The boardwalk at Mosaic-Peace River Park in Homeland is being closed permanently after the County Commission decided it did not want to spend $2.7 million to repair hurricane damage.
The boardwalk that crosses a portion of the river floodplain in Homeland was originally built in 1995 and expanded in 2008. Funds for the initial project came from a state grant, IMC-Agrico (now Mosaic) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
It included interpretative signs partially funded by the Friends of the Parks Foundation and the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership.
It was heavily damaged by falling trees during Hurricane Milton last year and had previously sustained damage during Hurricane Irma,
It had also received less serious damage over the years following thunderstorms.
County Manager Bill Beasley told commissioners at the July 11 agenda study session that it was likely the boardwalk would sustain additional damage as hurricanes continue to affect the area.
Gaye Sharpe, Polk’s director of parks and natural resources, said the next step was to come up with a plan to demolish enough of the boardwalk to discourage people from climbing over the barricades.
She said eventually the entire boardwalk would have to be demolished. She said she did not know how much any of that will cost.
Marian Ryan, conservation chair for Ancient Islands Sierra. said the 5,000-foot boardwalk is the only boardwalk of any size in Polk County and is popular with residents who had gone there to fish, birdwatch or just enjoy nature.
The 88 acres of wetlands the boardwalk traverses is part of the 460-acre county park located on reclaimed phosphate mined land and donated to Polk County in 1984 by IMC-Agrico.
The rest of the park’s trails and other facilities will remain open.