Fullerton Island Officially Opens in Jupiter

(front row) SFWMD Governing Board Member Melanie Peterson, Jupiter Councilmember Todd Wodraska, Palm Beach County Commissioner Hal R. Valeche, Palm Beach County Mayor Shelley Vana, Jupiter Mayor Karen Golonka, Parks and Recreation Director Eric Call, FDOT Environmental Scientist David Bogardus; (backrow). FIND Commissioner Charles Isiminger, Environmental Resources Management Director Rob Robbins, County Administrator Bob Weisman, Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Karen Marcus.

On Monday, June 8, District I Commissioner Hal Valeche hosted the grand opening of Palm Beach County’s latest restoration project, the 12-acre Fullerton Island, located in the Town of Jupiter. Commissioner Valeche was joined by Palm Beach County Mayor Shelley Vana, Jupiter Mayor Karen Golonka, Parks and Recreation Director Eric Call, and other state and local partners, to officially open the public-use facilities at the recently-restored Fullerton Island. More than 50 attendees enjoyed a brief boat ride across the Intracoastal Waterway to the island for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The island features public-use amenities which include picnic tables, a shade shelter, an informational kiosk, and a six-slip, day-use dock. On the island, 5.12 acres of mangrove habitat was preserved, 0.54 acres of mangrove and 4.23 acres of seagrass habitat was created, 1.07 acres of upland hardwood hammock infested with invasive nonnative vegetation was restored, and an additional 0.30 acres of hammock habitat was created.

Funding partners include Palm Beach County, the Town of Jupiter, Florida Inland Navigation District, Florida Department of Transportation, and South Florida Water Management District. View the Project Fact Sheet: http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/downloads/pdf/projectfactsheets/FullertonIslandfs.pdf

See more photos in our Facebook album.

Florida Inland Navigation District Commissioner Charles Isiminger and Assistant Executive Director Janet Zimmerman, presented a check for $794,030 for the Fullerton Island Restoration Project to County Commissioner Hal R. Valeche.