Dragon boating, a popular sport in The Villages and elsewhere, may soon find a new home on Lake Deaton in Wildwood.
Sumter County commissioners Tuesday approved a one-year contract extension, beginning in September, for the Dragon Sisters team to continue to use Lake Miona. They also decided to limit the number of dragon boats on Lake Miona at seven and to try to have all team contracts on the same time schedule.
But they also discussed working with Wildwood to develop Lake Deaton to accommodate dragon boats.
Lake Deaton is a small lake along County Road 44A, across State Road 44 from Lake Okahumpa and east of Buena Vista Boulevard.
Commissioner Doug Gilpin said the county has about $100,000 in Boater Improvement Funds that could be used to build a boat ramp, restrooms and other improvements at Lake Deaton to pave the way for use by dragon boats.
“I’d like to encourage more dragon boat activity,” Gilpin said. “We can give the city of Wildwood the opportunity to have boats.”
Gilpin wanted to move ahead with the funding, but other commissioners put on the brakes.
He said the storage of dragon boats at Lake Miona leaves little room for children and others to use the beach.
But board chairman Don Burgess disagreed, saying the boats are stored on the sides, leaving “substantial beach in the middle.”
Commissioner Steve Printz said Lake Deaton needs evaluation for its depth and prevalence of vegetation to determine whether it would accommodate dragon boats.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said he has met with Wildwood City Manager Jason McHugh about developing Lake Deaton for dragon boats.
“The city manager is excited about the ability to use Boater Improvement Funds,” Arnold said.
Gilpin said the money would pay for a quality dragon boat facility, possibly with indoor storage. The funds, which can be used only for water-related projects, have been used to upgrade other lakes in the county.
“We do need to move forward,” Gilpin said. “Let’s do things first class, Villages style.”
The Grand Masters Dragon Boat Club coordinates dragon boat teams in The Villages. Other teams include the Silver Dragons, the Black Sheep, the Village Dragons, This Boat Rocks and the Leathernecks.
Long, skinny canoe-shaped boats, dragon boats originated in China and the first races took place in 1976 in Hong Kong. The boats operate with a sweeper, drummer and up to 20 paddlers.
