Silver Springs State Park opens

OCALA, Fla. — Visitors will find a mixture of old and new at the brand new Silver Springs State Park near Ocala.
 
The new park opens Tuesday at the site of a decades-old tourist attraction that featured glass-bottom boats.
 
The Ocala Star-Banner reports the boats will run three times a day, piloted by the same veteran captains who've ferried visitors up and down the Silver River for years.
 
State and local officials have spent millions on anti-pollution projects to preserve the springs, curtailing the flow of nitrates that have robbed the water of clarity. State officials say efforts to help Silver Springs will receive $20 million of the $37 million in springs-restoration Gov. Rick Scott announced in September.
 
Park rangers will be available for presentations on the springs, its history and wildlife.

WFTV