The DeSantis administration’s proposal to add recreational sports facilities such as golf courses and pickleball courts to nine Florida state parks faced fierce opposition last week from thousands of angry residents and even some of the state’s Republican politicians.
Environmental groups are asking the public for support in their efforts to block the controversial proposals, which include relatively minor expansions for two state parks in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Several local groups, including the Sierra Club, have planned a protest against the plan at Oleta River State Park at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
In response to the “overwhelming interest,” Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection canceled previous plans to hold nine simultaneous public meetings for the parks that were to have taken place on Tuesday. The agency has instead set up a special website to collect comments and said it will soon announce new meeting dates for each of the parks.
The new round of meetings is expected to take place in the week of September 2nd.
But what exactly might be included in the proposals could still change. Plans for a park have already been blown up by the backlash. On Sunday, the group that had pushed the plan to create several golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County officially withdrew its proposal amid enormous public pressure.
READ MORE: Group withdraws controversial plan to build golf courses in Florida’s state park
The Great Outdoors Initiative plan calls for adding pickleball and disc golf courts to several parks and two additional 350-room hotels. Under the proposed plan, Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade would get an additional 10 cabins, a new disc golf course and up to four pickleball courts, as well as new parking and restroom facilities. Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward could get new pickleball courts.
Conceptual land use map of the Oleta River by Alex on Scribd
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Environmental groups across the state have also urged citizens to contact their elected officials and leave voicemails with their opinions on the park proposals.
For Mizell-Eula Johnson Park, that is the 101st House District, Representative Hillary Cassell, and the 37th Senate District, Senator Jason Pizzo. For Oleta, that is the 106th House District, Representative Fabian Basabe, and the 34th Senate District, Senator Shevrin Jones.
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson Conceptual Land Use Map (1) by Alex on Scribd
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Friends of the Everglades directed concerned residents directly to Governor Ron Desantis, linking to his public email address and phone number as well as a pre-formatted email to state lawmakers.
“Tell him that Florida’s state parks are not the place for golf courses and huge lodges,” the group wrote.
