Gastesi, left, DeSantis, and Coldiron in Vero Beach.

State Awards Monroe County with Nearly $3 Million to Enhance Rowell’s Waterfront Park

MONROE COUNTY, FL – Governor Ron DeSantis awarded Monroe County a $2,956,534 Community Development Block Grant at a press conference in Vero Beach today. Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Coldiron and Administrator Roman Gastesi accepted the award to enhance Rowell’s Waterfront Park by adding additional parking, restrooms, shared-use paths, site lighting and electricity, and a Wi-Fi network.

Rowell’s is an 8-acre waterfront park along Florida Bay in Key Largo (MM 104.5 on U.S. 1) opened in 2016. The funding will be used to start Phase II of the project, which will quadruple the current parking and improve the park for emergency usage in the future and blue sky uses like event space and increased services.

“While we are the Southernmost County in the State of Florida, we are thankful Governor DeSantis always remembers us,” said Coldiron during the conference.

Rowell’s is currently in Phase I of development, which includes a bathroom facility, a small parking lot, landscaping, trails, realignment of the entrance, and the construction of a deceleration lane into the park.

“The Project Management team worked very hard with the support of numerous County departments to receive this funding for Rowell’s Park,” said Cary Knight, Project Management Director. “This grant allows us to move our community’s vision of Rowell’s Park forward.”

Governor’s Press Release: https://www.flgov.com/2022/02/28/governor-ron-desantis-announces-more-than-4-4-million-in-funding-to-southeast-florida-communities-through-deos-rural-infrastructure-fund-community-development-block-grant-programs/

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