Atlantic Beach is embarking on a pilot project that's set to spruce up the drainage capability of Howell Park. Key players in the game are the City of Atlantic Beach and Jax Utilities Management, who'll be putting their shovels to the ground starting next Monday. Prepare for a bit of a shuffle in the park, folks. Access to Howell Park's sprawling greenery will be somewhat restricted, as delineated in a recent update shared by the City of Atlantic Beach's official announcement.
Here's the nitty-gritty: A large swath of the park, from the north bridge all the way to Pine Street entrance, is part and parcel of the restoration efforts. The aim is to not only mitigate erosion but also to foster a healthier habitat for the wildlife calling Howell Park home. In trying to strategically improve water flow and aesthetics, Jax Utilities Management will need to temporarily close off the parking areas off Palm Avenue/Magnolia. They'll be commandeering this space to temporarily store equipment and to allow excavated spoils to dry out.
The heart of the project zeroes in on restoring the health and flow of the park's vital drainage ditch. There's more to it than just digging out sediment – the project aims to bolster water quality and reinvigorate the local habitat for critters like fish and turtles. City officials have committed to minimalizing the impact on park goers, with a promise to hastily restore the grass disturbed during construction to its former glory.
Gearing up to the actual restoration, Jax Utilities Management will start to prepare the ground today. The logistics are fairly straight forward: Dam up parts of the ditch, gently relocate any unwitting wildlife caught in the mix, and get to excavating to bring the ditch back to its intended depth. According to the City of Atlantic Beach's plan, following the dredging, the west ditch banks are to resodded, while the east bank will get a fresh planting of emergent aquatic plants.
For the residents of Atlantic Beach and frequent visitors of Howell Park, remember that this project – while a tad inconvenient with its heavy machinery and fenced-off areas – ultimately serves to strengthen both the park's environmental integrity and its aesthetics.
