Parks director reports dredging underway at Westland Beach, pier railings, Bridal Trail openings
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Summary
County parks reported Westland Beach dredging about one-third complete and pier railing installation underway; phase 1A of the Bridal Trail opened April 12 though later phases remain on hold due to a funding freeze, and Taylor Creek Park site design is near complete.
Parks staff updated supervisors on multiple county park projects, including Westland Beach dredging and the recently opened phase of the Bridal Trail.
At Westland Beach, park staff reported dredging roughly one-third complete, dredge material staged on the beach and placed for dewatering; staff called the dredged material a "very good quality sand." Pier railings are being installed but work has encountered some aluminum supply delays; the county placed a temporary physical barrier at the pier entrance to keep people off areas still under construction. Phase 1 scheduling in the contract shows a notice to proceed in early May, substantial completion targeted in October and final completion by November 1, subject to contractor schedule.
Taylor Creek Park design and joint-permit application preparation were reported at about 95% complete, with a target manual issue in September and a bid opening in October and award in October or November. Carter's Cove site design is about 80% complete; joint-permit prep is about 75% complete with a late-2025 target for bidding. The Bridal Trail Board opened Phase 1A to the public on April 12, with signage and directional maps installed; some subsequent phases remain on hold because a federal grant remains frozen pending state action.
Parks staff said they reached out to the county's congressional representative's office about community-project funding and are coordinating oyster-spat and shell-tank projects funded through awarded grants. The county also received a $150,000 Virginia Outdoors Foundation grant for Carter's Cove that has been received and placed in county treasury.
Why this matters: Coastal and recreation infrastructure projects affect tourism, shoreline access and local ecological restoration. Dredging and beach nourishment are high-profile, visible projects that also require careful permitting and funding coordination.
What comes next: Parks staff will continue dredging operations as weather allows, follow the permit schedule for Taylor Creek and Carter's Cove, and continue pursuit of additional funding to unfreeze later Bridal Trail phases.