Into the Wild: Exploring Lynn Haven's Bayou Park and Preserve

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Haven 444, our community podcast. Today we're taking a closer look at one of Lynhaven's most well-loved and special places, the Lynn Haven Bayou Park and Preserve. What many in the community simply call the Bayou. The Preserve offers something that's a little harder to find: a quiet natural space where people can step away from the pace of everyday life.

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The origin of the park started with an agreement between BP and the EPA to help fund passive recreation areas along the waterfronts that were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. And this was one of those areas we were able to take advantage of. One of the things that make that park unique is the natural resources that are in our community that many of us don't see. We take for granted every day because we're out on the roads. We have plenty of long leaf pines. We have, huh, there's a natural habitat for armadillas there. They tend to eat up most of the turf, digging through it, looking for grubs and what have you. We have a pair of bald eagles that visit the park almost two times daily for sure. We have seen deer in the evenings out there. So there's an abundance of wildlife. And if you're just out there quietly walking the trails, you'll see it.

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With its walking trails, boardwalk, and views of the water, it becomes a special place for residents of all ages. Whether it's a quick walk, a weekend visit, or a regular stop in someone's routine. The preserve has a way of becoming a part of people's lives.

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Well, I love the peace and quietness. You can meditate as you work. My name is Ricky Clemens, and I've been working with the city approximately two years. And I'm responsible for the park bathrooms.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

For us to be able to designate this area as a preserve means that we're going to remain, we're going to keep it as untouched as possible. And I think that's what one of the things that makes the park so unique. Many of the parts you go to has been improved. There's turf, it's manicured. Although this is manicured out there, there's much of it is unimproved in its nature. Bay District schools routinely schedule field trips out to the Bayou Park and Preserve. One of the deed restrictions that we have to adhere to with the park is it cannot be any organized events held out there unless it's educational based. So this is the perfect opportunity for kids to go out and learn about nature and about the ecosystem and the wildlife out there. As a matter of fact, we uh have partnered with FWC on at least one occasion where they had a guest speaker come out and talk to kids and showed um, you know, various things that are found in the park. There was, you know, snake skins, and then we're talking about the snakes and the fish, turtles. One of the amenities the park boasts is an outdoor classroom that was specifically designed for kids to come out and uh sit and learn. Now we've also offered that on several occasions to other corporate groups that want to come out and have training. We've had the Astronomy Club meet out there, we've had the Audubon Society come out, we've had the scouts come out for various educational, you know, things. It does take a lot. Um, it's there's a lot of trails that have to be cut back. In addition to the regular landscaping, there always seems to be dead limbs that are still, you know, recovering from the storm. We have to go trim limbs. We have quite a bit of wood amenities through boardwalks, uh, observation decks, what have you, where after five to six years you start having to replace those those boards, um, restain it to keep keep that wood longer. On the weekends, I try and get out here early in the morning at sunrise. And especially this time of the year when you have early morning fog, it is just beautiful on some of the scenic overlooks that go out along the shoreline. The water is just like a mirror reflecting everything back. It is beautiful out here, especially the sunrises. I think there's a lot of peace and quiet and solitude to be found here. And I think a lot of people use the park for that very reason. It's not uncommon to see moms out early in the morning just walking by themselves with a stroller. The park is hugely popular with pet owners where they will take their dogs for a walk. It's it's a different environment and different stimulation for a dog to walk the natural trails and smell the smells they're not gonna get walking in the neighborhood or walking at the bark park.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Man's best friend would definitely be out here. It's a dog-friendly park. Goldie Steel coming around May now. Don't get me wrong, I don't know the exact date, but it'll be three years. The nature, um, the water, the green grass, and the trees, they always provide some good oxygen. You can come out here, breathe, and then you're gonna have some friendly dogs around. Gotta love this city.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

If you've been there, you know the feeling. The sound of the breeze moving through the trees, sunlight filtering down across the path, and the quiet stillness that makes it easy to slow down. Even if it's only for just a few minutes or lunch break. We recently asked members of the community to share their thoughts and memories of the preserve, and what came back was a reminder of just how meaningful this space is. Alright, just a few notes from our mailbag. Young Chris writes us that Bayou Park is my go-to spot for a 10-mile walk and 20,000 steps during spring and summer. Takes me about three hours to complete. I'm proud to say I've lost over 100 pounds thanks to my time on those trails. Wow, John, congratulations and thanks for being a true inspiration for the rest of us. It's time for us to get those walking shoes on. Kate Link writes in, we live in Maine and we go to Lynnhaven several times a year to visit our son, his wife, and our granddaughter. The last time I was there, the last week in March, I was looking for someplace fun to take my granddaughter while her mom and dad were away. When I googled toddler-friendly places to go, this part came up. I put it in my GPS and found it very easily. What an absolute gem of a park! We were there for a couple of hours and had a great time. The next time we're down, the bayou will definitely be on our list of places to visit. Thank you, Kate, so much. Thanks for visiting. And yes, the bayou will be waiting for you when you return. Carol Garner says, our family used to go geocatching around town with our then young teenagers, four of them. We loved hiking in the various parks, which included the Lynhaven Bayou. While looking for geocatch locations, it got very competitive and fun. A lot of racing despots, gentle pushing, and a whole lot of laughing. We had one by the pier that we couldn't find. There was this guy fishing, and he asked me what we were looking for. I told him and he said, Oh yeah, I found that. I didn't know what it was, so I took it home. He obviously didn't know the rules to the game, but we laughed so hard together and went on our way. We love our Lynn Haven, have lived here for almost 40 years. Thank you. We are blessed with beautiful parks. We love concerts at Sheffield Park, right in our golf cart across the Old Bailey Bridge, fishing and picnicking, and sitting in the swings at Porter Park, sunsets and fireworks, and yes, geo catching on the bayou. Way to go, Carol. We love you being here and being a part of everything that makes Lynnhaven really a great city by the bay.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

There are a lot of things that you know that you can see in this park and experience that maybe folks don't really pay attention to. A couple of years ago, we explored um starting a 501c called uh Friends of the Parks, where various businesses or groups could help us either maintain or provide amenities or what have you. I think it would help if we had somebody that wanted to adopt. For instance, there's a contractor out at one of the local military installations that has used the Bayou Park as their volunteer day for the last two years. We've got a 98-acre nature preserve that's dedicated for passive recreation. That would be trail walking. You know, we have almost two miles worth of trails out there, both paved, gravel, and just natural dirt that meander through that 98 acres. I think the Bayou Park and Preserve is such a unique amenity for Lynn Haven because it's the only park of its kind east of the Hathaway Bridge. It's a 98-acre nature preserve, in essence, that is filled with trails. There's a playground, and it's not like every other park within Lynn Haven. The Bayou Park and Preserve truly is a unique amenity in Lynn Haven. It's a slice of nature that we just don't have in any other park here. It's 98 acres of undeveloped property other than the trails. We have almost two miles worth of trails, both improved and unimproved, that meander through that acreage. We have multiple scenic overlooks along the waterfront. We have four different ADA restrooms, a playground. We have a butterfly garden towards the middle of the park. It truly is a beautiful place.

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People talked about walking with family, bringing their kids, spotting wildlife, or just having a place they can count on to clear their head. For many, it's more than a park in that way. It's a special place to reconnect with nature, with others, and sometimes just with themselves. After our last episode on the fire department, we heard so many incredible stories from the community. Stories that added depth, history, and heart in a way only you can. We'll be sharing some of those in an upcoming episode as a community where we do a little time travel.

SPEAKER_04 11:32

My name's Tracy, and that's Binkster. Even though I have four other chihuahuas at home, he comes alone because he feels special. We've been coming here like two years. I usually come four days a week, try to come in the morning because it starts to get warm. I'm trying to get Ryor fitness for my horse shows. Seeing the animals, the wildlife, and other people walking dogs.