The Southwest Florida Water Management District Tuesday approved an agreement with the Gulf Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to manage and maintain a youth center on the District’s Flying Eagle Preserve in Citrus County.
The District selected the BSA after reviewing proposals from several organizations. The 10-year no-cost lease agreement has a 10-year renewal option.
The youth center is a 580-acre parcel that features a 2,100-square foot administration building, nine camping areas that accommodate 10 tents and include bathroom facilities, six 760-square foot cabins with utilities, 2,849-square foot in ground pool with bathroom facilities, a 4,450-square foot covered meeting/dining area with eating for approximately 400 people, a 2,600-square foot kitchen, three steel buildings for shop/maintenance that total approximately 6,100 square feet, two house totaling 3,800 square feet and numerous support structures.
The District purchased the property in December 2004 from the Boy Scouts of America. The entire parcel is 4,964 acres.
The District plans to make the remainder of the tract available for passive resource-based recreational use, which is compatible with the operation and maintenance of the facility. Some passive recreational uses are hiking, picnicking, horseback riding and nature study.
As part of the agreement, the District will make some initial improvements to bring the facility up to national standards for a Boy Scout camp. The District has budgeted $27,000 for these improvements. The BSA will make all other repairs and maintain the youth center during the term of the lease. The BSA also agreed to work with the District to develop environmental education materials for the program and to make the facility available for outside groups to reserve throughout the year. The BSA has also agreed to have a full-time on-site staff member.
The District will conduct all land management activities, such as controlled burns and invasive plant control, on the remainder of the land.