Parks, recreational facilities abound
By Jennifer Nessmith
Staff writer
If you're in search of the "great outdoors" for your next staycation, look no further than Merritt Island.
Situated in central Brevard County, Merritt Island is home to more than 20 county-operated parks, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and several venues that cater to extreme sports.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1963 as an overlay of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, consists of 140,000 acres of a wide variety of habitats for more than 1,500 plants and animals. Those habitats include coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks.
Sandee Larsen, office manager for the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Association, a "friends" group for the refuge with more than 1,000 members, said the main points of interest for the refuge are the Visitor's Center, the Black Point Wildlife Drive and the Haulover Canal Manatee Observation Deck.
"Black Point is a 7-mile, self-guided auto tour with 12 stops," Ms. Larsen said. "Basically, you'll see water and wading birds, alligators, otters, turtles and birds of prey. It's the one stop you're sure to see some wildlife."
There are also opportunities for fishing, hunting, boating and paddling.
The Visitor's Center is located 3-1/2 miles east of State Road 402. For more information, call (321) 861-0668 or visit http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/Index.html.
Most county parks are situated along bodies of water, including the Indian River, Banana River and Sykes Creek. Activities cater to nearly every type of sport imaginable; from surf fishing and swimming to canoeing and kayaking to volleyball and horseshoe, the opportunities for physical activity are nearly endless.
Kelly Park East, located at 2550 N. Banana River Drive, is a 15-acre park internationally recognized for its windsurfing area along the Banana River. The park features a natural catamaran/sailboard launch area with a sandy beach, shower, boat ramps, dock, pavilion, grills, restrooms and drinking fountains.
Kiwanis Island Park, situated in a wildlife sanctuary, caters to active and passive recreational pursuits, including boating, rowing and paddling in Sykes Creek, the Barge Canal and the Banana River, as well as fishing, basketball, softball, tennis, racquetball and wildlife viewing.
The park contains two lighted adult softball fields, a community center, full indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a boat launch and two-lane boat ramp, picnic areas and playgrounds.
Kiwanis Island Park is at 951 Kiwanis Island Park Road. Call (321) 455-1380.
Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary, located at 805 Sykes Creek Parkway, Merritt Island, is a 436-acre bird reservation and sanctuary that offers a "wilderness escape in an urban environment." The park is known with birdwatchers worldwide and as a natural lagoon and bird rookery linked with canals created for mosquito control and surrounded by a man-made dike. A trail on the dike provides access to waterways for fisherman, birdwatchers and paddlers. Be on the lookout for dolphin and birds such as the wood stork, belted kingfisher and white or brown pelican.
For the extreme sports enthusiasts, Merritt Island's Paradise Skatepark & Funplex offers one of the largest indoor and outdoor parks on the coast, with a 18,000-square-foot outdoor park and a 10,000-square-foot indoor park featuring state-of-the-art ramps.
The Funplex also has a BMX course and an 18-hole miniature golf course.
Paradise Funplex is at 555 Fortenberry Road, Merritt Island. For more information, call (321) 454-7777 or visit www.paradisefunplex.com.