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Boat Launch Will Close For Improvements

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By TOM BRENNAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 29, 2007

DURANT - Anglers will have to fish from the banks of the Edward Medard Park reservoir for a few days in October.

County officials will close the park's boat launch Oct. 22-25 to repave its 75,000-square-foot parking lot.

'Closing the launch is the only way we can do it,' said John Brill, spokesman for the county Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. 'By closing it once, we are actually making it less inconvenient.'

The work is part of a three-pronged upgrade to the boat launch.

Crews have replaced the concrete pads boaters use to back their boat trailers into the reservoir. Workers also are replacing the old wooden docks with aluminum ones.

The county is spending $89,000 to refurbish the parking lot. It will be repaved and restriped to accommodate 49 tow vehicles and trailers, 12 cars and four vehicles used by disabled park visitors.

Brill said the concrete parking bumpers and all the signs will be replaced.

County commissioners awarded a $110,541 contract in August to replace the reservoir's floating docks.

Brill said the ramps will remain open during the dock replacement, and a dock or two will remain available for use until they are all replaced. That should be finished by March, he said.

The project is being funded in part with a $190,000 grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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