MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Over the past week, WPTV News has reported extensively on the development controversy at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County.
However, even with the recent developments and plans to build three golf courses being pulled, the issue is impacting local businesses in the area.
Florida Classics Books and Gifts has long penned the importance of protecting paradise and preserving Florida’s history and environment. The bookstore sells all kinds of books about the state, including state parks like Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Owner Julie Alexander said she was "enraged" when she heard about the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s "Great Outdoors Initiative," looking to build three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
"There are some people that are not seeing the big picture," Alexander said. "They’re not seeing how valuable the park is and how valuable the park is in the way that it is right now."
WPTV News journalist Briana Nespral asked Alexander if she thinks the history of the park will be forgotten if these developments come to fruition.
“I absolutely think so," Alexander said. "A lot of people that come to the bookstore. They’re all about wanting to learn about Florida history, the Florida environment, and the protection of the state.”
The issue at Jonathan Dickinson is also affecting author James D. Snyder.
"In the six books I’ve done, the park shows up somewhere," Snyder said. "Any golf course violates the mission of the state park, which is environmental protection.”
While browsing for answers, Alexander said she hopes others can take a page from her book and keep Florida history alive through books."
