- April 20, 2024
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Ormond Beach's Andy Romano Beachfront Park could hold between 500 and 600 people at a time during peak hours this summer.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
Summer is coming, and the city expects Andy Romano Beachfront Park to be at capacity when it's here.
Since the park opened Feb. 23, the city has raved about its success and the response it has gotten from residents, but also admitted the work wasn’t done. At times, parking has been an issue, and the City Commission continues to press for less traffic on the beach between the park and the ocean.
Currently, the only vehicles allowed to drive through that area are emergency vehicles or umbrella and chair vendors who are setting up. Leisure Services Director Robert Carolin said that’s unlikely to change much in the immediate future.
As for the parking, Carolin said the city has explored some possible agreements with local businesses, but with the hurdles involved, it’s likely nothing will happen and the city will “see how well it manages itself.”
The parking lot has approximately 200 spaces, he said, adding that the high tide impacts the parking situation. When the high tide coincides with popular beach hours, vehicles can’t drive or park on the beach, and beachgoers park at the beachfront park or the nearby off-beach parking.
The hope is that as summer draws closer, and once summer arrives, residents will plan accordingly when making trips to the beachfront park, keeping in mind parking may be an issue during peak hours.
The city will, however, continue to explore parking options, Carolin said, and that may require purchasing land for additional off-beach parking, which isn’t a quick process.
The city has two part-time employees assigned to the park and will be adding two volunteers over the summer. The volunteers will help fill the three-hour gap between the part-time employees’ shifts.
The volunteers will come from the 40 to 50 Carolin said the city expects over the summer, as part of a college community outreach program.
“It’s so cool because the impact they have on my staff is pretty amazing,” he said of the volunteers. “They're always upbeat. There’s never a negative word. You see it start to bleed into the rest of the staff.”
The added staff will help keep the park clean and enforce rules, which, considering the park has only been open four months, may still be new to some residents and visitors.
“We're watching everything every single day to keep it clean and enforce the rules,” Carolin said. “It’s a smoke-free environment. ... Even though there are a lot of signs, people don't always see them. Once you start enforcing the rules, people start to follow them out of habit.”
The park, during the peak hours of the summer, could easily hold 500 to 600 people at a time, Carolin said, adding that it was designed to be open and not feel like people are “elbow to elbow.”
Settling up
The City Commission approved a resolution during its June 3 meeting to finalize some of the cost for building Andy Romano Beachfront Park.
Additional construction was required due to unforeseen issues with underground work and utility installation, the city said, resulting in $8,761.32 in extra cost.
However, that additional cost comes after the city issued a final change order that included a deduction of about $1.1 million for owner-direct purchased materials and $18,106.21 in sales tax savings.
Cost for the additional funds will come from bond proceeds, the city said.
The commission also approved a work authorization to Zev Cohen & Associates Inc. for additional construction, administration and engineering inspection services, which the city said won’t exceed $16,216. The cost will be covered from the Beachfront Park Fund.
