjoy wonderful games.”

There will be two access points for the complex — one off Buena Vista Woods Boulevard and a second off Bissell Street.

The estimated date for completion is late spring 2023, and the funds for the project came from the Orange County General Fund and the park impact fees.

“Our hope and goal is to host some of those little league tournaments (that are hosted during the summer) there —some of which are district-wide, and sometimes Central Florida-wide,” Ansari said.

Leaving The Old Complex

Despite the excitement behind having a new facility built especially for them, the league has mixed feelings about leaving its old home at 8100 Wallace Road.

“It’s a little sad,” Ansari said.

“We’ve been at the current location for almost four decades — since the mid-1980s. But, it’s also exciting because we are moving into a facility that’s brand new.”

The league had been leasing the property from the Dr. Phillips Charities foundation. However, a few years ago, the foundation decided it wanted to repurpose the property. Instead of asking the league to look for another facility, the foundation helped it ease into conversations with Orange County to see if the county could help — and provide the Little League — a new place to play.

“It’s kind of a sensitive area to be honest,” Ansari said. “I’m not familiar with what they decided to do with the property, if they want to use it for commercial or residential. … But, the (foundation) approached the county, so the county stepped in and helped us find another field.”