What's in the works for Panama City Beach's Frank Brown and Aaron Bessant parks?
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Local officials are working to map out the future for two large recreational amenities on the Beach.
City Council members on Tuesday held a workshop to discuss a master plan for Frank Brown Park and Aaron Bessant Park. The plan was proposed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood, a architecture and engineering firm with offices across the Southeast U.S.
The meeting came about eight months after the council approved a more than $100,000 service agreement with the firm to develop the plan, which was comprised of future developments that officials have said in past meetings they would like to see at the parks.
'A world-class facility': Frank Brown Park a boon to the Panama City Beach economy
"There's a lot of different things in a lot of different places that (the council) wanted," Holly White, assistant city manager for Panama City Beach, said at the meeting. "This is just a preliminary concept plan ... and none of this is set in stone. These are just some concepts of where things could go."
White also said the purpose of Tuesday's meeting was for the council to review the plan and discuss how it should be tweaked moving forward. It was the first time city council members reviewed Goodwyn Mills Cawood's plan after approving the service agreement in March.
What's in the plans?
According to Councilman Phil Chester, some future developments featured in the plan include a skate park, safe room, pickleball courts, new basketball courts and BMX track at Frank Brown Park, along with a dock and kayak launch along Seahorse Lake at Aaron Bessant Park.
Chester said the council might hold another workshop on the master plan before it is finalized. While the plan does not set specific timelines for future developments at the parks, it narrows down the projects on which officials want to direct their focus.
It still could take about a year before work begins on any proposed park developments.
Those interested in viewing the complete master plan, along with a development wish list created by local officials, can find them in the Tuesday meeting's agenda packet, which is available through the city's website at pcbfl.gov.
"For a city our size, we are very blessed to have the park system we have," Chester said. "(The master plan) gives us a goal. It gives everybody a voice in what's going on with our parks, and it (addresses) the needs that we hear (from the community)."
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach discusses future of Frank Brown, Aaron Bessant parks
