The City of Destin Parks and Recreation Department maintains and operates 30 properties including three sports complexes, two indoor facilities, one boat launch with five ramps, rental pavilions, and twelve public beach trails. As a small city, we are fortunate to have eight waterfront parks to serve our community. Captain Leonard Destin Park is a 3.42-acre parcel on Calhoun Ave. with 280 linear feet of water frontage on the Choctawhatchee Bay. This park holds significant meaning as it is the original homestead of its namesake. The area was a dwelling place and a source of sustenance for Destin’s early settlers.
In 2015, the Trust for Public Land purchased the property with Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment early restoration funds with a vision to create a park and provide public access to the water and help preserve the history of our community. The park infrastructure includes an accessible beach access, boardwalk and deck with kayak launch, improvements to the existing dock, interpretive elements such as an historical seine boat and signage, public art, a playground, a splash pad, a restroom and a gravel parking area. Once the project is complete in 2020, The Trust for Public Land will give the park to the city along with operations and maintenance funds for 10 years.
We are grateful for the partnership between our city, The Trust for Public Land and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Not only will this be an impressive park for all to enjoy, it will also preserve a piece of our city’s history and celebrate the spirit of Destin. For more information about our parks please visit https://www.cityofdestin.com/270/FacilitiesParks.
-Mayor Gary Jarvis
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