Deer Lake State Park [update - not closing]

The lack of facilities, lack of a manned ticket booth, minimal parking, the long walk to get to the Gulf--ironoically, these are all he reaons that make Deer Lake State Park a total gem.

If it does close in July, at least I will have the Spring to enjoy it!

I agree 100%

If they don't have the $ to keep it open, they don't have the $ for security to keep us out!

I think some people need a reminder of what a park is, what their REAL value is, and WHY we have them. We don't sell a beloved park to developers because it costs $6k a year to run (Charlie probably spends more than that a year on his tan), we don't drill in wildlife refuges because it might save us 5 cents a gallon, and we don't mine for uranium near the Grand Canyon just because we can!

aabsolute, you are right to question the reason why the Park is being closed. If the true operating costs is less than $6K, money is not the reason, and if it is perhaps the County via TDC funding, or a citizens' group, could pick up that operating cost. The beach at Grayton is State owned, and the County has a long-term lease to use it. Why couldn't the County lease Deer Park on a long-term lease as well, with the lease being only the cost of required maintnance, and put that burden on the County (TDC)?

aabsolute, you are right to question the reason why the Park is being closed. If the true operating costs is less than $6K, money is not the reason, and if it is perhaps the County via TDC funding, or a citizens' group, could pick up that operating cost. The beach at Grayton is State owned, and the County has a long-term lease to use it. Why couldn't the County lease Deer Park on a long-term lease as well, with the lease being only the cost of required maintnance, and put that burden on the County (TDC)?

good question. has anyone asked Sonny Mares if the TDC has any ideas? I just sent him an email to see if there has been any discussion with the TDC/County BCC. Will post if he replies.

In addition to writing our local State legislators, I will also be writing our County Commissioners, urging them to also make a push, on behalf of the County, to keep the Park open. I hope others will join me. Seriously, we should be able to locally raise $6000, to keep the Park open, if costs was the reason why it was being considered for closure.

In addition to writing our local SoWal state legislators, you can also call them. SoWals State Senator is Don Gaetz. His area office number is 850-897-5747. Megan Rice is a staff contact (who is also up on environmental concerns so you can also talk to her about lighting, etc.). SoWals State Representative is Marti Coley. Her Marianna number is 850-718-0047. Staff person to contact is Sharon Brown. You could also talk to her about your lighting concerns. Rep. Coley's district and Sen. Gaetz's district cover numerous counties here in Northwest Florida sharing many environmental and economic issues.

If you see our local county commissioners tonight about the lighting isssue, you could tell them that part of our economic strength and superior beauty in SoWal can be attributed to the park lands and unique coastal dune lakes. It would be both environmentally and economically harmful to dilute these assets during this tough competitive economic time. Protecting our wildlife and environment protects our economy and jobs. We have many special venues here in SoWal that you just can't buy or "build" anywhere else.

......part of our economic strength and superior beauty in SoWal can be attributed to the park lands and unique coastal dune lakes. It would be both environmentally and economically harmful to dilute these assets during this tough competitive economic time. Protecting our wildlife and environment protects our economy and jobs. We have many special venues here in SoWal that you just can't buy or "build" anywhere else.

my guess is the boardwalk leading to the beach cost a lot of money to build. where the cost of that is placed can easily drive up or down the numbers being discussed. That being said this park will only increase in use over the years. If a fraction of the growth estimates actually do happen a lot of people will need beach access. it is funny to hear people argue over who really owns the sand at beachfront communities. They make arguments about crowd control and the amount of money they invested to live so close to the beach. I happen to agree with most of those arguments. The solution is keeping places like Deer Lake in the hands of the public. You can go sit at Deer lake in the middle of summer with plenty of room to spread out. The more the area grows north the more vital this park will become for public use. If by chance this land is sold off it will become private property and that means less public beach for the people not living right on the south coast.

This park is my absolute favorite place in SoWal. It is on my "must do" list everytime I'm on 30A without fail, even if I am just passing through town for an hour or so. The first time I saw those dunes... practically a religious experience. I woud be happy to pay a day use fee and have often wondered why there is no gate fee. I have multiple photos of those glorious dunes in my office and my home. It would be a travesty to see this park close.

I don't know if your Governor listens to regular tourists who aren't residents (and voters), but you can count on my letter in support of this fine park.

I know where I'd get the money and it DOESN'T involve selling off parks, local fundraisers etc.

It's curbing government perks and funn w/ taxpayer dollars like this!

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flgovtrip07sbdec07,0,5721620.story

"This summer, as the state's economy plunged, Gov. Charlie Crist took an entourage to Europe on a 12-day trade mission.

The business development trip to London, Paris, St. Petersburg and Madrid was supposed to cost taxpayers $255,000. The actual tab was far higher ? in excess of $430,000, the Sun Sentinel found in a detailed review of the July trip's costs.

Taxpayers paid for more than two dozen people to accompany Crist, including a photographer, a spokeswoman, four aides, two agency heads and nine bodyguards. The bodyguards alone spent more than $148,000 on meals, hotels, transportation and incidentals, including nearly $630 in dry cleaning.

Their boss, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey, went along to sign a crime-solving agreement with British police, billing taxpayers $5,135 for less than 12 hours of official duties over four days. Bailey stayed an extra week at his own expense and brought his wife. His spokeswoman said he was on call around the clock and complied with state travel and vacation policies."

If in fact, the park is closing because the state does not have the money to support it blush, I am all for organizing a fund raiser. But first, I think that we should have a group form and request to be on the agenda for the BCC's next meeting (in January) and discuss this issue with them. Maybe between the BCC and the TDC we could get some ideas on what needs to be done to keep the park open?

scooter, you are so right. Maybe we should include the State Legislators' and Governor's expense sheets with our requests to keep Deer Park open.

If in fact, the park is closing because the state does not have the money to support it blush, I am all for organizing a fund raiser. But first, I think that we should have a group form and request to be on the agenda for the BCC's next meeting (in January) and discuss this issue with them. Maybe between the BCC and the TDC we could get some ideas on what needs to be done to keep the park open?

You can shoot a cannon down 30A tonight and not hit a sole. That tells you all you need to know about why Deer Lake is closing.

You can shoot a cannon down 30A tonight and not hit a sole. That tells you all you need to know about why Deer Lake is closing.

So therefore it should be closed full time?

You can shoot a cannon down 30A tonight and not hit a sole. That tells you all you need to know about why Deer Lake is closing.

Because the time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas usually sees the area overflowing with tourists, and it's a fluke that it's the quietest time of 2008?

You can shoot a cannon down 30A tonight and not hit a sole. That tells you all you need to know about why Deer Lake is closing.

...and that means what? That we should close every business and Park on 30A during the weeks leading up to Christmas? The Beach is also empty, in both directions, but I haven't seen anyone proposing that we close the beaches. Your math doesn't add up correctly.

Because the time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas usually sees the area overflowing with tourists, and it's a fluke that it's the quietest time of 2008?

The numbers on this would be interesting to see. For instance, is there a small dip after Thanksgiving to say around Dec. 15 when colleges and schools are out and Snowbirds rev up their migration to SoWal? There also seems to always be some sort of relief on 30A traffic after Spring Break and Easter and colleges and schools releasing for Summer. A few weeks light traffic on 30A is no reason to close Deer Lake, one of the areas large drawing cards. I cherish the few days I can walk down to the beach and be the only one in sight, even if it is just for a few minutes or during cold and bad weather. I then look forward to more people enjoying our superior beaches and local assets and businesses.

The gap times to me are the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that little bit of late April/early May, and then the last two weeks of August that aren't part of the Labor Day weekend.

...and that means what? That we should close every business and Park on 30A during the weeks leading up to Christmas? The Beach is also empty, in both directions, but I haven't seen anyone proposing that we close the beaches. Your math doesn't add up correctly.

It means I have never seen South Walton this quiet and I am by no means new to the area. It means that lack of activity is probably a glimpse into what is occurring all over the State, maybe the country. It means that the State evidently feels that it needs to trim costs from its budget given the economic environment. It means that the State feels that two other public parks in the same county are sufficient to meet the recreational needs of the populace and tourists that will visit this area. I doubt seriously that closure of that particular park is going to have any significant effect on any local who would like to visit that particular beach.

So you think that trimming $6000 from the State's annual budget is due to the bad economy? There are real things to cut from the State Budget, but this isn't one. The County has been considering other properties for purchase, because it feels the need to have more accesses to the very thing which brings people to this area -- the beach. Money is tight, so they have passed, but if real cost of operating this Park is $6,000 per year, I think the County would jump at the chance to keep this Park open, even if it meant paying for the cost. The TDC will spend more than that on running a couple of ads.

So you think that trimming $6000 from the State's annual budget is due to the bad economy? There are real things to cut from the State Budget, but this isn't one. The County has been considering other properties for purchase, because it feels the need to have more accesses to the very thing which brings people to this area -- the beach. Money is tight, so they have passed, but if real cost of operating this Park is $6,000 per year, I think the County would jump at the chance to keep this Park open, even if it meant paying for the cost. The TDC will spend more than that on running a couple of ads.

I'm in Deer Lake State Park regularly and the most activity I've ever witnessed were two lovers in Speedo's holding hands. Generally, there's not a person to be seen in the park. I don't get the need to keep the place open - it'll look exactly the way it always looks ... vacant.

Deer Lake State Park is one of Walton County's greatest assets. No telling how many people have bought and will buy property in South Walton because of the availability of this park. The purchase of just one home a year probably more than pays the $6000 per year purported cost. In this competitive market, a visitor may choose to stay in Walton County or Florida because of the beautiful and unique experience Deer Lake provides. A day doesn't pass when I go to Deer Lake in the summer that I don't see families enjoying the expanse of open beach or the glory of the preserved dunes. Certainly there are always a few strollers along the beach from adjacent neighborhooods that linger and enjoy the unique natural environment throughout the year. There is even remnants of a shipwreck just off shore, although most of it has been worn away. To be able to see how the beaches looked when native peoples were here thousands of years ago is just priceless. One can only imagine the artifacts buried beneath those dunes.

I'm in Deer Lake State Park regularly and the most activity I've ever witnessed were two lovers in Speedo's holding hands. Generally, there's not a person to be seen in the park. I don't get the need to keep the place open - it'll look exactly the way it always looks ... vacant.

Fulltime, you are missing the point: the fact that it is open, secluded, and looks as all of Sowal did years ago is exactly why it must be kept open!

Either you are just being difficult, or you just don't get it!

I intend to do everything possible to keep it open so that many people in Walton County who do not own gulf front are able to enjoy what's left of the dunes...not to speak of all the visitors who as Dunelaker says above, choose to come here because of the beauty of the park.

Fulltime, you are missing the point: the fact that it is open, secluded, and looks as all of Sowal did years ago is exactly why it must be kept open!

Either you are just being difficult, or you just don't get it!

I intend to do everything possible to keep it open so that many people in Walton County who do not own gulf front are able to enjoy what's left of the dunes...not to speak of all the visitors who as Dunelaker says above, choose to come here because of the beauty of the park.

The Park will be better preserved without human disruption. Grayton Beach and Topsil are beautiful in their own right and more than sufficient for people to enjoy "whats left of the dunes". I'm not being difficult, but if the State says it needs to close the Park for budgetary reasons, so be it. Our property taxes are a much bigger threat to the viability of this area than the closure of one of the parks.

Walton County is really blessed with the spacing of parks along our beautiful Beaches of South Walton. Many residents and visitors staying along the beach on the East end can just walk to Deer Lake and Grayton or have only a short commute by bike or car. Who knows, we may get a trolley again. Further West, serving another large clientele is Topsail Hill State Park. More densely populated Sandestin and Miramar Beach are close feeders for that park. Others spread around offer a varied vacation and tax generating business mileau. The tax paying citizens north of the beach certainly will continue to enjoy the beaches in the future as they have in the past. Many more will appreciate not being crowded into just one or two public beach choices. Deer Lake is only about 15 - 20 minutes from the new airport in western Bay County. This area is certainly primed for growth as well as any place can be in Florida. The viability of this area will be improved by those with a vision for the future and respect for the past while considering multiple economic and environmental factors. Closing Deer Lake State Park, which includes a coastal dune lake, would be unwise for Walton County and Florida taxpayers.

It means I have never seen South Walton this quiet and I am by no means new to the area. It means that lack of activity is probably a glimpse into what is occurring all over the State, maybe the country. It means that the State evidently feels that it needs to trim costs from its budget given the economic environment. It means that the State feels that two other public parks in the same county are sufficient to meet the recreational needs of the populace and tourists that will visit this area. I doubt seriously that closure of that particular park is going to have any significant effect on any local who would like to visit that particular beach.

Based on the issues with public vs. private beaches I would say that altogether our 19 miles of beaches isn't enough. This isn't about usage it's about money and possibly politics.