By Rick Gonzalez, FreeportInsider.com
As a young child growing up near the Bay, Hannah Brown never dreamed she’d honor her grandfather with a park named after him. All she knew was that when her Nanny would call early in the morning and ask if she wanted to go fishing with her grandpa, she couldn’t wait. And that became one of her fondest memories.
Now, Hannah has the honor of sharing her memories with the entire Freeport community. Grady Brown Park has been officially welcomed as Freeport’s newest local amenity! Named after Mr. Grady Brown, a local fishing legend who passed away in 2017, the new park hosted more than 100 people at its location near the foot of the U.S. Highway 331 Bridge for the grand opening in October! The ceremony included a tribute to Grady who fished the area for many years and helped everybody learn how to better their fishing techniques, enjoy the Bay and play a role in the community. Folks say he never met a stranger.
The idea to name the park after Grady came from Hannah to honor her grandfather. She said naming the park after him was a way to make him proud as the people and the Bay were his greatest joys. In honor of Grady‘s lasting impact on locals and friends, the BCC surprised Hannah and her family with a lasting park memorial so that visitors can read about Grady who will be remembered for generations.
A combined effort between local officials and residents, the park has been in construction for about a year and spans 15-acres, located on the north side of the Choctawhatchee Bay in Walton County. In 2017, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved the preliminary park concept plan and held a couple of public workshops for community input. The park was then built with excess funds remaining from the half-cent sales tax to finance construction of the U.S. 331 bridge.
There is a boat launch area, public restrooms, a fishing pier and plenty of public parking. I noticed some small details that I was not expecting. Anchors painted on the road as directional arrows, and the custom anchor sign hanging on Hwy. 331, just to name a few.
As you tour the Grady Brown Park, you will find amazing custom pieces with nautical and marine themes throughout. From the custom wooden benches to the fish hanging by the bathrooms, to the pelican and dolphin along the boat dock. My favorite is the multiple cross bit bollards, each with three custom designs; that’s a lot of custom work and it really makes this a beautiful park.
Grady Brown Park offers numerous amenities that improve recreational opportunities in Freeport:
• Beach on Choctawhatchee Bay
• Two Boat Ramps
• Three Piers
• Kayak Launch
• Multiple Picnic Tables
• Multiple BBQ Grills
• Boat Washdown Station
• Boat Trailer Parking Area
• Ample Vehicle Parking
• Restrooms
We look forward to everyone enjoying the park and continuing to live our best life here!
Please visit FreeportInsider.com or email rick.gonzalez@exprealty.com for more area information.
