Final Community Design Meeting Recap
And that’s a wrap on our Hollice T. Williams Park Design + Expansion Community Design Meetings!
A huge thank you to the 120+ area residents and Mayor D.C. Reeves who joined us for our final design meeting on Oct. 21st, where we unveiled the updated designs for phase 1 of the project.
As you may remember, we shared our Vision Plan for the park in April 2024. This represented a long-term concept for how Hollice T. Williams Park and Long Hollow Pond could evolve and connect, based on months and years of community input through a variety of channels. In other words, the Vision Plan is the “road map” for future development of the park, without too many specific details, which will be left for the community to decide as future phases are built.
Community Meeting #5
The updated designs shared this week provide more specifics on roughly 34 acres of the overall 110-acre park. They feature substantive updates based on community input we received on the Vision Plan—including the removal of a park pond, reconfiguring street closures to keep Blount Street open, places to walk, sit, bike, play games, areas to hold special events, and more. We really think the community will enjoy having this shared space to come together, play, and build community in what our local landscape architect says will be “the closest thing to a botanical garden Pensacola has.”
Meeting attendees explored these updates on a massive floor map of the park laid out across the Cobb Center gymnasium. At 30 feet at its widest points and 63 feet at its longest, some are calling it the largest map ever in Pensacola! (at least, we’re going to claim that for now!)
Construction on phase 1 is expected to begin in early 2026 and wrap in 2027.
Click here to check out the full presentation slideshow, including details on what’s coming soon.
“This project represents more than a park—it’s about reconnecting a community that was once divided and creating a space that honors the history and resilience of the people who lived here. These designs reflect years of listening, learning, and collaboration, and I couldn’t be more proud to move forward with a plan that truly belongs to this community.”
While this marks the end of our comprehensive, big picture design planning, it’s not the end of community input on the project. As those who attended the meeting saw, we’ve left several places designated as “future programming areas”—these are open spaces where, say, a themed playground, new sports court, or other amenities chosen by the community could go.
What goes into these spaces will be up to you! If you aren’t already, be sure to sign up for our email list at the bottom of this page so you’ll be the first to hear about future community meetings on these spaces.
We’re also gathering historical stories and memories to honor the neighborhood that once stood here—ensuring the park celebrates the area’s past and its bright future as a safe, welcoming space for generations to come.
Thank you again to everyone who has participated, shared your stories, and helped shape this vision from the beginning. We couldn’t have done it without you—and we can’t wait to keep building together 💚