We wish all of you a prosperous 2024. Please review our Post-Pandemic statement:
We can neither permit nor deny the use of this ramp, as we do not have any authority over it. We believe this ramp was built when the canals were created. This ramp is not on public property and it is not maintained. While we have noted people using it over the years, anyone doing so is doing so completely at their own risk.
The canals are directly tied to Little Lake Jackson, which itself is directly tied to the big Lake Jackson. As such, the water levels of the canals will always be the same as the lakes. There is only one spillway to regulate this level, located on Tubbs road. The spillway is a fixed concrete structure having no gates or valves. The primary source of water for the lakes is rainwater. When the level of the lakes drops to the level of the spillway, evaporation takes over to lower the lakes even further. If you've seen the pictures of the 2012 canal reopening project, you'll know the levels can drop quite dramatically during a drought.
Is there a speed limit in the canal system?
Yes, all boaters are required to maintain a strict "Idle Speed Only" when operating in the canals. There are 3 large signs which display this. There are no exceptions to this anywhere in the canal system.
Are you a Home Owners Association?
No, we are not a deeded, mandatory Home Owners Association (HOA). We are a completely voluntary association of like minded property owners who seek to maintain the beauty and functionality of our community environment. We survive solely on the donations of our members. And since we are a 501(c)3 non-profit, our dues are tax deductible.
How are our dues spent?
We have 2 main categories of expenses. The first involves the maintenance of our 501c3 association's existence. These include liability insurance, Chamber of Commerce dues, mailing expenses, etc. Whatever we have remaining goes into a reserve buffer for maintenance purposes. We strive to limit our expenses to only the bare minimum needed to survive. As an example, in 2021 our PO Box annual renewal at the Sebring Post Office was raised to over $100 for the year. We could not see using the donations of 4 members just to maintain this box, so we cancelled it. We are fortunate to hold a small reserve for future maintenance needs. The canal reopening project in 2012 required the community to collect $3000.00 ourselves to receive the remaining matching funds and grants to make that possible. To date, if that were needed again we could do it. We also draw from this reserve to fund our cleanup projects as needed, which happen every two or three years.