Lake Sumter Landing is getting an upgrade

As Lake Sumter Landing’s 20th anniversary approaches, The Villages is reinvesting in the town center’s signature feature — its waterfront. 

The Villages Community Development District recently shared plans to expand and update the dock and boardwalk area behind Haagan-Dazs to provide even more opportunities for residents to enjoy the lake and all it has to offer. 

“This project is all part of the District’s sustainable and perpetual plan to offer world-class amenities and programs to our residents,” said John Rohan, executive director of The Villages Recreation and Parks Department. 

Bruce Brown, assistant District manager, presented the initial concept and design to the Project Wide Advisory Committee and the Sumter Landing Community Development District on Monday. 

The District will present the final designs to both boards later for review and approval. The project, if approved, would be included in the 2024-25 budget, with design work happening that year and construction the following year, Brown said. 

Plans call for a centralized facility for the Lake Sumter Line, nature tour and fishing pontoon boats; an observation pavilion that extends out into the lake; a low-profile floating dock for launching kayaks and dragon boats; a customer service kiosk; new seating and additional storage.

This will improve the experience of launching, recovering and storing kayaks and dragon boats, which are a common sight at the lake, Brown said. 

The project also will include the demolition and replacement of the existing 20-year-old wood elements with a polywood-based product that will last for decades, Brown said.

“We’ll offer similar amenities that we have now, but they’ll be much more enhanced and easier for the residents to enjoy,” Brown said. 

The area along the boardwalk will be enhanced as well.

“We’ll add some nice new seating, some comfortable seating, so there’ll be lots of places along the waterfront where residents and guests can just relax and enjoy the water and look out on it,” Brown said.

This project allows the District to address the requests of residents and groups like the dragon boaters, who frequently use the water, Rohan said.  

“This water body adds that element of why people chose to live in The Villages, because water features are abundant in our community and they provide a great resource for people to enjoy their life,” Rohan said. 

Lake Sumter provides recreation opportunities for fishing, kayaking and dragon boating, as well as a daily sightseeing boat tour.  

For the 2022-23 fiscal year, dragon boaters spent more than 743 hours on the lake, the Lake Sumter Line boat tour served 34,247 guests, and 146 residents went on kayak tours, according to The Villages Recreation and Parks Department. 

The District’s proposal would reclassify the existing “landing” structure as an amenity, which would allow it to be funded and maintained under the Sumter Landing Amenity Division Fund, removing the financial impact from PWAC.

The estimated cost is $2.7 million, plus $225,000 in engineering and design fees. The total project is estimated at $3 million. 

“This is what the District does, we take resident input and ideas, and incorporate them into future design projects which ultimately enhance the quality of life and recreational opportunities for our residents and guests,” Brown said. 

Senior Writer Veronica Wernicke can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5307, or veronica.wernicke@thevillagesmedia.com.