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🏗️ Okaloosa commissioners approved the conceptual site plan for Shalimar Bridge Park, advancing plans to redevelop a former blighted waterfront property.
💰 The $3 million project will be funded mainly through tourism taxes, with Okaloosa County covering 83% and Shalimar up to $500,000.
🛶 Planned amenities include a fishing pier, boat docks, public restrooms, and food truck parking; the site will eventually be annexed and maintained by Shalimar.
SHALIMAR — The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners on June 10 unanimously approved the conceptual site plan for Shalimar Bridge Park, moving forward on a long-anticipated project to transform a formerly blighted waterfront property into a community asset.
Okaloosa Facility and Park Director Jeff Peters presented the plan, noting that the Town of Shalimar had already approved the concept at their monthly meeting earlier this month.
In September 2023, the county purchased the three-quarter-acre parcel for $900,000 through an interlocal agreement with Shalimar.
“Really anxious to get this project going,” Peters said. “Permitting will take roughly anywhere from 12 to 14 months. We are hoping to be able to get a shovel in the ground by this time next year.”
The conceptual design includes parking, public restrooms, pavilions, a seat wall, a riprap shoreline, a fishing pier, boat docks, and dockside parking.
The total project budget is roughly $3 million, with Okaloosa County covering about 83% of the cost using tourism tax revenues. The Town of Shalimar will contribute the remaining 17%, or up to $500,000, from its share of the tourist tax.
Upon completion, Shalimar will annex the site and maintain it as a town park.
Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, who made the motion for approval, called the project a “win-win-win.”
“I’m very excited about this project. That piece of property, for a long time, needed a rework,” Ketchel said. “It’s going to look so nice.”
Commissioner Trey Goodwin seconded the motion and praised the design work, encouraging staff to think proactively about security enhancements, potentially leveraging the county’s fiber network.
“I would just suggest that as you develop the plan, think about ways to enhance security there,” Goodwin said. “Not just the parking area, but also the docks, to make sure folks are using it in a respectful way.”
Goodwin also supported the inclusion of food truck parking, calling it a “really neat concept.”
Commission Chairman Paul Mixon echoed Ketchel’s comments, voicing support for adding small-scale retail, such as a tackle shop, near the pavilions and restrooms, particularly as nearby parcels may be redeveloped with restaurants.
Peters confirmed the conceptual nature of the plan allows for flexibility, saying, “That’s one of the nice things about presenting a conceptual plan — you can kind of make some changes before you jump into the actual design and permitting.”
Pro Communi Bono
