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LOCAL
Northwest Florida Daily News
MARY ESTHER — The city of Mary Esther is one step closer to making Cristobal Park a reality.
On Monday, the Mary Esther City Council unanimously approved the final design and phasing plan for a 1.15-acre, $3 million waterfront park along South Cristobal Road.
Talks about the park date back to August 2023, when the county and the city entered an agreement to purchase the property for $1.3 million to offer more waterfront access to Okaloosa County residents.
Once completed, the new facility will offer 21 parking spaces and be a launching point for paddleboards, canoes and kayaks. Furthermore, the park will offer fishing areas, picnic pavilions, walking trails, restrooms and will be ADA accessibility.
According to documents provided by the city before Monday's meeting, permits for water facilities were delayed. The park's construction will be divided into two phases to circumvent this.
The first phase will include upland improvements, including parking, restrooms, picnic shelters and landscaping. Phase two will include "in-water construction," including the pier, kayak launch and other amenities.
According to an Okaloosa County Tourism Development Department (TDD) official, obtaining those permits for water construction could take up to a year, leading to delays.
As the council deliberated, council member Bernie Oder raised concerns about homelessness and vagrancy. An Okaloosa County official alleviated these concerns by saying that cameras would be installed near the restrooms and feature electronically locking doors.
Another concern Oder raised was maintenance costs once the city takes over after construction. According to a county official, costs remain unclear due to phase two delays.
Okaloosa County Commissioner Trey Goodwin was also in attendance Monday night. During his remarks, he referenced Oder's concerns for safety. He told council members that security concerns are being addressed at multiple county parks, including rehabilitating a Cinco Bayou boat ramp recently purchased by Okaloosa County.
"Thank you for the city-county partnership on this," Goodwin said to the council. "I think it's a really great opportunity."
The project's estimated total cost is $3 million, shared between the county and the city. Since the project is entirely funded through the Tourist Development Tax, there will be no direct financial impact on Mary Esther’s budget. However, the city will be responsible for ongoing maintenance costs once the park is completed.
In an email to the Northwest Florida Daily News, a TDD official said the construction documents for phase one should be out for bid by mid-April, taking up to eight weeks. Once a contract is signed, construction is estimated to begin by mid-summer, with park construction lasting six to eight months.
The official reiterated that phase two depends on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and a submerged-land lease, which could take up to a year to obtain.