Avocet Lagoon Viewing Platform Update

By Jim Meyer with additional information provided by Saran Linney

Much progress has been made on the SCAS Viewing Platform planning and fund raising. After "shopping" for a design and visiting many, we decided to use the Lake Woodruff NWR design due to its simplicity and the cooperation of the West Volusia County Audubon members. Eileen and I met Ed Sherman, West Volusia County Audubon Vice President, at the Platform on May 1. We made measurements and Ed made some very helpful sketches for us to base our drawings on.

The sketches and pictures of the Platform were given in mid-June to Caryl McEndree, SCAS member, who had volunteered to draft the required engineering drawings. The drawings will be given to Art Berger for approval, and then forwarded to Ben Baggs, the Locks Lead Lockmaster, for coordination and approval by the Corps of Engineers. Art is a Construction Contractor who volunteered, thanks to Harvy Renshaw, to oversee the construction of the Viewing Platform.

In parallel with the above activity, Fund raising actively started on June 23. Many of the Merchants and Businesses at the Port, Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach were personally contacted. Doctors and Aerospace Companies were also contacted when possible. The majority of the contacts were helpful and pledged donations. Also, letters are being sent out to other establishments and SCAS members. I was pleasantly surprised on the morning of July 7 when I checked my email and got a pledge from a Canadian from Ottawa who I had showed around the Locks and Port this past winter (got two lifers including an Americal Oystercatcher). His words, "Count me in for a $500 donation" were music to my ears! By the middle of August, $1850.00 had been raised! Other significant pledges were from the Port Authority and USA.

Not only have monetary donations been received, several companies opted to provide hardware. It was an exciting morning on July 5 when FPL delivered the 4 poles to the platform site at the Canaveral Locks. Ace Hardware in Merritt Island has pledged hardware for construction. Sunshine Welding also offered to make our handrails out of aluminum for the stairs. Snappy Signs in Cocoa Beach has offered to help with the trail signs.

The next steps will be to receive final approval from the Corps of Engineers of the Viewing Platform drawings, signing a MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) between SCAS and the Corps, and setting of the poles by FPL with construction of the platform to follow.