Accessible Fishing Dock
Short-Term Project Award for Resource-Based Recreation
The Monday/Wednesday volunteer group at Oscar Scherer State Park sometimes call themselves the “crusty curmudgeons.” The group has been volunteering at the park for more than 20 years. Many of these people volunteer every Monday and Wednesday throughout the year.
The project was completed in 10 days; however, the volunteers who worked on this project contributed many hours through 2020. The volunteers are Mike Murphy (4,000 hours); Jim Murray (950 hours); Lee Ielpi (724 hours); Ed Deroche (207 hours); Jeff Cohen (1,242 hours); Bob Sendry (5,309 hours); and Steve Morris (61.5 hours).
The group undertook the rebuilding of the Lester Finley Barrier Free Fishing/Observation Dock. The dock was originally built in 1990s. All the decking and hardware was in disrepair. A few of the supporting beam bolts were about to fail. With the opportunity to rebuild the dock, the group worked to exceed all accessibility requirements. Some of the work needed to be completed from a boat, which made the project more challenging.
The Lester Finley Trail is the park’s premier accessible trail with many accessible amenities, including the fishing/observation dock, which provides recreational opportunities for visitors of all abilities. The improvements provide ease of access for wheelchair users to fish or just take in the scenery.
The project was completed in 10 working days. Funds were saved by reusing some leftover materials from another project.
2020 Florida State Parks Volunteer Recognition Award Winner
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