Take the plunge

SILVER SPRINGS — This month marks the fifth anniversary of the state’s takeover of what is now called Silver Springs State Park. And that means it’s also the fifth anniversary of the local effort, so far unsuccessful, to restore swimming at the park.

The County Commission is tired of waiting. When reviewing what they will ask legislators to fight for during the upcoming legislative session in Tallahassee, commissioners have put restoration of swimming at Silver Springs at the top of the list.

Commissioner Carl Zalak doesn’t just want to ask the state Department of Environmental Protection, which runs the park, for permission. He wants a Marion County lawmaker to file a local bill that actually requires the state to allow swimming in Silver Springs — an activity that hasn’t been allowed since the late 1990s.

Zalak said he has discussed this “local bill” strategy with some members of Marion County’s state legislative delegation.

Zalak said he understands the state’s concerns about controlling crowds. In the past, the state has suggested a possible swimming area away from the headspring.

But “you can still have a smaller, very nicely done (swimming) area at the headsprings,” Zalak said during Tuesday’s commission meeting.

“We should have the right to swim there just like (at) every other spring in the state of Florida, pretty much,” he added. (There are 22 state parks that feature springs, and only two — Silver Springs and Homosassa Springs — don’t allow swimming.)

“Being able to get in the water is huge” to help improve the park, commission Chairwoman Kathy Bryant agreed.

Bryant said swimming isn’t the only change that’s needed. She has asked the county’s park director, Jim Couillard, to set up a meeting with DEP to discuss infrastructure improvements that would make it easier for people on the water to come up on land and enjoy the park.

Bryant spends a lot of time on the Silver River, near the park. “We are definitely losing out on a lot of opportunity out there,” she said during Tuesday’s meeting.

“It’s unfathomable to me that we don’t have a spot” where people can leave their kayaks or paddleboards for a while and “actually go into the park, enjoy some lunch,” she said.

Will the state make this happen? The commission certainly hopes so.

“I think that is being worked on and I think we should carry it forward,” Commissioner Michelle Stone said.

Frustration with the state’s approach has been building for years. State officials have expressed a desire to create a quiet environment where people can escape the fast-paced world for a bit. The park still has the iconic glass-bottom boats and some food and entertainment opportunities, but the emphasis is more on nature.

“As of now, swimming is not permitted at Silver Springs,” the state says on the park’s website. “Boating, kayaking and canoeing are alternatives guests can enjoy in order to experience our beautiful waters first hand.”

Last month, a DEP official told the Star-Banner that the state isn’t opposed to re-establishing swimming at the park. But it won’t move forward until the shuttered Wild Waters park is torn down. And even then, the state will have to go through a permitting process and build a suitable beach and supporting facilities.

In early 2013, Palace Entertainment paid to get out of its Silver Springs lease. This allowed the tourist attraction to become part of the state's system. It was combined with the nearby Silver River State Park to create Silver Springs State Park.

Contact Jim Ross at 671-6412 or jim.ross@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @jimrossOSB