BEAUMONT, Texas — Progress is being made at the Riverfront Park in Beaumont since crews broke ground in April 2023 for the multi-million dollar renovations.
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.
The city has worked with FEMA and was awarded money to stabilize the shoreline. 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.
Because the barges have dredged the river, the steel bulkheads are being installed. They will also be installing steel bulkheads on the dock.
“We're just going to stabilize the bank where it is. The way we're doing that is by installing bulkhead along the river, steel bulkhead. And stabilize it to the point where we won't have these issues in the future,” said City of Beaumont Director of Public Works Bart Bartkowiak
The plan is to put Riverfront Park back tp the way it was. They will rebuild the docket it had for small craft, rebuild all of the sidewalks throughout the park including the sidewalk along the river.
They will also install new lighting, water fountains and park benches.
Walkways will be constructed throughout the park, with pavilions for people to use.
FEMA's goal is to restore the park back to the amenities that were there prior to the storm.
“It will be predominantly back the way it was. The pavilions will be there, the walkways, the park etc. There's not going to be anything new necessarily, because it's a FEMA restoration project. But it will be restored back," Bartkowiak said.
The city’s plan is not to rebuild the shoreline but to instead make it more stable.
The park is expected to reopen by August 2024.