CHARLESTON, S.C. — A West Ashley resident urged Charleston City Council on Dec. 17 to restore Boston Park and the long-broken bridge connections to the city's bike path network.

Justin Perrault told the council he lives in the Ardmore neighborhood and has advocated for restoration of the park at the end of Boston Street for five years. "It's owned by the city. It's fallen into disrepair and they can't find any funds to it says it's an active park, but you can't walk," Perrault said. He described a damaged path, a drainage ditch where a footbridge once stood and a missing bridge connection to the bike path.

Perrault said the bridges that would link his neighborhood to the bike path "have been knocked down for over 20 I think 15 years," and noted that while a bike-path project was approved in 2020, utility conflicts—Dominion gas lines under the bike path—have delayed some work. He said the neighborhood has seen reinvestment, including a recent "food forest," and asked the city to restore the park and bridge connections separately from the utility work that has slowed the bike-path project.

Perrault also raised recurring flooding at the Pep Boys corner of 17 and White Oak and said the neighborhood hosts roughly 26 businesses, which he said should be receiving benefits that have not reached the area.

The council clerk confirmed staff had received Perrault's online comments and other public submissions; no council action was announced at the meeting specific to Boston Park. Perrault's remarks were entered in the public record for follow-up by staff and council committees.