County takes back Navarre Beach park

It is now official. Navarre Beach State Park no longer exists. The lease on the 130 acres has been transferred from the state to Santa Rosa County and on Oct. 10, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place to mark the occasion.

The park was only open for about three months in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan destroyed much of the infrastructure. After the storm, the state decided to transfer the lease to the county. However, the county insisted that the park be restored and the buildings repaired before taking it back.

After long negotiations with FEMA,  the state finally began taking bids. Peter Brown Construction was awarded the $4.4 -million bid and received notice to proceed in January 2008. The contract was completed on schedule in early October.

For more information, see the Oct. 16 issue of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.