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Comprehensive Plan Recreation and Open Space Element <br />At that time, the county financially supported the north county and Gifford recreation programs <br />because neither north county nor Gifford residents had access to municipal recreation programs and <br />services. When North County Recreation was formed, both Sebastian and Fellsmere were small <br />cities without the capacity to serve unincorporated county residents. <br />As for the south county, Indian River County has followed a much different recreation program <br />policy. Since the City of Vero Beach had maintained an extensive recreation program that also <br />served unincorporated county residents, the need for the county to establish a separate recreation <br />program for the south county area did not exist. Because much of the south county developed as <br />almost an extension of the City of Vero Beach, the extension of City recreation programs to include <br />unincorporated county residents was not only feasible, but also practical. In the past, the Board of <br />County Commissioners made annual contributions to the City of Vero Beach's recreation program in <br />exchange for the city providing recreation services to south county residents. <br />That, however, is no longer the case. Since the county's Recreation Department now provides <br />recreation programs throughout the county, the county does not make financial contributions to any <br />of the municipalities for recreation programs or facilities. <br />Summary <br />In the past, Indian River County's recreation and open space policy was similar for both the <br />acquisition/development of sites and the provision of programs and services. In both areas, the <br />county was not active prior to the late 1970's. Since then, however, the county's recreation policy <br />has expanded and evolved. From a focus on securing available oceanfront park sites before their <br />development, the county has moved to a more balanced recreation and open space policy involving <br />both resource-based and user -based sites and special use facilities in all areas of the county. <br />Community Development Department Indian River County 6 <br />