BEAUMONT, Texas — Riverfront Park in downtown Beaumont is set to get much-needed multi-million dollar renovations, and city leaders said they have big plans to give the piece of land new life.
On Monday, crews arrived to start preparing for the first day of construction. The renovations will cost $17 million, and construction is expected to begin Tuesday.
Beaumont City leaders plan to celebrate the changes with a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday.
Related: Beaumont City Council votes to move forward with plans to restore Riverfront Park in downtown
Before it was damaged during Harvey, the downtown park was known as a family-friendly staple and a popular place for boaters and fishermen. The storm-related damage forced the park to close.
City leaders are hoping the $17 million restoration project will give the park the life it needs to welcome back families.
The funds to pay for the renovations comes from FEMA money. FEMA awarded more than $47 million to go towards the project, but the city is only using $17 million for it. The rest will go towards a freshwater pump at Collier's Ferry.
Officials want downtown to be vibrant and believe Riverfront Park plays a huge role in the goal of bringing people downtown.
"A lot of the plans of downtown kind of revolve around the river and it being a big attraction," Bart Bartkowiak, director of public works, said. "So restoring the park gains access to the river downtown and really is a hinge pin for anything else that would be done downtown."
The city plans to add a new boat dock, lighting, and more. Officials believe once the project is completed, residents can expect to see families tubing down the Neches River, couples taking long walks along the river’s edge and people sitting on park benches to enjoy the view.
“Park benches will be put back,” Bartkowiak said. “The sidewalks will be restored. There will be a sidewalk the entire length of the river. There will be a railing along the river, and then you'll have some stations with water fountains.".
The damage left by Harvey included the erosion of the riverbanks. Riverfront Park lost more than 50 feet of shoreline when Harvey hit.
The city’s plan is not to rebuild the shoreline but to instead make it more stable.
"Council decided that we would keep the shoreline approximately where it is after Harvey hit," Bartkowiak said, "And so we're going to stabilize the bank, put the dock back and put everything back in the park so that it is functional for the public."
Officials are still discussing additional amenities, but some ideas include a food truck park, playground, and restrooms. Beaumont officials hope to open the park by September 2024
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