Baller skispray Posted January 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 17, 2021 On the Marcus Brown episode of The Waterski Podcast he said he thought access to water is one of the primary ways to go the sport and that the U.S. needs about another 5 Okeeheelee Parks. I knew about Okeeheelee prior to that podcast but have looked into it a bit more since then. A county park built for recreation that has 5 ski lakes! The website for the ski club says they have 100 members or so, and on Google Maps it looks like dozens of ski boats on the dock. It does look like an incredible site. My question is - how did it happen? How did a county park end up with ski lakes? I’d be really interested to find out more about the history and if there is anything about this setup that could be repeated. As someone living in an area without a couple options but not a ton, the idea of more places like that sounds very nice to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller dchristman Posted January 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 17, 2021 Brief history on the website https://www.okeeski.com/about-okee/our-history/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ lpskier Posted January 18, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted January 18, 2021 I’ve heard that the lakes evolved from trenches left behind by the construction of the Florida Turnpike which preceded construction of the park. This may be an urban legend but it would make sense. Lpskier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 @lpskier - I think most "lakes" in FL are just borrow pits for construction. I know the one we go to in Ft Myers is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Ed_Johnson Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 The truth is...... "GOD wanted a place to SKI." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller thager Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 Many years ago I saw the construction blueprints for Okeeheelee. Doubt it was accidental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BS74 Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 My long time ski friend Mark Bozicevic was heavily involved in the development of Okeeheelee in cooperation with county and city officials. Google his name and you can read how it all came about. He recently received a AWSA Hall of Fame Award of Distinction for his contributions to the sport. He's a good skier and a great guy to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller liquid d Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 Mark Bozicevic ( The Man, the Myth, the Legend! and a great skier) The Boz! Also creator of the most Prestigious title ever in skiing...The Super Swami! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skierjp Posted January 18, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 18, 2021 The lakes were dug to build the turnpike. Boz was heavily involved. I believe the way the story goes the plan was to dig the lakes for the dirt but no guarantee that anyone would ever get to ski on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Jody_Seal Posted January 19, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted January 19, 2021 @liquid d The "Boz"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ lpskier Posted January 19, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted January 19, 2021 @oldjeep I ski on a lake that was dug to be a storm water retention pond for adjacent commercial development. Because of that, our lake is 12 feet deep, much deeper than many purpose built ski lakes that seem to average around six feet deep. Lpskier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller matthewbrown Posted January 19, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 19, 2021 @liquid d did you win a superswami? I remember skiing in that back in maybe 97’ at Okeheelee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted January 19, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 19, 2021 @lpskier I have no idea how deep the lake in ft Myers is. It was apparently dug for material to make the roads that flank it. It is just long enough to hold the courses, I don't drive there - it scares me a little. You have to be careful as a driver and skier if you like to just spin and do 4 passes like I prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller liquid d Posted January 19, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 19, 2021 @matthewbrown I got 2nd i think... to Dee Dee Mahler..... my memory gets blurrier each year with the amount of bourbon that goes through me! HUGE trophy...haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller HSL Posted January 20, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 20, 2021 Many were involved — but in addition to Mark Bozicevic — Joy Bozicevic should be recognized as a force behind this great facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Roger Posted January 21, 2021 Baller Share Posted January 21, 2021 @jrs can probably answer most questions as I believe he has been skiing with the club since before the Park lakes where dug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Broussard Posted February 11, 2021 Baller Share Posted February 11, 2021 Okeeheelee Park is possibly one of the most important lake developments in the history of the sport. It almost completely solves the issue of access to the sport for individuals in the West Palm Beach area. Yes, you have to acquire a towboat or find someone to give you a pull, but the lakes are there and the cost to participate in the sport is comparatively minuscule. Many have mentioned the success of Okeeheelee Park and have postulated that replicating this development across the country would be a phenomenal advancement for the sport. Imagine an Okeeheelee Park in areas like Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Denver, etc. A 5 lake development might be unnecessary in all of these locations. I am speaking more on the idea of county owned water ski facilities, not specifically an identical replication of Okeeheelee. How can we as a sport or association (AWSA/USAWSWS) convince parks and recreation departments to develop water sports facilities in order to help alleviate the issue of access? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Nando Posted February 16, 2021 Baller Share Posted February 16, 2021 Shortly after Okeeheelee was completed, I was working for a county that was building a park (the parks department was part of my department and I was working on the overall design) and since I was the state association president, I was asked to pursue a ski site in it (small conflict of interest, but, if you're up front about those things...). My recollection, in very approximate numbers, is that at Okeeheelee they got over a million cubic yards of good road building material from the excavation. In our case, our soils were not usable and the space simply didn't work out. There was a synergy at Okeeheelee that combined a nearby road project (maybe several, I don't recall) with the park's location where the material for those projects was available nearby. One key to it working was that the distance to haul the material was short and, therefore, cost effective. If our numbers were what they were in the '80s, we'd have more clout in potential public projects, but it's a tough sell and most public officials have no understanding of the sport and government attorneys see the liability first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted February 16, 2021 Baller_ Share Posted February 16, 2021 Millennium Park in Grand Rapids already has 5 lakes. They have held slalom events on one of the lakes (and Freddy Krueger's world record SkiFly jump), but it takes all kinds of special permits. And, I believe they have to pay whatever the usual daily pedal boat rental revenue is, since they shut the lake to that traffic. Could be a great site, but the powers that be do not seem as visionary as the Okeeheelee folks. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller liquid d Posted February 17, 2021 Baller Share Posted February 17, 2021 5 LAKES and they can't figure out how to make one of them a ski site? Sounds like some more organization needs to happen up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller LeonL Posted February 19, 2021 Baller Share Posted February 19, 2021 @oldjeep where is this ski lake in Ft.Myers? I just this year began to winter in FT Myers and I'd like to look into skiing there. Who would I contact? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted February 19, 2021 Baller Share Posted February 19, 2021 @LeonL the one I am talking about is a private lake, only reason I get to ski on it is that I know someone who has a share in a boat. The only public place I know of in Ft Myers is Eden - https://www.edenskilake.com/ Otherwise there are a couple private lakes with courses on them if you know the right people. (Harborage and Alico lake) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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