After being closed for two weeks due to vandalism and no supervision, St. Mary’s Shoals Park is open once again to hikers, bikers and equestrians, but not all terrain vehicle riders.
Only the eastern entrance to the park, to the hiking and equestrian trails, are open for now, according to County Manager C.J. Thompson. Still, there is still no supervision as county officials are seeking to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of a former park ranger six months ago, and plans are underway to impose admission fees to help fund management of the park and reduce vandalism.
Nonetheless, Mr. Thompson said the first people to call the county to notify them of the unauthorized presence of ATVs would be horse riders. Sheriff's deputies could then be dispatched to remove the ATVs.
But for now, the 2,568 acres of woodlands, nature trails and creeks remains a free natural resource for all to enjoy following a vote of the county commission on October 21 during a workshop meeting scheduled specifically to discuss the park’s future.
A group of horse owners were influential in persuading commissioners to open the park immediately to take advantage of cooler fall weather.
“This is the time of the year to ride horses,” Janet Taylor, wearing a “Baker County Horse Association” T-shirt, told commissioners. “I live a mile from there (Shoals Park) and I can’t even ride there.”
She and other horse lovers urged commissioners to keep the park open for future generations. Officials had considered closing the park permanently and giving it back to the state.
After an hour-long workshop, it became clear that most people in the commission chambers desired to see Shoals Park become a destination attraction for equestrians and nature lovers from all over.
Ben Hill said he and his family moved to Baker County several years ago so they could keep a horse on their property instead of continuing to pay $650 a month boarding fee at a private stable in Jacksonville.
“Shoals Park is an asset,” Mr. Hill told commissioners. He said the county should build stables there and advertise the park as “an equestrian center” and charge admission.
“The first thing to do is get them to know the park is there,” Mr. Hill said. “You need to make the whole county a destination and re-brand this whole community. You move to Macclenny so you can have a horse in your yard.”
Charlie Chenaki, who lives on Crews Road near the northern boundary of Shoals Park, said he often hikes, rides his mountain bike, or rides one of his four horses on the park’s 25 miles of trails.
“More law enforcement is needed there,” Mr. Chenaki said, suggesting that people caught vandalizing the park should be ordered to do community service at the park cleaning up litter and other chores.
He further suggested the county hire someone to build kiosks at various places in the park for trail maps and other information about the many varieties of flora and fauna there.
Instead of closing the park permanently and returning it to the state, which was one option officials were considering, commissioners agreed to keep it open, possibly install surveillance cameras and try to find a law enforcement officer to live on the property for extra security.
“Closing the park is not even an option to me,” said Commission Chairman Jimmy Anderson, who was absent from the board meeting on October 7 when the order to lock the gates at the park was given.
County Manager C.J. Thompson said vandalism at Shoals Park, located north of Odis Yarbrough Road and east of CR 125, has increased greatly since former park ranger David Wright, a retired Florida Highway Patrol trooper, resigned following an eye injury about six months ago.
“David did a phenomenal job,” Mr. Thompson said. “He put a stop to the drinking and vandalism. He had full arrest powers.”
Mr. Wright also performed a lot of the maintenance work at the park, which has fallen into disrepair in his absence.
“A substantial amount of trail work is needed,” Mr. Thompson said, “as well as mowing.”
And vandalism has run rampant, he said, even after the county announced the park was closed and locked the entrance gates.
“Four-wheelers tore up the river bank over the weekend even though it was closed,” Mr. Thompson told the board.
The county manager said he had been contacted by three individuals interested in possibly residing at the park for added security, which is vitally needed, he said.
“I live across the street (from the park entrance),” Mr. Thompson said. “I’ve run people out of there at night.”
Most of the damage to trails, river banks and other areas in the park occur at night, usually by all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, and pickup trucks, whose owners often litter the ground with beer cans, the county manager said.
In addition to having someone live rent-free at the park, preferably a law enforcement officer, admission fees of $5 or so likely will be imposed soon to raise revenue to help maintain and run the facility. The only income now comes from tree harvesting, but that operation has lost about $90,000 due to flooding.
“Trees are not a guarantee — fees are,” Commissioner Anderson said. “There’s got to be a dedicated funding source.”
He said he thinks most people “would be happy, if the services are there, to pay for it.”
If someone can be found to reside at the park, the county likely would provide them with a mobile home rather than require them to have their own, commission members and the county manager agreed.
Having an authority figure living at the park might not eliminate all vandalism and mischief there, but “their presence would be helpful,” Mr. Thompson said.
The hours for the park will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Since the county has only two employees in the parks and recreation department and they don’t go on duty until 8 a.m., Sheriff Joey Dobson offered his assistance.
“We’ll lock it at night and open it in the morning,” the sheriff said. “We can probably help you find somebody to replace David, too.”
The sheriff’s comments drew applause from a grateful audience.
Improvements at the park to date include restrooms built in 2010 at the ATV trail head and equestrian trail head, parking areas for vehicles and horse trailers, hiking and all terrain vehicle trails, and a canoe launch and picnic facilities.
But not everything that the county agreed to in a 42-page management plan written by the Florida Communities Trust has been accomplished.
For example, the plan stipulates that the county is responsible for developing 80 acres along the northern boundary of the park for “athletic fields for baseball, softball and soccer, basketball, volleyball courts, restrooms, picnic areas, parking areas and a field club house.”
The proposed 2,000-3,000 square foot field club house was to be used for “coach and team meetings, a shelter during sudden inclement weather and a game room (i.e. chess, ping pong, foosball, etc.) available for waiting parents and siblings.”
The 80 acres remains vacant.
A 1,000 to 3,000 square foot Environmental Education Center was supposed to have been built in Phase I – between 2004 and 2010 — to house interpretive exhibits and an auditorium/classroom with audiovisual equipment for classes conducted by Baker County schools for students and the general public.
The facility remains a goal on paper only.