VIGNETTE > Bay Front Park
In 1976, HKS Associates studied the development of a park fronting on the estuary that had been dredged in 1964. They issued a Preliminary Master Plan in December 1977. The plan called for 28 acres of landscaped open space, grassed area, open turf, picnic areas with trees, a boating pier, a fishing pier, a par course and a parking area. By 1981, only 4 acres had been developed, all on the east side of the estuary. 1982 saw construction of paths and a multipurpose field on the west side.
In 1995 after many public meetings, the issue of dogs vs. soccer was finally resolved: fence in the soccer field and not the dog park. In 1997, a couple of weed-strewn acres were covered with lush green grass to create a haven for local dogs to romp in. A bridge connects the two sides of Bay Front Park. The east side of “Pickleweed Inlet” consists of Hawke Park recreational fields and Bay Front Meadow open space. The west side has a sports play field, a passive recreation area, a dog run area, a dog paddle area, a bay vista area and the Bay Shore shared use path.