OAKLAND, FL — The Town of Oakland has completed a total refurbishing of the Jake Voss Fishing Pier, making the serene public space along the shores of Lake Apopka more accessible for all.
The pier’s upgrades include enhanced paved parking, driveway and sidewalks, which are all up to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.
“When visiting the pier, you will enter down a newly paved driveway, situated beneath the branches of one of Oakland’s oldest oak trees,” said Public Works Director Mike Parker. “The sidewalk to the pier is fully ADA accessible and even has a bench should you simply just want to relax and enjoy the scenery. Down at the fishing pier itself, you will find a wide walkway out over the water to the fishing area, an area which has also been made ADA-compliant.”
The refurbishments were funded through Parks and Recreation Impact Fees, which are paid for by new development.
Jefferson “Jake” Voss was born in 1923 and served as an Oakland Town commissioner from 1969 to 1973 and as mayor from 1991 to 1996. An avid fisherman, grove owner and businessman, Voss loved the lake, which is the second-largest in the state. He died in 2012 and the pier was dedicated in his honor in 2016.
First constructed in 2002, the pier was built on the former site of a grand two-story fishing and boat livery rental business, catering to the 29 fish camps lining the shores of Lake Apopka. To learn more about the rich history of Oakland, visit the Healthy West Orange Arts & Heritage Center at 126 W. Petris Ave., or visit www.oaklandfl.gov/artsandheritage.
