Disc golf and dog parks ‘defunded’ as Beaufort wrestles with $100M waterfront problem
In April 2024, an inspection found that many of the 570 concrete columns supporting a deck underneath the promenade at Beaufort’s famed Waterfront Park were failing, putting the public at risk.
On Tuesday, council members agreed, in principle, to reallocate most of the $1.2 million remaining for improvements at Southside Park four miles south of Waterfront Park. It’s just a small percentage of what’s needed to fix Waterfront Park’s problems. The cost could be more than $100 million. But the city is searching for any money it can find to address the massive project.
The funding switch still requires a vote to finalize, because the city borrowed the funds and specified the money was going to be used for Southside and Washington Street parks. But a majority of council members indicated at a work session Tuesday that’s the direction they are headed.
The discussion preceding the change in priorities highlighted the difficult decisions that lie ahead for city officials as they grapple with what not to fund in light of the Waterfront Park emergency, which will take every extra cent the city has. Beaufort closed the promenade to the public in June 2025; it’s expected to remain closed until it’s fixed, adding urgency to the situation.
The Southside Park flip-flop means an indefinite delay in the construction of a disc golf course and dog parks at Southside Boulevard park. Those were the next projects in line and long anticipated by the public.
To Councilman Neil Lipsitz, a champion of the Southside Park upgrades who opposed the change in funding, “delaying is defunding.”
“Are we going to shut the whole city down just so we can do the Waterfront Park?” Lipsitz said.
It’s not that Southside isn’t important, Councilman Josh Scallate said. But Waterfront Park, he added, is the city’s economic driver and delaying the repairs would have major consequences for downtown businesses.
“It’s just a delay because we had this unexpected situation come up that needs to be addressed that a lot of businesses rely on,” Scallate said.
The 34-acre park Southside Park, which has the city’s only public dog park, has a scenic walking trail connecting it to Beaufort County’s tennis, pickleball and basketball on Battery Creek Road.
Last year, the city completed $6.3 million in improvements at Southside including two new playgrounds, parking lot, pavilion and restrooms, benches and picnic tables. But that was just the first phase.
The remaining $1.2 million in unspent funds was supposed to go for a second phase that includes building small and large dog parks and the 9-hole disc golf course. Drainage improvements also were planned at the multi-use field in the park’s interior.
The funding was part of a $10.6 million parks and revenue tourism bond issued in 2024 to finance improvements to Southside and Washington Street parks.
But in light of the Waterfront Park challenges, Councilman Mike McFee said, the city needs to be very conservative with its funding and grant spending and make reserves available for Waterfront Park. Mayor Phil Cromer added “we have to find it where we can get it,” a million here, a million there. Councilman Mitch Mitchell said the Southside Park work may be delayed, but “with certain determinations that it’s going to be completed.”
As a concession, council members agreed to keep $275,000 for Southside Park and put the rest, about $925,000, to use for Waterfront Park fixes. That leaves the Southside Park project considerably short on funds. The original option for phase 2 costed $1.2 million, with a scaled back plan around $816,000.
City Manager Scott Marshall said the city plans to apply for additional funds for Southside Park through the federal Community Development Block Grant program. He’s optimistic the city’s proposal will be competitive.
The City Council must still vote to approve shifting the Southside funds for use at Waterfront Park. That will involve an amendment to the ordinance authorizing the original bond issue. That vote is expected next month.
Meanwhile, a Waterfront Park advisory committee and consultant has been studying various solutions to fix the relieving platform under the park and potential costs and funding solutions. Concrete costs and funding solutions have yet to be released by the city. Marshall has said previously the cost could be as high as $100 million. City officials have also said that the city will need to rely on grants to pay for the especially expensive project.
