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Escambia County outlines park, senior and equestrian upgrades in Beulah
Summary
Parks director Michael Rhodes described ongoing and planned upgrades at Beulah Regional Park (splash pad, ADA parking, pickleball courts, resurfaced track), Beulah Senior Center (track resurfacing, playground) and the Equestrian Center (new tractor, LED lights, drainage and footing work) with phased timelines and an invitation for residents to report issues.
Michael Rhodes, director of Parks & Recreation, briefed residents on several Beulah recreation projects scheduled or in progress. At Beulah Regional Park he listed parking and ADA improvements (four new ADA stalls, 35 additional parking spaces), a splash pad targeted for opening by mid‑March, four new pickleball courts alongside one tennis court, a new basketball court oriented for better drainage, resurfacing of a walking track (one‑third mile) and park signage.
Rhodes said the transfer of construction crews from Beulah Senior to Beulah Regional will help sequence work and that a brand‑new playground at the senior center would be finished weather permitting. At Beulah Senior he noted completed track resurfacing and a new basketball court; the walking track there will be about one‑fifth of a mile.
At the Equestrian Center, Rhodes described recent and upcoming investments: a tractor purchased for arena maintenance, LED lighting for the covered arena, drainage improvements tied to improved footing and planned restroom refurbishments to be completed before the spring horse season. He emphasized that footing quality and drainage are vital to safety and to the facility’s ability to host revenue‑generating events.
Rhodes asked residents to report maintenance and safety concerns and said staff will prioritize safety issues. "Between those 4 properties it's pretty dang nice, and y'all should be proud of it," he said. He also encouraged residents to contact staff or email Hassan for follow‑up questions and to view maps after the meeting.
What happens next: Construction and installations are phased; splash pad and playground work were described with near‑term target dates, restroom and sound system improvements are budget‑timed and some items may move into the next fiscal cycle depending on budget outcomes.
