It’s been a long time coming, but renovations on Joe’s Bayou Recreation Area and the nearby Mattie Kelly Park and Nature Walk are set to begin this year.
“We’re all excited about the Improvement Plan,” said Public Information Director Tamara Young. “We live in such a naturally beautiful piece of paradise, so the more outdoor recreation and waterway access points, the better.”
The project, which is funded by grant money for natural resource damage assessment following the 2010 Deep Horizon oil spill, will see upgraded boat ramps and fishing piers, parking and restrooms, boardwalks and nature trails as well as shore, pond and wetland restoration.
“What people are most excited about following our survey and roundtable discussions with the community are the fishing pier and the nature trail,” Tamara said. “We are redoing the boardwalk and the educational signage. Equally important is the pond restoration and shoreline protection.”
The City of Destin will be working with local environmental agencies such as the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance to build natural reefs and improve the health of the shoreline by removing exotic plants and replacing them with native species.
“The whole idea of environmental sustainability on this project is key,” Tamara said. “We want generation upon generation to be able to utilize the beautiful natural resources we have here in Destin.”
Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner said that this project will not only bring a new and improved waterfront park to Destin, but will also bring cleaner and safer water quality and storm-water retention to one of the lowest sea-level areas in Destin.
“We are trying to improve the stormwater quality and ability to drain on the preserved wetlands that are beside the park as well as improve the existing park,” Wagner said. “I really hope these improvements to Joe’s Bayou and the adjoining Mattie Kelly Nature Walk will showcase what a local park in Destin is all about.”
Construction on Joe's Bayou Recreation Area is expected to begin in September 2025, with substantial completion anticipated by February 2027.
Article by Savannah Vasquez
Photography by Destin City Lifestyle Magazine
Originally published in Destin City Lifestyle