The Center for Land Use Interpretation Newsletter

Torry Island

Torry Island is the only developed and inhabited area on the lake inside the dike. The 600-acre island is mostly a park, operated by the City of Belle Glade. Developments are relatively minor and horizontal, as the area is vulnerable to floods and hurricane winds. They include a large trailer park campground, boat ramps, parking lots, a fish camp, marina, and a small rentable activity pavilion. It is reached by land over the Point Chosen Swing Bridge, which opens to allow passage for vessels taking the southern route of the Okeechobee Waterway, across the lake. The island is across from the S-2 and S-351 control structures in the dike, which are the origin of the Hillsboro Canal (which heads to Boca Raton) and the North New River Canal (which heads to Fort Lauderdale). Both canals are for drainage, irrigation, and water recharge, and are non-navigable.