Chuck Hatcher named to key State Parks post

Chuck Hatcher
New Assistant Director of Florida State Parks
Photo courtesy of Patte Hatcher

Jackson County's Director of Parks & Recycling has been named Assistant Director of Florida State Parks.

Chuck Hatcher, a Dellwood resident, will be leaving for his new position on March 7th after a remarkable 10 years of service to the people and visitors of Jackson County. He began his work with the county on September 26, 2006.

Hatcher will be supervising day to day operations for all 174 of Florida's state parks. Stretching from the Keys to the Perdido, the system's lands include hundreds of thousands of acres of some of the most pristine, historic and ecologically significant places in the state.

In a phone conversation this morning, he told me that he will miss his role in Jackson County. "I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish in Jackson County," he said. "We are a rural county but we have done some major development in the areas of parks and recreation."

It was a modest understatement. During his tenure at the head of Jackson County's park system, Hatcher has supervised dramatic improvements in facilities and park operations. Visitation to Blue Springs alone has skyrocketed and now pays for the county's entire parks effort. In addition to noted and visible improvements at Blue Springs, he has also supervised an upswing in cleanliness and use of parks and recreation sites from one side of the county to the other.

Chuck Hatcher at Bellamy Bridge

I had the opportunity to work closely with Chuck in the realization of our dream to see Bellamy Bridge once again open to the public. Without spending a single dime of property tax money, we designed, funded and developed the new Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail on Highway 162. The one-half mile nature trail leads to the historic bridge and has been visited by thousands of people in just a few short years.

Chuck has also been instrumental in securing funding for boat ramps, boardwalks, the new Jackson County Greenway on the Chipola River and improving the quality of the county-maintained parks along Lake Seminole. His key accomplishments are bringing tourists to our area in growing numbers while also benefiting the citizens of Jackson County on a daily basis.

Chuck and his wife of many years Patte reside in downtown Dellwood. They have two highly accomplished daughters. The entire family has been visible and active in Jackson County for many years and will remain so after he transitions to his new position.

Congratulations to a long-time friend!

#76 Chuck Hatcher (100 Great Things about Jackson County, Florida)

Chuck Hatcher
Photo courtesy of Patte Nettles Hatcher

This list consists primarily of places and stories, but the work Chuck Hatcher has done for our county is deserving of recognition. He is #76 on my list of 100 Great Things about Jackson County, Florida.

Click here to see the complete list as it is unveiled.

As Director of the Jackson County Parks & Recycling Department, Chuck Hatcher has supervised the most dramatic program of improvement of a local park system that I have ever seen. My career took me all around the country and I've seen great local parks and some that were not so great. Jackson County has always been blessed with beautiful scenery, but our park system has often fallen short of its potential. That has changed under Chuck's leadership and in a remarkable way.

Blue Springs

Blue Springs is the crown jewel of Jackson County's park system and under Chuck's leadership it has become a focal point for visitors from around the world. The agreement between the county and Cave Adventurers has turned Blue Springs into a major destination for divers and with his ability to write successful grant applications, Chuck has obtained the thousands of dollars in grant money needed to make Blue Springs a first class facility. Diving has become a major part of Jackson County's tourism effort and the visitors who come to take part are adding millions of dollars to the local economy each year.

If you haven't been lately, drop by after they reopen on Memorial Day weekend. The park is clean, nicely landscaped, the facilities have been dramatically improved, the summer employees are bright and energetic. You will find that under Hatcher's leadership, Blue Springs has become a world class park and attraction.

Chuck Hatcher at Bellamy Bridge

Chuck Hatcher has also been a leader in the effort to reopen historic Bellamy Bridge to the public. Through his own labors, those of his associates, inmates from the Jackson County Correctional Facility and volunteers, he supervised the building of the new Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail, parking lot, fencing, informational kiosks and soon the much-needed footbridges. All of this was done without using a dime of property tax money.

Spring Creek Park, another facility that draws thousands of visitors from all over the region, features beautiful boardwalks, stunning views and a great launch facility for those who come to enjoy tubing, canoeing and kayaking on the cold clear waters of Spring Creek and the Chipola River.

Chuck Hatcher leading at lantern light tour at Bellamy Bridge

Other projects he has spearheaded include improving public access to Compass Lake, the dramatic improvement in maintenance for the parks along Lake Seminole, the development of Citizens Park into a major recreational and meeting facility for the people of Jackson County and more. Projects on the drawing board are equally exciting and will continue the progress that Jackson County has made in making clean, beautiful and safe recreation areas available for our citizens and visitors.

Sometimes our best citizens and public employees "fly below the radar" and do not receive the recognition they deserve. Chuck Hatcher and his employees have done more to improve life in Jackson County than anyone I know. In recognizing him I recognize them all as #76 on my list of the 100 Great Things about Jackson County, Florida.