DeBary, Fla. — The city of DeBary has received a $2.5 million Volusia ECHO grant for its Alexander Island project.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of DeBary purchased Alexander Island in 2023 for $3.5 million with the goal of preventing it from being developed, and to preserve the riverfront for the public

  • At the last county council meeting, the city was awarded a Volusia ECHO grant for $2.5 million to put toward the Phase I plan to open the park to the public

  • Alexander Island is home to more than 50 species of birds, a 2-mile riverfront berm, hardwood oak hammocks and a small beach

  • As part of the project, the city will add ADA-compliant restrooms, parking and trails for walking and bicycling

The money awarded by the county comes from the Volusia ECHO program, which is funded by county taxpayers to finance acquisition, restoration, construction, or improvement of facilities to be used for environmental/ecological, cultural, historical/heritage, or outdoor recreation that must be open for public use. 

With this ECHO grant, the city of DeBary can now move forward with the Phase I of this Alexander Island project, which will give the public access to the property and pay for the construction of facilities like parking, ADA bathrooms and some amenities for families to enjoy as soon as next year. 

The 170-acre Alexander Island — which exist in the heart of the city — was originally intended to be developed for the construction of 64 homes, but the city decided to buy it and preserve it.  

“Alexander Island is a dream that began almost five years ago, and there’s been so many thousands of hours of work on it by our staff and myself and many other people, as we’ve worked through the project,” DeBary Mayor Karen Chasez said.

The city bought the site in 2023 for $3.5 million wioth the goal of protecting it from being developed, and to preserve the riverfront for the public.

At the last Volusia County Council meeting, the city was awarded an ECHO grant for $2.5 million to put toward building what’s needed in the Phase I to open the park to the public.

“It is incredibly gratifying to be able now to start to let the people see what their money bought for them, their children, their grandchildren to enjoy, as well as everyone in Volusia and neighboring counties,” Chasez said.

Alexander Island is home to more than 50 species of birds, a 2-mile riverfront berm, hardwood oak hammocks and a small beach.

The city will add ADA-compliant restrooms, parking and trails for walking and bicycling.

“We are now within shooting distance of being able to open up this spectacular property for all here to enjoy," Chasez said. "But not just here, throughout the rest of Volusia County and the entire region, who can easily access it from SunRail."

Alexander Island offers easy access for visitors from out of town, being located just about 1.5 miles from DeBary’s SunRail station. 

“It’s an additional jewel to our community, bringing the amount of green acres that we have around SunRail to something like 660 or 700 acres of parks and green space,” Chasez said.

The mayor said the next step in the process will be for the work to begin on the entrance of the property, as well as the parking and the bathrooms. 

Chasez said she hopes residents will be able to see the gates open in about a year.