HTW Vision Plan Unveiling – Event Recap
Event #3 Recap
On behalf of the City of Pensacola, Mayor Reeves, and the entire park design team, thank you to the roughly 150 local residents who attended last night’s meeting or this morning’s open house as we shared our draft Vision Plan for community feedback.
As attendees heard last week, the Vision Plan marks a significant milestone in our design process as it lays out the basic framework for the park’s design, including pathways and areas for gathering, recreation, and relaxation. The Vision Plan provides a map to guide future development of the park and Long Hollow Pond. It imagines what they would look like and what activities they can offer as it’s being realized over the next 20 years, from 2025 to 2045.
For those newer to this process, a major goal of this design project is to unite these two unique spaces and better connect them with the surrounding neighborhoods to address stormwater concerns and create a unique and safe space for neighbors and residents to gather, play, and relax. It’s also important that we find innovative ways to commemorate the vibrant neighborhood that used to exist here in our ultimate park design. If you have ideas for doing so, please get in touch.
So, what’s next?
Over the next 8-12 weeks, we will incorporate and address the community input we’ve heard so far as we begin fleshing out phase 1 park design (to begin construction next year and be completed in 2027), including more specific design elements. We look forward to sharing this updated design with you all at our next community meeting in June (more details to follow).
Again, we are so grateful to the community groups, park users, area neighborhoods, state and federal agency stakeholders, and former residents who have participated in this process so far—ensuring the community’s input is accurately reflected in the park design and expansion plans.
If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to get involved! Be sure to join our mailing list in the footer below, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye out for our second community survey coming soon!
