Snowbirds and returning winter tourists visiting Indian River County’s public beaches and parks should notice some improvements since last season, thanks to more than $13.4 million dollars’ worth of sprucing up ranging from signage and landscaping to ballfields and bathrooms.
For starters, invasive plants, such as Brazilian pepper and Scaevola taccada, have been removed from every county beach access site, replaced with native species, including seagrape, palmetto and wild coffee, said Wendy Swindell, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation for Indian River County.
Species that do well will be augmented over the years to create a thick buffer for neighboring properties, Swindell said. This $68,551 project was completed last September with money from the Tree Ordinance and Natural Lands funds – money paid by developers to mitigate removing trees from their development sites.
By the end of 2025, every county park will have new and improved signage, making it easier for visitors to park and to enjoy the amenities available at each location. “An overall goal for the county is to develop some branding for our parks and conservation areas,” Swindell said. “A lot of it is driven toward improving the use of the parks. Many people just don’t know about all of the amenities at each site.”
This $38,000 project was paid for out of the General Fund.
Each year, county staff review the five-year plan for capital improvements and prioritize the various projects and the funding, Swindell said. “Some of these projects come about from comments from the public, and others come up based on the lifespan of the equipment and other elements at our properties,” she said. And some improvements are chosen to improve efficiency, such as new, energy-efficient lighting, she said.
At four county parks on the barrier island – Treasure Shores, Round Island Oceanside, and Golden Sands parks – playgrounds have been upgraded with new equipment. Those projects were completed last September at a cost of $451,021, paid from the 1 percent optional sales tax. Instituted in 1989 and renewed by voters in 2004 and 2019, the fund pays for infrastructure and capital improvements. The optional sales tax expires again in 2034.
Helen Hanson Park in Roseland also has new playground equipment, at a cost of $50,325, and the parking lot at Golden Sands Beach Park was resurfaced; the cost was $345,358. Hosie Schumann Park in Sebastian has a new basketball court, new restrooms, and a new parking lot. The cost was $416,278. Restrooms at Round Island Oceanside and Riverside parks, Treasure Shores Park, and Tracking Station Park have been connected to county sewer and water at a cost of $220,906. These projects were funded by the 1 percent optional sales tax.
Boaters will be pleased to know that aging boat docks at three waterside parks are being replaced. Last year, the docks at Middleton’s Fish Camp on Blue Cypress Lake in western Indian River County were replaced at a cost of $15,500. Boat ramp docks at Dale Wimbrow Park in Roseland have been rebuilt at a cost of $42,000. Funds for these two projects come from the Boating Improvement Fund. And the dock at Donald McDonald Campground will be retrofitted this year; the estimated cost is $100,000, funded by the optional sales tax.
Donald McDonald Campground also had its roadways resurfaced last year; the cost was $177,390, paid with Boating Improvement Funds.
A fourth boating site, Wabasso Causeway Park, will receive parking lot and boat ramp improvements in the coming years. The county has secured a $75,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) to design these improvements. The new docks and ramps have been raised about 12 inches to accommodate for rising water levels during storms, County Parks Superintendent Brad Dewson said.
The county welcomed its second disc golf course last year at Dick Bird Park in the South County Park complex. This 18-hole course, constructed for $10,000 from the general fund, is shorter than the other course at Kiwanis Hobart Park, so it is ideal for beginners and children, Dewson said. It is conveniently located near the InterGenerational Center and novice players can check out a bag of discs for free to give the growing sport a try, he said.
Additional improvements at the South County Park complex include a new outdoor exercise station, pavilion, and improvements to the walking trail. Fencing around the ballfields will be replaced, too, Dewson said. The $939,460 total cost for these upgrades will be covered by the optional sales tax. There is no start date for these projects yet, he said.
The campground at the county fairgrounds is now open to the public year-round. There are 24 hookups for recreational vehicles, available for $35 per night, and lighting has been upgraded in the parking area. Restrooms and showers are available. The Agricultural Pavilion roof and lighting also have been upgraded. The cost was $136,537, paid from the general fund.
Also at the fairgrounds, plans are in place to repair the parking lot and upgrade the marquee sign; costs and timeline have not yet been established. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) office, now located in the county administration building B, will be moved to a modular office at the fairgrounds.
Hobart Park at 58th Avenue and 77th Street will be getting two new ballfields, one is a regulation baseball field; the concession stand and bathrooms will be renovated and connected to the county water and sewer system; the parking areas will be improved; and new, efficient lighting will be installed.
The cost is estimated at $6.78 million. The bidding process begins this month. Funding is from the county’s 1% local optional sales tax, and also from Windsor Funds – $1 million that was donated to the county in 2016 by Windsor Properties in exchange for a portion of Golden Sands Park. The money is earmarked for improvements to Hobart Park and other recreational and conservation lands.
Additional restrooms are being constructed at Fran Adams Park in Fellsmere, and the restroom at the concession stand will be expanded. Fencing around the ballfields will be replaced. That project is expected to be completed by Aug. 1, at a cost of $1.3 million, paid for by park impact fees and the optional sales tax.
Victor Hart Sr. Community Park in Gifford also will get a new restroom and concession stand, connected to county sewer and water. That project, estimated to cost $845,174, is in the permitting phase and will be paid from park impact fees. In the near future, the park also will get new playground equipment, estimated to cost $150,000 in optional sales tax funding.
Nearby Martin Luther King Park has new sidewalks and will soon have educational signage to mark the Tour Through Time trail through Gifford neighborhoods, with historical descriptions and information. The project also includes the creation of an educational video and brochure, Swindell said. An $11,250 grant from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources will be matched by $11,250 from the general fund for this project, along with $7,140 from the general fund for the sidewalks.
Kiwanis Hobart Park at 5555 77th Street is getting a new restroom, which will be connected to county water and sewer. The project is finished and waiting for a Certificate of Occupancy, Dewson said. The $704,495 cost will be covered by park impact fees, which are collected from real estate developers.
At West Wabasso Park, improvements were made last year to the walking trail, and the concession stand, restrooms, pavilions and entry gate were completely renovated, to the tune of $185,000 in 1% optional sales tax funding. A new outdoor fitness area provides exercise equipment that uses body weight for resistance, Dewson said. The park has an entrance to the adjacent Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area.
The playground equipment at West Wabasso Park will be replaced in the next several years, too, thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, Swindell said.
The Trans Florida Rail Trail, near the State Road 510 I-95 interchange, had five of its decaying boardwalks replaced last year at a cost of $123,632, paid from the 1 percent optional sales tax.
Finally, the county wishes to install passive park amenities at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex. Approximate costs will be determined after a conceptual plan is completed.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to use CivicRec, an online application where they can do everything from reserving pickleball courts, athletic fields and RV hookups to purchasing pool passes and tickets to special events. First, they will need to create a free account. Instructions are online at https://secure.rec1.com/FL/indian-river-county-fl/catalog.