(This article was revised to include more photos and video.)
“The fruits of decades of leadership” were celebrated on April 28 as city officials and others from the community came out for a ribbon cutting for the long-awaited Norriego Point Recreation Area.
The 14-acre park officially opened March 5 but was celebrated with an official ribbon cutting with Destin Chamber on April 28.
“The wheels of government move very slowly,” Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner said. “But sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. But now you can see the fruits of decades of leadership.”
Wagner talked of how so much government goes on behind the scenes, but he was excited to have a moment like Tuesday where the community can come together and celebrate not only a completed project, but one that represents the community of Destin.
“This is just a gorgeous area,” Wagner said under blue skies on Tuesday morning. He pointed out that the park is a preservation area of acres of white sand beaches, backed by the working harbor and fronted by the emerald waters of the Gulf.
Wagner talked of how he has had several fishermen reach out to him over social media showing him photos of families with a wheelchair at the end of the point.
“Some of them texted me saying, you know, and I’ve been fishing out of these docks for 30 years, and I’ve never seen a wheelchair at the end of this point,” Wagner said, noting the park is ADA approved.
Wagner said this peninsula is basically a triangle that represents a working harbor, a pass to the closest fishery and Crab Island all in one.
“There’re not too many view corridors like that in the world. And I’m so honored that past leadership and this current leadership have made it a point and a priority to preserve it for future generations to come,” Wagner said.
Shane Moody, CEO of the Destin Chamber of Commerce, talked of how the park was years in the making.
“It’s really cool to be standing here with Councilman (Sandy) Trammell and Councilman (Jim) Bagby,” Moody said.
Trammell and Bagby were in their first eight-year roles when the project was approved. Greg Kisela was city manager at the time, and Sam (Samantha) Seevers was mayor.
“She and I had many conversations about this project and knowing the work that she put in personally … it was amazing the hours she put in,” Moody said.
Moody said the project was the result of oil spill money.
The 14-acrea park cost $15 million and includes three dune crossovers, a wide wraparound boardwalk, parking, a restroom facility and pavilion.
Moody said when he looks at government projects like this, he asks himself three things: Is it generational, transformational and is it economically viable?
“There’s no doubt that this is generational because generations to come will enjoy this piece of property,” Moody said.
He said it is transformational because it is now the city’s property.
And it is economically viable as he talked about people who were already on the beach behind him with their coolers and things they have brought with them.
Destin Recreation Director Lisa Firth thanked everyone for coming out to the event and those that have put in the work to make the project happen.
She thanked her staff and the county for cleaning up the beach each morning and keeping the bathrooms maintained.
“I so appreciate that it’s a team that works,” Firth said.
“It’s kind of like a little Disney World,” Firth said when she’s out there.
“There’s so many people out here, and I appreciate all of them and what they do,” Firth said.
Before they cut the ribbon, Mayor Wagner talked of how the city is fiscally responsible. Out of 411 cities in the state, Wagner said, Destin is in the top 10 for the lowest ad valorem tax.
“For every dollar we ask, we go and find five other dollars from different partners across the state, across the country and bring them here in our seven square miles,” Wagner said.
So out of the $15 million for the park project, just a little over $200,000 of the Destin taxpayer money was used, he said.
Wagner thanked current and past council members one more time before cutting the ribbon.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Norriego Point Park opens in Destin after decades of work
Reporting by Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log / The Destin Log
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