The Hobe Mountain Observation Tower inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park has been closed to visitors for more than two years — and the fight to fund its repair is far from over.
The tower remains standing, but safety concerns have kept the public from using it since it was closed. For Jim Howe, president of the Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, the closure is part of a larger problem.
WATCH: Jonathan Dickinson State Park tower sits idle as funding fight continues
"Parks have been on a long term strangulation from the state. We have been getting shorted on repair monies now for many years," Howe said.
Howe has long championed the park and its unique landscape.
"I've just grown to love Florida scrub. It's just a beautiful ecosystem," Howe said.
The Hobe Mountain Observation Tower was once the best place to take in that ecosystem. Now, it sits idle.
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $2 million at the end of the last legislative session that had been earmarked for repairs and improvements at the park. State Sen. Gayle Harrell said the decision was a blow to efforts she and state Rep. John Snyder had worked hard to advance.
"We were very disappointed, both of us," Harrell said.
Harrell described the tower as something worth fighting to save.
"This is an iconic piece of history that we want to preserve," Harrell said.
The funding fight comes two summers after a separate controversy put Jonathan Dickinson State Park in the spotlight. In 2024, a proposal surfaced that golf courses could be built there, drawing an outcry from residents. That backlash led to the State Park Preservation Act, which the governor signed in 2025.
"I think our bill was very clear. We're not going to allow development in our state parks," Harrell said.
Harrell said she has not been approached about any similar development proposal since the law passed. She and Snyder plan to pursue park funding again in the next legislative session.
"We have had a conversation and we are both committed to make sure we continue funding the rehabilitation and restoration of our parks," Harrell said.
Park supporters are hoping that commitment translates into financial relief soon.
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