Bay Bluffs Park in Pensacola, closed since March 2023, aims to reopen in January 2027 after receiving $2.2 million for renovations.
Pensacola: Bay Bluffs Park is on track to reopen in January 2027. The park has been closed since March 2023 due to unsafe boardwalks.
Last year, the city got a $2.2 million grant from the Florida Legislature to fix things up. It took a while to get the funds sorted out, but now there’s a timeline.
According to the plan, they’ll start community engagement and design work in March 2025, wrapping it up by September. Then, they’ll spend the rest of 2025 looking for a construction firm. Construction is set to kick off in January 2026.
The City Council will vote soon on a resolution to partner with Conservation Florida and finalize the grant agreement by the end of February.
Mayor D.C. Reeves mentioned that while they don’t have all the details yet, this is a crucial step to release the funds.
With this partnership, the 22.5-acre park will stay a nature park and can’t be sold or developed. The money will help remove the old boardwalk and likely replace it with nature trails.
They plan to hold community sessions to make sure the park meets what locals want and need.
Bay Bluffs Park has a rich history. The boardwalk opened in 1984 and quickly became popular, but it also faced challenges, like vandalism and fires.
Despite these issues, locals have always loved the park, organizing cleanups and events to keep it beautiful.
