Redeveloping Joe Moody Harris Park

PANAMA CITY, FL – The City of Panama City has been awarded a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant that will help assist the City in its redevelopment of Joe Moody Harris Park. The grant amounts to $666,600.00 with a 50/50 match for a total of $1,333,200.00. This transformative initiative by the City aims to restore and enhance one of its most cherished community spaces, significantly impacted by Hurricane Michael in 2018. 

“Joe Moody Harris Park is important to the community for health, fitness, family, environmental and entertainment purposes,” said Janice Lucas, Ward II Commissioner. “Prior to the hurricane, it was a place where people of all ages gathered, from nearby neighborhoods and throughout the community.” 

The comprehensive redevelopment project for the 31-acre park will unfold over a 36-month period, within the grant’s allowed timeframe. Construction is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2025. 

The scope of work for the park includes renovating the existing walking trail, constructing a new walking trail, adding exercise stations, creating a multi-purpose field, installing new playground equipment, developing picnic pavilions, renovating existing parking lots and constructing a new one, installing wayfinding and traffic signage, implementing solar lighting, adding benches, placing trash cans, installing bike racks and a drinking fountain, as well as installing fencing and park entrance signage. 

The goal of this project is to restore and improve the amenities, creating a vibrant, welcoming space for community members of all ages to come together and enjoy the outdoors. 

“We are excited about the future of Joe Moody Harris Park,” said Parks, Culture and Recreation Department Director Keith Mefford. “This project will not only restore the park to its former glory but also enhance its facilities to better serve our community for generations to come. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our residents and the many ways it will bring people together.”  

The redevelopment comes as a response to Hurricane Michael’s devastating impact, which uprooted more than 1,200 trees and destroyed much of the park’s infrastructure and clubhouse. Further vandalism in July 2021 underscored the need for the renewal.