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McKay Park to open Feb. 12 with six pickleball courts; city contributed $1 million to pedestrian bridge aesthetics and Edgewater grant will expand parking
Summary
McKay Park renovation nears completion with six pickleball courts, a new playground and recognition for a $150,000 donation; the city contributed $1 million toward aesthetic work on a pedestrian bridge and has a grant to expand Edgewater Drive Park parking and add an observation dock.
Director Art Decatur told the advisory board that McKay Park’s renovation is nearly complete and the city plans to open the park on Feb. 12 at 8 a.m. The renovated site includes six pickleball courts, a new playground, a single court described in the record as a "vachee ball" court (term as spoken in the transcript), and new open grass areas.
Decatur said the city received a $150,000 contribution from the Frenchies Foundation toward McKay Park construction; the foundation’s support will be recognized on-site. He also said the department has set scheduled hours and a court allocation for pickleball users during mornings so players at different skill levels have access.
Separately, Decatur briefed the board on a pedestrian bridge (the overpass that links the Ream Wilson Trail/Bayshore Trail to a trail on the other side of State Road 60). He said the city contributed $1,000,000 for aesthetic improvements to that bridge beyond basic safety elements.
The board also heard that an Edgewater Drive Park grant will fund an expanded parking lot (roughly six to eight additional spaces), a new observation dock and widened sidewalks at that site to help manage high demand for limited spaces.
Decatur said some docks damaged by storms may not be replaced and that FEMA is engaged on repair funding in other locations. He described McKay Park’s opening as part of a broader set of repairs and improvements citywide.
Why this matters: McKay Park’s new courts and playground are expected to be heavily used; the pedestrian-bridge improvement reflects city investment in trail connectivity and placemaking, and the Edgewater grant addresses chronic parking shortages at a popular waterfront park.
No formal board vote was taken on these items at the advisory meeting; Decatur asked the board to note the updates.
