More improvements are on the way at one of Monroe County’s crown jewel parks in Key Largo.
Located at MM 104.5 bayside, the 8-acre Rowell’s Waterfront Park recently underwent several upgrades, including a new bathroom, parking lot, lighting and shared use paths, thanks to a $3 million grant from the state.
Phase two of the park’s improvements, which crews went to work on beginning Sept. 15, entail regrading and resodding the multi-use field, adding sidewalks and renovating the lower parking lot. There will be added lighting, walking paths and drainage. The $2.9 million in improvements are funded through a grant.
Questions from the public began to arise over the reported removal of trees at the park. The county said some large trees unfortunately had to be removed to allow for construction of the new parking lot and a required stormwater management system.
“But we promise we are not paving paradise to put up a parking lot,” read a Facebook post by Monroe County.
In total, 112 new trees and landscaping are coming to Rowell’s Park as part of phase two upgrades. Around the parking lot, 7,243 square feet of landscaping, which is above the required 5,905 square feet, will be planted with 15 canopy trees and 15 understory trees in addition to shrubs and groundcovers.
Along the park’s southern boundary, crews will plant 23 new canopy trees and 10 understory trees to create a lush buffer. Additional canopy trees will be planted throughout the site after major construction is finished.
Native species include gumbo limbo, slash pine, Jamaican dogwood, West Indian mahogany, buttonwood and wax myrtle. All trees were chosen for shade, habitat value and resilience. The entire landscaped area will have irrigation to help the new trees thrive.
County officials say several dozen new native canopy trees and native vegetation were also installed during phase one of upgrades to Rowell’s Waterfront Park in 2022. They were planted as a buffer zone adjacent to the properties to the north and south ends of the park.
Rowell’s Waterfront Park’s new parking lot, beach and bathroom will remain open. The park is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until one-half hour after sunset.
