TDC highlights push for outdoor education center as Suwannee County offers letter of support

Commissioner Kevin Parnell was introduced as the newly appointed chairman of the Columbia County Tourism Development Council as staff updated the board on a proposed outdoor education center tied to the county’s 500-acre regional park. TDC staff said engineers have advanced design work on the park’s entry road and that wetlands and building floor plans for restroom and concession facilities have been finalized.

TDC staff described an ongoing partnership discussion with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) to locate an outdoor center on the northern portion of the park, saying the board had previously voted to support an agreement with FWC. The staff member reported that Suwannee County’s board of county commissioners voted to send a letter of support and that Hamilton and Union counties expect to follow with similar letters. "We have a letter of support from their county commissioners," the staff member said during the update.

Staff cautioned that phase-one park design does not currently include the outdoor center, but engineers are coordinating layouts so future infrastructure—roads and parking—can tie into later phases if funding materializes. When a board member asked whether first-phase infrastructure would serve the center, staff said the answer was "kind of yes and no": phase one won’t build the full center infrastructure but the design will accommodate extension if FWC and other funders proceed.

Staff also reported a legislative funding request was made by FWC and asked board members to contact their legislators in support. The update closed with staff noting they will provide further details as design and funding discussions progress.

The board did not take formal action on the outdoor center at this meeting; staff said they will report back as negotiations and funding efforts advance.