Monroe County Mayor David Rice, Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates, and Commissioners Michelle Coldiron, Jim Scholl, and Holly Merrill Raschein join Monroe County Parks and Beaches Director John Allen in a jump to officially open the Pine Channel Nature Park on Big Pine Key.

COMMISSIONERS MAKE A SPLASH AT TODAY’S RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY OPENING PINE CHANNEL NATURE PARK ON BIG PINE KEY

BIG PINE KEY – The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners, along with Parks and Beaches and Project Management, invited the community to celebrate the grand opening of Pine Channel Nature Park on Wednesday. The commissioners made a splash at the event opening the park for all to enjoy.

“This is a momentous occasion for the community, years in the making,” said Monroe County Parks and Beaches Director John Allen. “A lot of work went into the beautiful park, and we look forward to years of enjoyment from this recreational space.”

For the past year, Monroe County has been improving the property at the west end of Big Pine Key, formerly known as the Big Pine Key Swimming Hole, with funding from the Tourist Development Council and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The area offers a 11-foot raised scenic viewing area and other amenities for the use of Monroe County residents and visitors, including parking spaces, bike racks, restrooms, a kayak and canoe hand-launch area, 9,500 square feet of boardwalk, tiki huts, picnic areas with tables, benches, and barbeque grills. The park is fully ADA accessible. Swimming is allowed at the park at your own risk.

In addition, the park is also the new home of a historic Henry Flagler concrete mile marker that is more than 100 years old. In March, Monroe County Project Management, in partnership with the FDOT, worked together to restore the marker that was experiencing significant deterioration. There are only two other known surviving markers of this type, one in Key Largo and a restored one at Miami’s Gold Coast Railroad Museum. Monroe County is also adding a tribute at the park when funding becomes available to honor the many volunteers who helped stranded pilot whales years ago at the park.

The Pine Channel Nature Park is located on the west end of Big Pine Key at 29550 Overseas Hwy.

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