PANAMA CITY — With a local park set to reopen, officials from Panama City and the Community Redevelopment Agency are inviting the public to a ribbon-cutting event.
Henry A. Davis Park is located at 1309 Roosevelt Drive, and connects two different neighborhoods in the Glenwood area. Residents who would like to celebrate the park’s transformation can meet city officials there for the planned ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 25 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
A release from the city says that the event will feature food, drinks and live music by DJ Big Boi.
“The transformation of the park is a long-awaited project shaped by community input, identified as a top priority during the 2025 CRA Socials and online survey,” reads the release. “Designed to create a more accessible, inclusive, and engaging public space, the revitalized park will serve as a vibrant neighborhood destination that supports active lifestyles and strengthens community connections.”
So what’s new?
Improvements include a new Kiwanis Centennial Playground, Bankshot basketball court, gaga ball pit, updated swings and a 20×30 pavilion with picnic tables and grilling amenities.
The community garden also got some upgrades. It now has a shade canopy, workstation, storage shed and gardening supplies. Additional improvements include repainted bathrooms, new fencing, bike racks with a repair station and updated signage.
Project costs totaled about $300,000, of which $125,000 came from the Kiwanis Club. The remaining $175,000 came from the Downtown North CRA District.
The city also wants the event to commemorate Henry Arthur “Hawk” Davis, the namesake of the park.
“Davis, for whom the park is named, was a respected athlete, mentor, and community leader whose impact continues to be felt throughout Panama City,” the release says. “A standout multi-sport athlete at Bay High School in the early 1970s, Davis earned All-Conference, All-State, and All-American honors before continuing his football career at the University of Florida.”
After graduating, he began working with youth at the Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center. Davis gained a reputation for his mentorship and dedication, eventually earning him the National Bob Rader Line Staff Worker of the Year award in 1985.
He died in 1992 at age 37. Two years later, the park was dedicated to his legacy.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City is ready to reopen the improved Henry A. Davis Park
Reporting by Dylan Gentile, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
