Palm Coast’s Waterfront Park Wins State Planning Association’s Great Places in Florida Award

The American Planning Association’s Florida Chapter named Waterfront Park the winner of the Great Places in Florida People’s Choice Award for 2024, taking 60 percent of the vote in a statewide competition driven by community boosting.

Waterfront Park, Palm Coast’s 20-acre treasure on the Intracoastal, opened in 2010 as the 12th of the city’s parks, quickly becoming a favorite among local residents and a draw to visitors. It was originally built for what now looks like the paltry sum of $1.9 million, and has seen enhancements and expansions since. Improvements centered on a boat ramp, completed in 2023, cost $1.2 million.




Allara Mills-Gutcher, president of the Florid chapter of the American Planning Association, and Kathie Ebaugh, a Florida executive committee member of the association, presented the award to the City Council Tuesday.

“This park, in the way it’s been designed, in the way it’s developed, in the way it’s used, is just evidence of that relationship that you have with your community,” Ebaugh told the council. (The award was delayed because of the hurricane season.)

It was Brittany McDermott, the deputy director of Parks and Recreation, who led the campaign to win votes especially after the park was named a finalist. The city highlighted the parks trails, its children’s memorial garden, three picnic pavilions, a covered patio, a playground, a fishing pier, and those soaring egrets, one of the more distinctive examples of public art in the city. The Flight of Life series is the work of Anthony Gargiulo, and the sculptures were donated to the city through the late Tom Gargiulo’s and Arlene Volpe’s Gargiulo Art Foundation, which, like its creator, is no longer.




“We’re honored that Waterfront Park has won this award,” McDermott said. “Definitely have to acknowledge that a large part of the process, while we had to apply and get nominated, was public engagement. We would not have won without the community voting for waterfront park and showing their love and support. So huge shout out to our community. Also want to acknowledge our parks maintenance team, who keeps the park in pristine condition. They are very hard working. Huge shout out to them. And [we] want to thank our partners, such as the Florida Inland Navigation District.

Randy Stapleford, who represents Flagler County on the FIND board, spoke briefly and hinted at future grants coming the county’s and the city’s way. It was a FIND grant that helped add the boat dock at Waterfront, along with park impact fees.