7th Street Park already does a lot of work for a small city park. It has the bocce court by the restroom, where the city supplies the equipment and runs open play Monday and Thursday afternoons from January through April. Shuffleboard sits nearby, also open to the public with equipment on hand. The playground has bucket swings for toddlers, belt swings for older kids, a climbing and sliding structure, and shaded picnic tables under Tiki huts. The President's Day Clam Bake is one of the Key Colony Beach Fishing and Boating Club's annual events, and this year it ran from noon to 5 p.m. on February 16 at 7th Street Park.
That same park is where most of Key Colony Beach's newly funded recreation projects will go. Funding is no longer the main question for those projects. The open question is how they'll fit on a park that's already full.
Six Projects, and Half of Them on One Street
On September 29, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council approved all six of the city's FY 2027 capital applications, for a total of $494,550. In the city's announcement, Mayor Freddie Foster called it "wonderful news for our little City." The money comes from Monroe County's tourist development tax, which is meant for tourism-related facilities and capital improvements.
In August, Mayor Foster published a grant update listing the original requests. Putting those requests next to the September awards shows two things. Three of the six projects are at 7th Street Park, and the awards didn't always match the asks.
| Project | Where | Requested in August | Awarded Sept. 29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restroom | 7th Street Park | $115,000 | $80,500 |
| Fitness trail | 7th Street Park | $149,000 | $104,300 |
| Basketball court | 7th Street Park | $110,000 | $85,250 |
| Pickleball restroom | Pickleball court | $115,000 | $80,500 |
| Gazebo | Sunset Park | $69,000 | $69,000 |
| Electronic message sign | City Hall | $75,000 | $75,000 |
The two projects that asked for no local match, the Sunset Park gazebo and the City Hall sign, got their full amounts. The four that came with a city match listed in August got less than they asked for.
None of this is ready to build yet. According to the city, the agreements still have to go through Monroe County for final approval before work begins.
The Court Has Money but No Settled Location
The basketball court is the clearest example of how much is still undecided. At the Recreation Committee's August 13 meeting, Chair Catto brought up a letter Vice-Mayor Colonell had sent to the City Commission asking it to reevaluate the court's location. She went over the history: a Fact-Finding Committee had studied the sites, the Recreation Committee had made its own recommendation, and now it was up to the Commission whether to send the question back.
The adopted minutes show both sides arguing from the same concern, which is the park's open space. Committee member Aleta Williamson responded to points in the letter about fencing, Clam Bake use, and losing more green space. She said she supported the recommended location so the court could be finished with grant money by the end of the year. Vice-Chair Evangelista, one of the three people who made the original recommendation, said the site had been physically measured. He also raised the possible loss of trees at the alternative location. Sally Cherry said that preventing further loss of green space appealed to her.
The minutes record Mayor Foster saying he supported the location "as designed and planned," that he didn't support moving it or delaying the project, and that he had promised to get it finished. City Administrator Bartus told the committee he didn't believe a change in location would affect the grant decision.
"Re-evaluation of Basketball Location" was on the Commission's August 20 agenda under Vice-Mayor Colonell's report. The posted agendas since then haven't recorded a final answer.
The location matters because of everything else headed for the same park. The fitness trail and the new restroom are also going there. The Recreation Committee's October 8 agenda included a straw vote on sunshades at 7th Street Park and a $112,500 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program application for more 7th Street Park improvements. All of it is planned for the park that also hosts the Clam Bake.
1st Street Park and the Restroom Still Missing
The east end of the city is on a slower track. The October 8 agenda also included a $50,000 FRDAP application for 1st Street Park. When Chair Catto went over the committee's priority list in August, the 7th and 8th Street bathrooms had been rolled into the grant request. That left the East Park restroom on 1st Street outstanding. 1st Street Park already has the same playground setup as 7th Street, with swings for both age groups, a climbing structure, and shaded Tiki-hut picnic tables.
The committee is also talking about where to put the little libraries. Sally Cherry reported that the one by the tennis court gets very little use, and the committee floated moving it closer to the playground and bocce court. The bocce court is on 7th Street, so the idea would bring one more amenity to the same block.
Sunset Park Gets Shade Before It Gets the Gazebo
Sunset Park, at West Ocean Drive and 12th Street, is one of the city's open passive-use areas. The city also books it for private events like weddings and memorials. The $69,000 gazebo was funded in full in September, and it isn't the park's first upgrade. In August, the city listed a $50,000 FRDAP grant for Sunset Park shade sails and $19,600 in TDC money for Sunset Park pier improvements among the awards supporting current and recently completed projects.
Pickleball is getting even more shade money. The same update lists $255,000 in TDC funds for pickleball court shade sails, plus a $76,500 local match, along with $100,000 from FRDAP and TDC combined for pickleball and tennis court construction. Adding the new $80,500 restroom, the pickleball court has drawn more grant money than any other recreation facility in the city. The city's recreation page gives the KCB Pickleball Club as the contact for the court.
The Golf Course Has New Palms and an Unsettled Future
The 9-hole, par-3 public course on 8th Street isn't part of the TDC package. The city's recreation page lists green fees of $15 per nine and $8 for each additional nine, with $5 club and pull-cart rentals. It also lists play from 7:30 a.m. to dusk and pro shop hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., opening at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. "Golf fee updates" was on the Commission's October 22 agenda under Commissioner Harding, so check those rates before the next round.
Some smaller changes at the course have already been approved. The Beautification Committee approved five Royal Poincianas on 8th Street by the course. In August, the Recreation Committee voted unanimously for fishtail palms behind the safety net, on a Plant Health Care proposal for $8,669.45. The landscaping contractor's letter suggested the palms could eventually reduce the need for the safety nets. Vice-Chair Evangelista said the net might still be needed, but the palms could help hide it. Chair Catto also reported comments that the new porch furniture at the course is well liked.
The course's long-term future is still open. According to the minutes, the City Commission turned down the committee's request to form a golf course committee, and Chair Catto said public workshops would be needed to gather community input on what happens next. Vice-Chair Evangelista noted the Commission had declined a committee twice. He suggested revisiting the question later in the season, with a workshop if the Commission doesn't take it up.
November Is When These Decisions Come Back to the Table
The court location, the sunshade vote, and the golf course workshops all come back up as seasonal residents return. Here's the city and Community Association calendar for the coming weeks:
- Friday, November 6, 5 to 9 p.m. Boating & Fishing Club event, per the city calendar.
- Tuesdays, November 10, 17 and 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Key Colony Beach Farmer's Market.
- Thursday, November 12, 10 a.m. to noon. Recreation Committee meeting. The November calendar lists it as Zoom only, while the October agenda said in person and via Zoom, so confirm the format before you go.
- Thursday, November 19, 10 a.m. to noon. City Commission regular meeting. In October, the Commission met on the Key Colony Inn back patio at 700 W. Ocean Drive while City Hall work continues.
- Thursday, November 19, 5 to 9 p.m. The Community Association's Welcome Back Party at Key Colony Inn Restaurant & Lounge, with hamburgers, hot dogs, and entertainment by Rick and Dayna. Everyone is welcome.
After that, the Christmas Boat Parade, co-sponsored by the Community Association and the Fishing & Boating Club, is set for December 13. Steve DeCrow is the listed contact for boat entries. In February, the Fishing and Boating Club's President's Day Clam Bake comes back to 7th Street Park, and the Beautification Committee's Hot Dog in the Hut event is scheduled for February 27, 2027.
If you own a rental in Key Colony Beach, your guests will see these changes as soon as they walk to the park, the courts, or the golf course. If you'd like to talk through how the new amenities and the construction ahead could affect your property, Jessica Borraccino follows these meetings closely. Let's connect, so schedule your free consultation.