Gemini Springs Park | |
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Location | DeBary, Volusia County, Florida |
Coordinates | 28°51′54″N 81°18′39″W / 28.8651°N 81.3108°W |
Area | 210 acres (85 ha; 0.33 sq mi) |
Created | October 27, 1996[1] |
Operated by | Volusia County Parks, Recreation and Culture Division |
Visitors | 57,755 [2] (2005 estimate) |
Open | Sunrise to sunset |
Gemini Springs Park is a 210-acre (85 ha) public nature park in DeBary, Florida, United States featuring two springs. The park, completed in 1996, is situated on bayou northwest of Lake Monroe. [3]
Gemini Springs Park is located immediately northwest of Lake Monroe in DeBary, Florida on the DeBary Bayou. The park is situated on 210-acre (85 ha) of wooded land. 6.5 million gallons of fresh water flow from the park's two flowing springs each day. The park features a fishing pier, a fenced dog park, picnic pavilions, bicycle and hiking trails, a playground, campsites and restrooms. [3] [4]
Cattle rancher Saundra Gray and her husband, Charles Gray, an Orlando attorney, purchased 160 acres of the Gemini Springs Farm in 1969 for $280,000, and later purchased adjacent property. [5] After moving their cattle ranch operation from Osceola County to Gemini Springs Farm, [6] they raised and bred Santa Gertudis cattle. They maintained most of the property in its natural state, only using a portion for cattle. They added an earthen dam near the springs, creating a reservoir at one end of the bayou. [7]
In 1986, the Grays drew criticism from environmentalists after selling a parcel of the farm along the DeBary bayou to a developer [7] and pursuing plans to dredge the bayou to provide access for boats from a proposed condominium complex. In 1989, they sought permits for a 214-unit subdivision surrounding the springs, again prompting a reaction from environmentalists who urged the county to purchase the property for use as a passive park. Initially, the property was offered to the county for $7 million, $4 million less than the property was privately appraised for, according to Charles Gray. [8] By 1993, the asking price for the property was reduced to $6 million. [9]
The Gemini Springs property was jointly purchased in February 1994 for $5.65 million. [3] [10] [11] Volusia County contributed $2.6 to the purchase. Florida Communities Trust contributed $2 million and St. Johns River Water Management District contributed $1.1 million. [12]
After purchasing the Gemini Springs property, Volusia County lacked funding to fully develop the park, but was able to acquire it in the following two years. Beginning in March 1996, $1.1 million in capital improvements were made to the park including building a 1,600-square-foot (150 m2) floating dock for the swimming area, picnic pavilions, a wooden fishing pier and footbridges, a playground, restrooms and other amenities. [12]
Gemini Springs Park officially opened on October 27, 1996. [1] During the first few years of operation, the park had around 88,250 visitors each year, largely due to a popular swimming area in the reservoir near the spring boil. [13] Just prior to Labor Day in 2000 the swimming area was closed after health department officials detected dangerous levels of enterococci bacteria, a type of bacteria found in the fecal matter of warm-blooded animals. [14] Annual park attendance dropped to 55,348 after the swimming area closed, prompting the Volusia County Council to suspend the $3.50 park admission. [13] The swimming area has not since been re-opened.[ citation needed]
A 4.5-acre (1.8 ha) fenced dog park was opened in June 2005, at a cost of $35,000. The dog park has a section for large dogs, and a separate section for smaller dogs. [15]