County planning improvements to Fort Hamer Park and boat ramp

MANATEE -- Manatee County officials are proposing improvements to Fort Hamer Park near Parrish and the park area surrounding a rowing facility completed in 2010, a county official said Friday.

The county plans a public workshop to discuss the proposedimprovements to the park and its boat ramp and docks, according to Nick Azzara, county information outreach coordinator.

The workshop is set for6:30 p.m. Aug. 1 in the cafeteria at Williams Elementary School, 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish, Azzara said.

Proposed improvements include:

n Adding shell parking area on the park side, along with a paved parking area for boat trailers and a turnaround at the end of Fort Hamer Road.

n A new playground.

n Rebuilding an aging boat ramp and docks.

n Adding boat trailer parking by vacating the end of Fort Hamer Road and creating a turnaround and good-sized area of boat trailer parking.

n A kayak storage facility for the public.

n A paver block plaza-style area between the rowing building and restroom pavilion.

n Improved storm water and drainage system.

When complete, there will be 74 car spaces, four rowing team trailer spaces and 17 public boat trailer spaces.

"This phase of the work is the design and construction of added parking either paved or shell, to be determined through public input, and the required storm water treatment areas to accommodate it," said Project Manager Tom Yarger. "Also, the existing floating dock is to be extended to better accommodate rowing teams."

For more information, visit www.mymanatee.org or call 941-748-4501.

Sara Kennedy, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7031.

This story was originally published July 21, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "County planning improvements to Fort Hamer Park and boat ramp ."