Bayfront Park reveals $9.5M renovations after three years of construction

After three years of work, Mobile County’s Bayfront Park has re-opened with some highly-anticipated renovations.

The park officially opened Sunday, March 9, when about 2,000 people attended the community celebration. Visitors got to explore the new amenities including:

• An approximately 900-foot-long pocket beach
• A nautical-themed playground
• Parking areas
• Pavilions
• Walking paths
• New restroom
• Park office building
• Generally enhanced park infrastructure

Keep reading to learn more about Sunday’s big event + what you need to know before scheduling a visit to Bayfront Park.

Bayfront Park

The gates opened at noon, and Bayfront Park’s new parking lot filled quickly. Shuttles were needed all afternoon, transporting attendees from the overflow parking areas of Alabama Port Volunteer Fire Department and Cedar Point.

Mobile County said the playground and beach stayed steadily busy throughout the day. Visitors strolled the walking paths and enjoyed the day’s festivities, which included:

• Live music
• Face painting
• Temporary rock climbing wall
• Children’s treasure hunt

There was also a short program for community leaders to speak on what the park’s re-opening means.

“Look at this beautiful new park, add it to the other projects in the southern part of Mobile County, and know they’re transforming this entire part of the state, the area that felt the most harm from the 2010 oil spill. The work Mobile County Commission is doing here at Bayfront, at Chickasabogue, at Escatawpa Hollow, at Memories Fish Camp and other places in the county to provide citizens access to water and our natural resources is commendable.”

Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR)

The county used NDRA funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to make the improvements to Bayfront Park. The project costed roughly $9.5 million.

Construction to rebuild Bayfront Park’s boardwalk, should begin later this year, but that activity will not require the park’s closure.

What to expect when visiting

The park will open at 8AM daily, closing at dusk.

The new pocket beach is great for sitting in the sun or swimming but visitors can also use the area to launch their own kayaks and canoes. Fishing from the beach will also be allowed.

Bayfront Park has long been an observation point on Alabama’s Coastal Birding Trail and designated wetland conservation areas within the park will continue to be protected.  

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