Southside Park’s New Chapter: Progress or a Pricey Gamble?

Southside Park’s shiny new upgrades have families flocking to its colorful playgrounds. But across the marsh, Waterfront Park shows its age. Questions are mounting over future costs: Is the city spending wisely or simply spreading itself too thin? While Southside Park’s upgrades are welcome, they raise valid concerns about how much the full project will cost and whether other city priorities, like Waterfront Park, are being sidelined. 

The Mossy Oaks neighborhood park first opened in 2009 as an outdoor recreational area for Beaufort residents. In 2022, the City of Beaufort proposed a redevelopment of Southside Park to transform it into a tourism destination for “recreation, relaxation, and connection.” In January 2024, City Council approved a Parks and Tourism Revenue Bond to fund Phase 1 of Southside Park to the amount of $6.6 million. This phase included two playgrounds with picnic areas, a covered pavilion with restrooms, trail landscaping, and a new parking area of about 30 spots. The final cost of Phase 1 totaled about $4.81 million.

With new playgrounds, revitalized trails, and upgraded facilities, one corner of Southside Park has undergone a stunning transformation. Many local families came together to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 19th, where Councilman Neil Lipsitz reminded residents of the significance of this park, as it has been promised to residents for decades. It’s no question that these improvements are a welcome sight for Beaufort and citizens of all ages can benefit. The question is whether or not it was the right decision, given that…

1. The project leverages Hospitality Tax funds that could have been put towards critical projects that are more closely related to tourism, such as restabilizing Waterfront Park.
2. The final cost of the Southside Park Improvement Project, and the source(s) of that funding are yet to be determined. 
3. The yearly cost to operate and maintain Southside Park is yet to be determined.

Looking forward to the months ahead, Phase 2 of the project is expected to break ground in the spring or summer. This second phase will bring some more exciting changes to the park with the addition of a wetlands habitat and fitness nodes, renovations to the dog park and existing restrooms, and improvements to the parking area and pathways. As previously mentioned, there are not many answers regarding how much this phase will cost, nor how long it will take to be completed. During the November 26th Special Worksession, Assistant City Manager JJ Sauve gave the first numbers when he asked council whether to sign the agreement with Davis & Floyd to begin the design and engineering work. Sauve said that the “worst-case scenario” is the cost being anywhere between $490,000 and $542,000 for Davis & Floyd’s role in the project, costs for construction and materials have not yet been determined.

As much as these Phase 1 improvements are being celebrated, they also come with lingering questions. What will it take (financially and logistically) to see the rest of the redevelopment plan through? And with Waterfront Park, a beloved downtown destination showing critical signs of deterioration, some residents wonder whether the city’s focus is misplaced. Are the improvements worth the cost, and can the city sustain its vision for both parks without stretching resources too thin? This debate highlights a broader challenge for Beaufort: balancing ambitious new projects with the upkeep of existing landmarks that define the city’s identity.

Stay tuned for more updates as the project continues to develop. To see the City’s updates on Southside Park Improvements, visit the Capital Projects Page.

Hear more about this story and others on this week’s episode of Beaufort Voice, a podcast brought to you by Beaufort Insider.