Destin adds new park to the menu
Jewel Melvin, the old-time Destin resident who owned Melvin's Seafood Restaurant, is now memorialized with a permanent park of the Destin landscape.
A Tuesday ribbon-cutting ceremony will open Jewel Melvin Park on Two Trees Lane, honoring Melvin the way June White Decker Park and Clement Taylor Park have honored other old-timers.
Destin Recreation Manager Lance Johnson said that developer Bob Bonezzi had donated the land to the city in 2000.
Environmental "Defender" and Destin resident Timothy Mahar first realized the stretch of land was ripe for a park when he learned that the 1.9 acres had been dedicated to the city. He told city officials about the find and the rest is history.
"They were like ‘Wow, It's already there, there's not much we have to do to it, we just have to figure out access and the budget for it.' " he said. "It took a few years, but it's there."
In 2006, the city budgeted for an access road, picnic area, public parking and the beginning of a bicycle path, but cut the bike path from the project to save costs.
WANT TO GO?
The ribbon cutting for the Jewel Melvin Park is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at the end of Twin Lakes Lane off Airport Road.