Completely Renovated Bayfront Park Reopens with a Well-attended Community Celebration

Posted on: Mar 9th, 2025 | Announcements Press Releases Featured News

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. – Nearly 2,000 people attended Mobile County Commission’s community celebration to reopen Bayfront Park in Coden on Sunday, March 9.

The gates opened at noon, and Bayfront Park’s almost-100 parking spaces filled quickly. Shuttles ran from 1 to 5 p.m., transporting attendees from the overflow parking areas of Alabama Port Volunteer Fire Department and Cedar Point. 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, a rock wall, and children’s activities like a treasure hunt where “X” indeed marked the spot and they dug for hidden treasure.

What’s new at Bayfront Park:

An approximately 900-foot-long pocket beach (protected sandy beach), the largest on Mobile Bay
A nautical-themed playground
Parking areas
Pavilions
Walking paths
Restroom and park office building, and
Generally enhanced park infrastructure.

In a brief program, District 3 Commissioner Randall Dueitt thanked all who worked to make the complete renovation of Bayfront Park possible. Dueitt acknowledged the many collaborations that made the park possible and recognized multiple elected officials in attendance, including Mayors Jeff Collier (Dauphin Island) and Henry Barnes (Bayou La Batre), State Senator David Sessions, State Representative Chip Brown, Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch, and several city council members from nearby municipalities. He acknowledged the fine work of Mobile County staff, particularly the Department of Environmental Services, and the efforts of those who designed and built the park and pocket beach: Moffatt Nichol, Ben Radcliff Contractor, and Esfeller Construction.

Dueitt explained how Bayfront Park has been a Mobile County Commission park for 100 years, acquired as a donation in the 1920s from a railroad company. Proudly, he dedicated Bayfront Park to the people of Mobile County and urged users to not only enjoy the park, but to help take good care of it “so it can be enjoyed 100 years from now.” He gratefully acknowledged Gov. Kay Ivey and Commissioner Chris Blankenship’s support for the project. Dueitt added: “I’m proud that we were able to secure NRDA [oil spill penalty] funding to build it. Folks need to know that this beautiful new park wasn’t paid for by the taxpayers of Mobile County.”

Featured speaker Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, spoke about the intricate collaboration of many entities that make projects like this come to fruition. He explained Bayfront Park’s renovation was made possible by Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds, which will be over $11 million once the new boardwalk is complete. “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,” he said. “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,” he added.

Commissioners Connie Hudson and Merceria Ludgood congratulated Dueitt on his efforts to shepherd the park through design and construction into reality. Hudson additionally thanked and acknowledged all collaborators and team members who helped bring Dueitt’s vision to life. She called Bayfront Park a "jewel" in Mobile County's Parks System.

Park hours will be 8 a.m. to dusk daily. The new pocket beach is ideal for multiple uses. In addition to fun in the sun and swimming, visitors can launch their own kayaks or canoes from Bayfront Park’s beach, and fishing from the beach will be allowed (saltwater fishing license is needed). Alcohol is not permitted in Mobile County parks.

Mobile County’s Bayfront Park improvements were funded with Deepwater Horizon natural resource damage settlement funds provided by the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group with the support and participation of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project cost is approximately $9.5 million. The renovation of Bayfront Park helps the Mobile County Commission meet its goals for Deepwater Horizon funding: to repair and enhance coastal resources while ensuring that Alabama’s beautiful shoreline is stable and flourishing for future generations’ enjoyment.

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.

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

Mobile County’s Bayfront Park temporarily closed March 31, 2022 for construction as part of the Commission’s Parks Initiative. Construction was expected to last about a year. There were multiple sources of delay, such as supply chain delays and increases in materials costs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it difficult to award bids, and some replanning was necessary.

Mobile County has multiple projects in the area:

Dauphin Island Causeway Shoreline Restoration Project to restore approx. 3.3 miles of shoreline to its 1917 location and create about 100 acres of salt marsh from Bayfront Park to Cedar Point. More info: www.mobilecountyal.gov/dauphin-island-causeway-shoreline-restoration-project.
Cedar Point Pier will be closed for approximately four months beginning March 5 for accessibility and sustainability upgrades. More info: https://www.mobilecountyal.gov/latest-news/cedar-point-pier-closed-for-construction
Cedar Point Boat Ramp, funded by a 2023 $4.3 million State GOMESA grant provided by Gov. Kay Ivey. The project will create a new launch on the west side of SR193 at Cedar Point with 50 boat parking spots. It is in the design and permitting phase of project development and construction could begin later in 2025.