OUTDOORS
BOARDWALK TO ADVANCE
Riverwalk extension project to make Westmoreland Park
a prime spot for a waterfront promenade, dining and more
BY SUSAN BURGESS
If you can’t be in or on the water at Westmoreland Park,
what about walking over it?
“How?” you might ask.
A 1,300-foot boardwalk on pilings over the water
will be finished by September, making it easy to walk the
length of the park without setting foot on land.
It’s all about giving the public more access to the scenic
North Fork of the St. Lucie River, Port St. Lucie officials say.
The city is working toward its goal of enhancing its cultural,
natural and recreational activities, says city Councilwoman
Jolien Caraballo. For the most part, the river is hidden from
view. There are very few places where the public can get a
good look and fewer where they can actually get to the shore.
Westmoreland Park, which will be a destination park when
finished, is one place where people will be able to easily access
the shoreline — for walking on the boardwalk, eventually
tying up to floating docks and launching kayaks, for
fishing, taking pictures and for sitting on a bench enjoying
the peace and the view. Light poles on the boardwalk will
allow for night use.
The new boardwalk, also called the Riverwalk Extension,
will begin on the north side of the banyan tree in the park,
close to the spot where a restaurant will be built. It will end
by the bridge that takes Port St. Lucie Boulevard over the
North Fork of the St. Lucie River. A ramp at that end will
make a right-angle turn toward the shore and connect to the
parking lot at Bridge Plaza.
After the new boardwalk is finished, a 300-foot section will >>
16 Port St. Lucie Magazine
CITY OF PORT ST. LUCIE
The new segment of the boardwalk at Westmoreland Park will look like the existing section, shown here, that runs between Veterans Memorial Park at Rivergate
and Port St. Lucie Boulevard. This is one of the access ramps connecting the Riverwalk to the shore with an observation deck directly in front of it.