Boat ramp park along St. Johns River in Osteen ready for takeoff

Posted On: June 16, 2020

Despite the remote location, few paved parking spaces and limited facilities, the Lemon Bluff boat ramp remains a popular site in Osteen to launch crafts onto the St. Johns River for a day of fun on the water.

Now, after years on the drawing board, the county’s plans to transform the area into a full-use park with a new boat launch, two floating docks to accommodate launching canoes and kayaks, a fishing area, restrooms, sidewalks, privacy barriers, two pavilions and added parking are ready to take off. The plan also includes a bulkhead to sure up a crumbling seawall along the river.

On Tuesday, the Volusia County Council approved a $2 million construction contract to bring the park plans to fruition. The contract to do the work was awarded Saboungi Construction, Inc. of Ormond Beach. When completed, the family-friendly recreational facility will be a far cry from the aging RV park and fish camp that used to inhabit the site before the county bought it nearly a decade ago. In the works for years, plans for the park have been slowed by a combination of Mother Nature, alignment of grant funding, permitting and changes in the design to add more parking. Tadd Kasbeer, the county’s director of engineering and construction, told the County Council Tuesday that he was pleased that the project is now ready for construction.

“It’s been a long time coming, but we’re very excited about moving this one,” Kasbeer said.

Funds for the project are coming from a variety of sources, including grants from the Volusia County ECHO program, the Florida Inland Navigation District, the Florida Boating Improvement Program and impact fees. The work is expected to take between six and seven months to complete.