Captain Leonard Destin Park

During peak tourist season, the City of Destin’s population can double as visitors flock to the white-sand beaches and busy resorts. There’s not many quiet spots for locals to relax away from the hustle and bustle. That’s why we teamed up with the City and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to build Captain Leonard Destin Park, a 3.4 acre park in a year-round residential neighborhood inhabited by the folks who hold the jobs that keep this town running.

The park includes an accessible beach area, boardwalk, dock and paddlecraft launch, a splash pad, playground, and picnic pavilions. An existing heron rookery was preserved and marked with interpretive signage to educate visitors on the important role urban parks can play in wildlife conservation. This park also introduces residents to the city’s history. Historical interpretive elements such as a replica seine boat were constructed on the site. Captain Leonard Destin Park is named for the original founder of the City of Destin who came from New London, Connecticut in the mid-1800s to establish a fishing village along the Florida Gulf Coast. Leonard Destin’s original home site was located on the property. This project is one of five new waterfront access parks that we completed in cooperation with Florida DEP using funds from the Deepwater Horizon settlement with BP.