Letter from Arthur W. Sinclair to C. W. Sheffield (December 22, 1967)
Alternative Title
Letter from Sinclair to Sheffield (December 22, 1967)
Subject
Lake Apopka (Fla.)
Water quality--Florida
Fishing--Florida
Description
A letter from Arthur W. Sinclair, executive manager of the Winter Garden Chamber of Commerce, to C. W. Sheffield, chairman of the Technical Committee. The committee was formed by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. (1926-2011) to develop plans for the restoration of Lake Apopka. In this letter, Sinclair discusses plans for the possible creation of a recreational park in the Gourd Neck Springs area, at the southwest corner of Lake Apopka. Gourd Neck Springs contains the only natural spring in the lake. Sinclair tells Sheffield of earlier efforts by the Gourd Neck Springs Park Association to rally support for the creation of a state park. Sinclair closes the letter by urging Sheffield to pass along these plans to Governor Kirk.
Creator
Sinclair, Arthur W.
Source
Original 2-page typewritten letter from Arthur W. Sinclair to C. W. Sheffield, December 22, 1967: binder 1967, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Date Created
1967-12-22
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of 2-page typewritten letter from Arthur W. Sinclair to C. W. Sheffield, December 22, 1967.
Is Part Of
Binder 1967, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
"Learn About Your Watershed: Ocklawaha River Watershed." Florida's Water: Ours to Protect, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed June 12, 2015. http://www.protectingourwater.org/watersheds/map/ocklawaha/.
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
2-page typewritten letter
]]>https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/7836 Gourd Neck Springs is a small spring located in the southwest portion of Lake Apopka, in a small cove called “Gourd Neck” due to its distinctive shape. This area of the lake was considered in the 1960s as a potential nursery for fish. The Lake Apopka Technical Committee explored damming the Gourd Neck, separating it from the lake and preventing polluted lake water from entering, but these plans did not materialize. Efforts were also made in the 1960s to have the Gourd Neck area purchased by the State of Florida for use as a public park. The Gourd Neck Springs Park Association was formed in 1961 to study the site’s potential for a park and lobby for support from legislators. The land bordering the area was privately-owned by various individuals. One of these, Gary I. Sharp, continued seeking support for a park into the 1970s. While the project received support from Florida legislators and environmentalists, the land was never purchased by the state.
The Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EEL) was formed in 1972 as part of the larger Land Conservation Act of 1972. The EEL program was initially funded through the sale of state bonds. The program was designed to help the state acquire lands considered environmentally sensitive and was not designed for creating areas for recreational use. Potential sites for acquisition could be suggested by citizens, county and state governments, and nonprofit organizations. After evaluation for environmental value, potential sites would be approved by the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Natural Resources and finalized by the Governor. In 1979, the former Executive Director, Harmon Shields, was indicted on corruption charges involving the lands-acquisition process. Following this scandal, the EEL program was replaced by Conservation and Recreation Lands Program. This change replaced the program's funding with tax revenues instead of bond sales, and formed the Land Acquisition Selection Committee, made up by six executive directors of Florida environmental agencies, to select sites for approval by the governor. The Division of State Lands was also created as a division of the Department of Natural Resources to oversee mapping and evaluation of potential sites for acquisition.]]>2016-09-01T17:05:10+00:00
Dublin Core
Title
Gourd Neck Springs Report
Alternative Title
Gourd Neck Springs Report
Subject
Lake Apopka (Fla.)
Environmental protection--Florida
Parks--Florida
Springs--Florida
Description
This report by Gary I. Sharp lists information related to the Gourd Neck Springs area of Lake Apopka and a potential purchase of the area by the State of Florida through the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program. The report aims to show why the area is suitable for a public park, describing physical and environmental characteristics of the area, as well as summarizing the economic issues related to a public purchase of the area, including zoning information from the Lake County Zoning Department and appraisal values from Danny L. Dulgar. The report also discusses an inspection of the area by the Environmentally Endangered Lands Committee, which rejected the site due to the polluted quality of the lake surrounding the area, as well as its small size. Finally, the report includes hydrological data related to the springs.
Gourd Neck Springs is a small spring located in the southwest portion of Lake Apopka, in a small cove called “Gourd Neck” due to its distinctive shape. This area of the lake was considered in the 1960s as a potential nursery for fish. The Lake Apopka Technical Committee explored damming the Gourd Neck, separating it from the lake and preventing polluted lake water from entering, but these plans did not materialize. Efforts were also made in the 1960s to have the Gourd Neck area purchased by the State of Florida for use as a public park. The Gourd Neck Springs Park Association was formed in 1961 to study the site’s potential for a park and lobby for support from legislators. The land bordering the area was privately-owned by various individuals. One of these, Gary I. Sharp, continued seeking support for a park into the 1970s. While the project received support from Florida legislators and environmentalists, the land was never purchased by the state.
The Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EEL) was formed in 1972 as part of the larger Land Conservation Act of 1972. The EEL program was initially funded through the sale of state bonds. The program was designed to help the state acquire lands considered environmentally sensitive and was not designed for creating areas for recreational use. Potential sites for acquisition could be suggested by citizens, county and state governments, and nonprofit organizations. After evaluation for environmental value, potential sites would be approved by the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Natural Resources and finalized by the Governor. In 1979, the former Executive Director, Harmon Shields, was indicted on corruption charges involving the lands-acquisition process. Following this scandal, the EEL program was replaced by Conservation and Recreation Lands Program. This change replaced the program's funding with tax revenues instead of bond sales, and formed the Land Acquisition Selection Committee, made up by six executive directors of Florida environmental agencies, to select sites for approval by the governor. The Division of State Lands was also created as a division of the Department of Natural Resources to oversee mapping and evaluation of potential sites for acquisition.
Creator
Sharp, Gary
Source
Original 10-page typewritten report: Sharp, Gary I. Gourd Neck Springs. Winter Park, FL: 1975: binder 1975, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Date Created
1975-06-20
Date Copyrighted
1975-06-20
Date Issued
1975-06-20
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 10-page typewritten report: Sharp, Gary I. Gourd Neck Springs. Winter Park, FL: 1975.
Is Part Of
Binder 1975, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
"Apopka Spring." Lake County Water Atlas. Accessed June 08, 2016. http://www.lake.wateratlas.usf.edu/resource.aspx?wbodyid=8500.
Campbell, Ramsey. "Source of Surprise: Crystal Clear Water from Lake Apopka." The Orlando Sentinel, April 23, 1995. Accessed June 8, 2016. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-04-23/news/9504220188_1_lake-apopka-spring-water-bottled-water.
]]>https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/6834The Winter Garden Times from Percy D. Blunt, who served as the Mayor of Winter Garden, Florida, from 1963 to 1965. In the letter, Blunt comments on a previous editorial which called for rejuvenation of tourism and water sports on Lake Apopka. Blunt believes that for this to be possible, citizen advocacy groups must form to combat the special interests groups who benefit from the pollution of the lake. Blunt mentions several state legislators that he appealed to for help in restoring the lake, without success. He also mentions the polluted state of Lulu Creek, which flows through Winter Garden and carried citrus processing discharge into Lake Apopka.]]>2016-03-16T20:13:10+00:00
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Percy D. Blunt to the Editor of The Winter Garden Times (April 1, 1966)
Alternative Title
Letter from Blunt to Winter Garden Times (April 1, 1966)
Subject
Lake Apopka (Fla.)
Water quality--Florida
Pollution--Florida
Fishing--Florida
Description
A letter to the editor of The Winter Garden Times from Percy D. Blunt, who served as the Mayor of Winter Garden, Florida, from 1963 to 1965. In the letter, Blunt comments on a previous editorial which called for rejuvenation of tourism and water sports on Lake Apopka. Blunt believes that for this to be possible, citizen advocacy groups must form to combat the special interests groups who benefit from the pollution of the lake. Blunt mentions several state legislators that he appealed to for help in restoring the lake, without success. He also mentions the polluted state of Lulu Creek, which flows through Winter Garden and carried citrus processing discharge into Lake Apopka.
Creator
Blunt, Percy D.
Source
Photocopy of original newspaper article: Blunt, Percy D. "Letter to the Editor." The Winter Garden Times, April 1966: binder 1966, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Publisher
The Winter Garden Times
Date Created
1966-04-01
Date Copyrighted
1966-04
Date Issued
1966-04
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of photocopied newspaper article: Blunt, Percy D. "Letter to the Editor." The Winter Garden Times, April 1966.
Is Part Of
Binder 1966, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
"Learn About Your Watershed: Ocklawaha River Watershed." Florida's Water: Ours to Protect, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed June 12, 2015. http://www.protectingourwater.org/watersheds/map/ocklawaha/.