BCC takes action on improving numerous county parks Walton County – 3/19/24 – While the government cannot launch commercial enterprises, it can improve public amenities. This was vividly illustrated by numerous actions taken at the most recent meeting of the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC). By unanimous vote, the BCC approved a resolution to bring forward $4,391,995 in Tourism Development Fund reserves for construction of the Seagrove Regional Beach Access and the Cessna Landing Park improvements. District 2 Commissioner Danny Glidewell requested the BCC to approve the plan and funding for playground equipment to be installed at Lakewood Park at Britton Hill in northern Walton County, Florida’s highest elevation at 345 feet above sea level. The board approved unanimously. Commissioner Glidewell also asked for and received board approval for the site plan and funding of a splash pad at Ghentsville Park in Paxton. Commission Chairman Tony Anderson requested board approval to use $50,000 from his District 5 Plat Fees to fund some much-needed improvements at the Walton County Dog Park. Commissioner Anderson also received board approval to transmit the introduction letter, application form, release form, agreement and program policy for a Walton County Adopt-A-Park program, which allows outside groups and agencies to handle the care and upkeep of certain parks. The first park to receive this designation will be Padgett Park. According to Joe Ribaudo, program coordinator for Parks and Recreation Department, retired U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Colton, commander, 1st Battalion and 7th Special Forces Group had requested permission to place a permanent plaque at Padgett Park, in honor of Sgt. Timothy Padgett, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 8, 2007. Sgt. Padgett was a member of Col. Colton’s 1st Battalion unit. The unit also requested to ‘adopt’ Padgett Park, which was approved. District 4 Commissioner Donna Johns asked for a name change in preparation for getting the back 10 acres of county property in south Walton County ready to become a public park. Previously called the Golf Garden, the new name approved by the BCC will be Paradise Park.
