The Association of Poinciana Villages was formally established in 1972, so APV is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The community now known as Poinciana began in the 1960’s when nearly 50,000 acres of farm and swamp land were purchased for development by Gulf American Corporation (GAC), a company that conceived Poinciana as a retirement destination.
APV was formally established in 1972 and, for the first 10 years, GAC began development and saw the first family move into Poinciana in 1973. Sometime in the mid 1980’s Avatar (later renaming itself as AV Homes) became the developer.
“Our homeowner’s association was officially established on May 26, 1972, and throughout 2022 we will honor and celebrate our history, and the extraordinary men and women who, together, shaped and formed this community into what is today,” said Mark Maldonado, APV General Manager. “Since our inception five decades ago, we have continued to make history. APV is now the fastest growing community in Central Florida, and the largest HOA in the entire State of Florida.”
Some facts and notable events in Poinciana:
The nine villages that make up APV, across roughly 47,000 acres, are split between Polk and Osceola Counties.
The first Poinciana library was a small portable building that arrived in 1987 when the population had reached around 6,000 people. It wouldn’t be until 1998 that the first permanent library opened on Doverplum Avenue.
In 1992, APV held its first Poinciana Christmas Parade, a tradition that continues to this day.
In 1994, Poinciana got its first grocery store, a Winn Dixie. Prior to that, the only place to purchase small grocery items was the Farm Store located in the Town Center area.
In 2004, the community of Poinciana was rocked by a series of back-to-back-to-back hurricanes. Hurricane Charley was an unexpected blow. Significant damage struck the community. Just as residents were cleaning up, in came Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. Amidst the devastation, the community’s residents banded together, helped each other when they could and APV coordinated water, food and additional resources at the Community Center.
In December 2014, the community broke ground on the APV Community Activity Campus. The $4.1 million renovation and construction project included renovating the existing Community Center building, expanding the APV Recreation Center and constructing a third building to house the community/recreation pool. APV celebrated the official grand opening of this incredible new facility in November 2015.
In April 2016, Poinciana Parkway (State Road 538) opened to connect Poinciana more directly to I-4.
In May 2017, Phase 1 of the Vance Harmon Park renovation opened with the Mary Jane Arrington Gym and Aquatic Center. A ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase 2 was held in March 2018.
“From the Mary Jane Arrington Aquatic and Fitness Centers to the pools and parks of Poinciana, APV is better than ever,” said Amy Sanchez, Central Florida President of FirstService Residential, which manages APV, “We are honored to serve such a thriving community and look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion.”
The Osceola News Gazette 22 W. Monument Ave, Suite 5 Kissimmee, FL 34744 Phone: (407) 846-7600 Email: editor@osceolanewsgazette.com
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