HomeMy WebLinkAboutpalms project for COPA (2)Repurposing the Palms at
Pleasure Island
By:Palms at Pleasure Island Advisory Committee
Palms Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee
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1. Repurposing the Palms Golf Course
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Repurpose 9 holes of the former golf course into an accessible greenspace, integrating areas for
hiking, picnicking, and other community activities, while revamping its ecological landscape into a
vibrant habitat for native and migrating bird species to thrive. This will also create an opportunity to
incorporate green infrastructure elements to the property to protect current and future developments
in the surrounding area from flooding and storm surge.
OBJECTIVE:
Why repurpose the Golf Course?
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?
Repetitive Storm Damage
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It's safe to assume that Pleasure Island has not seen its last storm.
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KEY RESOURCES
•City Owned Property
•Existing Golf Course Infrastructure (pathway, pump station, ponds)
•Existing Ecology
•Event Center Plans (club house)
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Onsite Bird Blind
“The Port Arthur area offers birders beautiful coastal scenery as well as some of the most exciting bird watching anywhere. Thanks to its location smack in the path of two migratory bird flyways—the Central and the Mississippi—Southeast Texas is a birder’s paradise.”
-Port Arthur Convention and Visitors Bureau
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Port Arthur generates around $6,141,828.00 annually in revenue from tourist who are interested in birding, without a state-of-the-art birding location. (“tourists” defined by visitors outside 50-mile radius).
Community Engagement
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On October 9, 2024, members of the Southeast Texas Urban Integrated Field Lab visited the City of
Port Arthur to conduct an in-person community survey to collect resident’s input on Pleasure
Island and its future.
There were nearly 200 Participants.
Locations:
1.County Court House
2.Empowerment Church Food Pantry
3.Central Mall
4.Woodrow Wilson Early College
5.The YMCA
6.Gulf Coast Health Center
7.City Hall Building
What are your favorite memories of Pleasure Island?
Respondents looked fondly back on Pleasure Island as a location for fun gatherings with family/friends and recreational activities.
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Residents highlighted the need for revitalized recreational spaces, such as updated parks, expanding water activities, and restoring Pleasure Island as a year-round destination.
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NEW RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
NEW RESTAURANTS/HOTELS
HOSTED EVENTS/FESTIVALS
NATURE-BASED TOURISM
PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATERFRONT
PRESERVE NATURAL AREAS
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MOST ON PLEASURE ISLAND?
Increase Recreation & Engagement Opportunities
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Current Conditions
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Next Steps:
•Hydro Axe invasive growth & Land clearing.
•Kill potential invasive new growth.
•Update and reroute Pathway (ADA).
•Rehabilitate pond pumping system and update irrigation.
•Add restroom facility.
•Add signage and wayfinding materials.
•Plant at least 400 native trees and native grasses / develop opportunity zones.
This is a preliminary design and does not yet reflect the layout
of amenities or designated zones, which will be developed
throughout the 5-year tree planting program.
PROJECTS IMPACTS
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•Provides recreational space for locals and tourists
•Enhances community engagement and well-being
•Creates outlets for youth activity
•Offers educational opportunities (Birding, wildlife,
environmental protection)
•Offers space for cultural and social activities
•Encourages physical activity
•Reduce stress and improves mental health
•Offers a natural environment for relaxation
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Community Impacts
•Protects wildlife habitat
•Promotes biodiversity
•Promotes tree canopy health
•Provides protection from pollutants, flooding, and heat island effect
•Provides protection from storm surge and coastal erosion
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Environmental Impacts
Economic Impacts
•Boosts local economy through tourism
•Creates opportunity zone for future developments
•Attracts businesses and events
•Increases property values
•Protects Pleasure Island’s Infrastructure
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Imagine Pleasure Island
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Accessible
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Scenic
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Southeast Texas
Estuarium
Interactive & Educational
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Profitable
THANK YOU !
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CITATIONS
•Port Arthur. Port Arthur | Social Pinpoint. (n.d.). https://texastargetcommunities.mysocialpinpoint.com/port-arthur/port-arthur-home retrieved December 12, 2024.
•“SETx-UIFL.” SETxUIFL, setx-uifl.org/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.
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