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Accessible RV Checklist
Access Travel Rights
Handicapped Travel Club
Rolling Down The Trail
Family RVing
Schooling Options for RVers
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Oscar Scherer State Park
10 RVing Tips for Newbies
The Accessible RV Site
Riding The Rails
The Enabled RVer Resources
Access Travel Guides
Selecting a Cane for Travel
Fulltime RVing Challenges
Campground Access
HTC Accessible Park List
Arizona Day Drive
Touring Arizona
Columbia River Region
RVing with Kids
Volunteering and RVing
RVing and Children
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| A Model of Accessibility |
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| Oscar Scherer State Park Destination: Florida By Tim Schweitzer Located just south of Sarasota, Florida, is a state park that offers some unique recreational experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. Oscar Scherer State Park features a number of outdoor pursuits sure to please most everyone including camping, fishing, canoeing, swimming, picnicking, eight hiking trails, bicycling, environmental exhibits, and a wheelchair accessible nature trail (my daughter’s favorite part). Whether you live in the area or are one of the many visitors to Florida, this park is a wonderful place to spend a few days — or a few weeks. The Park’s location midway between Tampa and Ft. Meyers makes it an ideal “home base” to explore most of Florida’s gulf coast. If you happen to live in the area, as we do, it is a wonderful weekend getaway. The original 462 acres of land for the park was deeded to the state of Florida by Elsa Scherer Burrows in 1956 and named for her father, Oscar Scherer. An additional 992 acres was obtained in 1991, which brought the park to its present total of 1,384 acres. Park management strives to preserve a natural setting in a rapidly developing area, as well as providing recreational activities for the public. The camping area consists of a total of 104 sites for RVs or tents. There are five pull-through sites for larger (over 35 ft.) units. All of the sites have electric and water available. There is a central dumping site for sewage. Within the camping area there are five wheelchair accessible rest rooms with showers. The campground also features an accessible play area. A short distance from the campground is a lake which features a large pavilion and picnic area for group activities. The rest room and bath-house are both wheelchair accessible. The trail between the campground and lake is not specifically wheelchair accessible, but we were able to take our daughter on it in her chair without any difficulty. The beach, like any other sandy area, is a bit difficult to navigate in a chair. A wheelchair ramp extends close enough to the water to allow a person to get from their chair into the water easily. A total of 16 miles of trails wind through the park, including the Lester Finley trail. The Finley trail is the most unique feature of the park. It was built in 1996 over an existing “fisherman’s trail”. It was named after park volunteer and horticulturist, Lester Finley. Mr. Finley was blind and dreamed of establishing a trail at the park that would provide enjoyment for persons of ALL abilities. After Mr. Finley’s death in 1991, the park’s management and the Friends of Oscar Scherer Inc., designed and built this barrier free trail. The construction of the trail cost $10,000 and was funded by the Finley family as well as local community foundations. Several local schools also provided assistance and continue to help maintain the trail. With the help of volunteers, the total cost of maintenance is around $500 per year. The trail is built on a foundation of “marl”, which is a natural limestone sediment available locally. The trail begins at the picnic area where is also an accessible rest room. Five speaker boxes along the trail explain the natural features of the area. Rumble strips alert visitors of their presence. Although the trail is not very long, 3,400 feet, there is much to see and hear. Along the trail you will find a fishing pier, bridge, waterfall, a butterfly garden and a drinking fountain. The trail meanders along South Creek and affords many opportunities to see local wildlife. On any given day one might find gopher tortoises, lizards, snakes, wild pigs, rabbits, foxes, bobcats or even alligators in the creek. Overhead you may see (and hear) herons, egrets, bald eagles, vultures, Florida scrub jays, mockingbirds and many others. The park management endeavors to promote the growth of native plant species within the park. Some of the species found along the trail are blueberry, persimmon, wild grape, sabal palm, slash pine, wax myrtle and, of course, poison ivy. Many people who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to experience the outdoors have benefited greatly from the vision of the Finley family and Oscar Scherer State Park management and sponsors. This park is a wonderful example of how the recreational resources of our world can be made available for everyone’s enjoyment. I would like to thank park manager, Scott Spaulding and assistant park manager, John Roche, for their assistance and information. Contact Information: Oscar Scherer State Park 1843 South Tamiami Trail, Osprey, Florida 34229 (941) 483-5956 On The Web: Florida State Park information: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks Oscar Scherer Information: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/District_4/OscarScherer/index.html Copyright © 2000-2002 Tim Schweitzer. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |
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