Brevard Commissioners Honor Val Steele in Memoriam With Renaming of Coconut Point Park To Val M. Steele Park

Commemorates Steele's lifelong dedication to public service, community improvement

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE BEACH, FLORIDA – Coconut Park in Melbourne Beach has been renamed Val M. Steele Park to commemorate the vital work that the visionary leader performed for the benefit of Brevard County.

Coconut Point Park is a 36.9-acre community beach park and sea turtle nesting site preserves the natural environment. Popular for surfing, beachcombing and fishing, the park amenities include a picnic shelter, restrooms, and outside showers. One of the two dune crossovers is wheelchair accessible.

This community beach park and sea turtle nesting site preserves the natural environment. Popular for surfing, beachcombing and fishing, the park amenities include a picnic shelter, restrooms, and outside showers. One of the two dune crossovers is wheelchair accessible.

Trailblazer, Public Servant and Visionary.

Steele was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on January 20, 1941, and attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School, Central Catholic High School (St. Thomas Aquinas) and the University of Southern Mississippi. Steele died October 12, 2020, at the age of 79.

A young Val Steele first lived in Melbourne Beach from 1960 to 2004, before moving to Fort Lauderdale. Prior to his service as a Brevard county commissioner, Steele served a total of four years as Melbourne Beach Council Member, town commissioner and later as the mayor of Melbourne Beach.

Major Environmental Wins For Brevard County Happened Because of Val Steele.

Steele tirelessly fought for things that he believed were good for Brevard county and achieved significant milestones and major accomplishments for the county that he loved, including moving the main county courthouse to Viera, the building of the Spessard Holland Golf Course, and the creation of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. He was also highly effective during his time volunteering on the St. Johns Water Management District Board, being instrumental in protecting and restoring hundreds of thousands of acres of marshland.

Created Strong Political Groups for the Betterment of Brevard.

Steele co-founded the Steele Group and was a founder of the Cape Kennedy Young Republicans as well as the local Tiger Bay Club, a nonpartisan politically focused organization.

“Val Steele led Brevard County through some of its most daunting challenges,” said Bill Potter, a prominent Brevard attorney who serves on the Melbourne Airport Authority.

“When the county was at its economic nadir, due to the end of the Apollo Program, it was Val Steele who stepped up with energy and foresight to steer the county in a direction that has led us to the vibrant economy we now enjoy. The citizens of Brevard are enjoying the benefits of Val’s efforts. In addition, for me, he was an irreplaceable friend.”

Steele also contributed to the economic growth of Brevard as a director of the Bank of Brevard, Atlantic Bank, American Bank of the South, American Mortgage Corporation and Holmes Regional Hospital.

Val Steele was one of the first Republicans elected to the Brevard County Commission and was very popular with his constituents. He was elected many times with a campaign slogan of “The Strength of Steele.”

“He was a gentleman in every sense of the word,” said Tom Wasdin, a longtime Brevard County business and political mover and shaker. “The voters could count on him in keeping any commitment he made to the them. He was a successful realtor and developer. He was a great father and husband. He was a very treasured friend.”

“As a resident of Brevard County since 1989, I have seen firsthand how Val Steele’s visionary leadership helped transform Brevard into the vibrant, dynamic community we are today,” said former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos. “Renaming Coconut Point after Commissioner Steele is a fitting tribute to a true public servant.”

Leadership as a Brevard County Commissioner.

Steele has been described as a futurist and the work he accomplished is still impacting the County to this day. He was appointed to the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners in 1970 by then-Gov. Claude Kirk to fill a vacancy, and then was elected to three, four-year terms ending in 1984 – serving twice as the commission chairman.

“Val was a warm personable friend and commissioner,” said Jim Swann, a prominent philanthropist and businessman. “Even with our friendship, several times he told me that he could not support a project of mine. He always took time and would convince me that my plan was not good for the area. I respected him for putting his responsibility to his constituents first and our friendship continued long after he left politics.”

Protector of the Indian River Lagoon.

“As the first Director of the Brevard County EEL’s Program, I was very pleased to see the Brevard County BOCC dedicate Coconut Point Park in recognition of Val Steele’s contributions as a community leader and strong advocate for conservation land acquisition activities that secured the boundaries of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge,” said Duane DeFreese, Executive Director of Indian River Lagoon Restoration Committee.

Leadership and Community Advocacy Runs in the Steele Family.

Along with his ever-loving brother Jason Steele, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives and who currently serves as the Chairman of the Brevard County Commission, the two created the Steele Company, which became a successful real estate development firm.

■ “Val Steele personified all that’s best about public service. Whether as a Brevard County Commissioner or a SJRWMD Board Member he always put the people’s interest first,” said Henry Dean, St John’s County Commissioner and Director of the SJWMD.

■ “Val was a trailblazer. Not only did he a play an important role in the county’s development, but Val did so while protecting our natural environment. Val M. Steele Memorial Park now stands as a testament to his legacy and the country’s unwavering commitment to preserve the very spirit of Florida,” said Senator Marco Rubio.

■ “I had the privilege of working with Val when I was the County traffic engineer. Val was always so appreciative and told you so each time you met. I would tease him often and say you’re the best Republican on the board and laugh. He was the only one. I wished he would of stayed,” said Henry Minneboo, retired Brevard County Public Works Director.

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