Ocean Gate General Contractors was contracted to complete this restoration project at Limestone Creek Natural Area that Miller Legg designed and permitted.  This project is located along the C-18 Canal in what used to be a fork of the Loxahatchee River.  Ocean Gate was mindful that the configuration is historic; the River was straightened into the C-18 Canal by the South Florida Water Management District in the late 1950s.  

Ocean Gate General Contractors, Inc. was awarded this project because of their park experience throughout Southeastern Florida.  The company has completed more than ten  large parks and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with sensitive environmental sites.  Limestone Creek presented several challenges, requiring the work to be divided into three phases.  Preserving the environment with the smallest footprint possible was the overriding concern of Palm Beach County.  The site encompassed a natural wooded area along a tributary of the Loxahatchee River.  These six acres is owned by Palm Beach County and is surrounded by residential development.  The tributary had become stagnant and flow was impeded from the residential development.  The wooded area had become a dumping ground, and sorely needed attention. 

The first phase of work included cleaning the area and creating two weirs on an abandoned tributary.  The project included an innovative minimalist design to restore the backwater creek. The weir structure was cast in-place with minimal disturbance to the natural area surrounding the creek and incorporated "stepping stone" blocks to allow for a future pedestrian path crossing over the creek.  

Phase two called for the creation of an environmental oxbow.  Palm Beach County contracted Miller Legg to design and permit an oxbow along the bank of the C-18 to restore a more natural system to Limestone Creek Natural Area located along the bank of the C-18 Canal. In addition, the plans included the restoration of a small historic backwater creek (a tributary of the Loxahatchee River) by installing two control structures, one to hold back water within the creek and another further downstream for salinity control.  

The oxbow restoration involved the creation of a ±600 foot long tidal creek (oxbow) that included the creation of approximately 2 acres of red and black mangroves and cord grass. An observation platform was designed on the east end and a boardwalk/fishing pier that extends across the oxbow and into the C-18 Canal on the west end of the oxbow.  

The restoration of oxbow and creek will provide foraging, resting, and nesting habitat for numerous wildlife, including wood storks, great blue herons, and manatees. It will also provide increased public recreation and nature/wildlife observation. This project is serving the community's needs by providing a passive recreation area in the middle of the developed Town of Jupiter.  

Aesthetically, the oxbow is a beautiful addition to the Limestone Creek Natural Area.  Instead of a flat weedy disturbed upland, the area now includes a tidal creek with mangroves.

 When rivers meander and become cut off from their course, they form an oxbow lake.  We dredged an oxbow to create a natural area by removing 2,500 cubic yards of earth to bring the shoreline down to a level that would allow the river to reclaim the shoreline and its natural course.  In preparation for this dredging, 75 cabbage palms were relocated.  After the oxbow was created, 2,500 red mangroves were planted to restore the shoreline and natural environment.  A fishing pier and platform and lookout station was built overlooking the water.   

Ben Dyer, the project manager for Ocean Gate General Contractors lives just east of the park and is an avid sportsman.  He has been kayaking through this area for years and has been pleasantly surprised at the rebirth of the fish, birds and wildlife that the park has encouraged.  What was once a "dead" canal has become a vibrant interesting place to explore and fish.  And it is only going to get better as the mangroves take root and bring in more habitats for fish and birds to prosper. 

The final phase of the project provided a meandering walkway from the waterway and lookouts through the wooded area to a paved parking area.  A kiosk was built to provide park information to visitors.   

This phase brought with it many stringent requirements setting the smallest footprint possible to complete the work.  The County marked trees and plants for relocation, and set a boundary that could not be breeched along the walkway.  We worked very closely with the Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management team to identify what species had to be protected, and what species could be moved.  It was a plant by plant process through the wooded area.  A 2,000 lineal foot meandering sidewalk was constructed through the natural preserve.  The parking area was constructed in the same manner.  The result is a beautiful park with a minimal footprint.  The project was completed November 15, 2008. 

Visitors and residents alike can enjoy this treasure of peace and tranquility along the waterway.  And more: Ocean Gate is aware that there is no such thing as unimportant Florida green space.  As the state works to restore the Everglades National Park, Ocean Gate executives view other environmental projects within Florida as a butress and compliment to these efforts.