SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – People in Seminole County once again have a place to launch their boats along Lake Monroe.
Thursday morning, county leaders, alongside the Seminole County Fire Department and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, reopened the Lake Monroe Wayside Park.
The renovated boat docks are located at 4150 N. U.S. Highway 17-92 in Sanford.
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The docks had been closed since Hurricane Ian rolled through Central Florida back in 2022, leaving neighborhoods, docks, driveways and streets underwater.
“This has been long awaited and needed as a result of Hurricane Ian and the damage it brought here locally,” said Andria Herr, District 5 commissioner. “This is simply one of the most beautiful spots in Seminole County because it gives you the juxtaposition of progress between the roads and nature behind me.”
During its closure, the county partnered with local construction organizations to expand and re-grade the ramps and floating docks. Four new floating docks, aluminum gangways, and new asphalt at the ramp approach allow for smooth sailing onto Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River, the county said in a news release. The park’s picnic pavilions also received new ADA-accessible paths and other upgrades.
See video provided from the county of the new boat ramps below.
“We had issues in the past as the river stage is up, we ended up having to close this boat ramp frequently and it happens almost every year,” said Rick Durr, Seminole County director of parks and recreation. “Part of this construction was to go ahead and raise the level of a lot of the surrounding structures. Hopefully, the next time we have high water on the St. Johns River this boat ramp can remain in operation for folks to be able to use and enjoy.”
This project was partially funded by Seminole County’s One Cent Infrastructure Sales Tax (Penny Sales Tax) and the FWC’s Boating Infrastructure Grant Program, county leaders said in the release.
To celebrate the reopening of the docks, the Seminole County Fire Department and Seminole County Sheriff’s Office were on hand to launch their rescue boats into the water.
“To everyone in Seminole County, welcome home! We’re glad you can launch from here again and we’re always delighted to bring you opportunities to interface with nature,” Herr said.
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