Volunteer Spotlight, Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park Inc.
Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park Inc.
2021 Long-Term Project of the Year Award for Nature-Based Recreation
For the past 10 years, the Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park have been working to build an accessible fishing pier over the fresh waters of Lake Osprey. Multiple boards of directors, presidents and officers have championed this project through many phases of design, stops and starts, and fundraising efforts.
In 2018, this Partnerships in Parks project transitioned from a dream to a plan. The Friends of Oscar Scherer Park funded over 65% of the project, while a grant from the Florida State Parks Foundation and funds from DEP’s Division of Recreation and Parks funded the balance.
The project was completed in December 2021. The 109-foot-long pier extends toward the center of the lake, and it features six accessible fishing stations ending in a 28-by-25-foot rectangular fishing platform that stands 6 feet above the water. The pier gives visitors a transformative on-the-water experience.
Congratulations to the Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park on this award. Their dedication to the park and long-term planning is appreciated.