APRIL 30–MAY 6, 2026
LOWCOUNTRY LOWDOWN
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
HENRY C. CHAMBERS WATERFRONT PARK BEAUFORT’S WATERFRONT PARK PROJECT PERSERVING THE PROMENADE Restoring Our History, Securing Our Future
LOLITA HUCKABY
Taste of Beaufort branches out
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BEAUFORT t’s almost May Day, and this weekend, the community and visitors will get to celebrate with the annual Taste of Beaufort festival. Beginning Friday night with entertainment in the Waterfront Park — giving everyone a chance to check out the city’s new “social district” — the festival kicks off with eating opportunities both Friday night and Saturday. Admission to the park is free, but not the tickets you have to buy to taste that food. Thanks to the Waterfront Park being partially decommissioned, organizers of the festival have expanded the festival locations to include the USCB campus on Carteret Street, where the “Taste of the Arts” events will be happening, with a juried art show and art market with items for sale. And … at long last, the newly renovated Washington Street Park will be the site of celebration, with a gathering planned to mimic entertainment events that attracted the community back in the 1940’s. Organized as the Beaufort County Negro Recreational Center, the park located in the city’s Northwest Quadrant was the only public park for black families during times of segregation. The park recently underwent a major $1.3 million renovation which was funded with grants and money from the city’s Parks and Tourism Revenue Bond. A historic
SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A4
NEW CONNECTIONS
OPTION 2 BUILD NEW AND RAISE: A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELEVATED PLATFORM RAISED PLATFORM
STRUCTURALLY SOUND CONCRETE PLATFORM
ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
Option 2 would replace the platform and piles underneath the promenade at Beaufort’s Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park with a similar, more modern platform and piles “ensure safety, durability, and permanent access.” The promenade would be raised above the 8-foot flood level, above the park itself. Design renderings courtesy of the City of Beaufort This comprehensive approach replaces the failing structure with a modern design that ensures safety, durability, and permanent access for the community:
It’s down to details
TERRACED SEATING
Create long-term resilience by building the promenade above the 8ft flood level Restore access by building a new promenade and sea edge with the latest methods
City of Beaufort provides design options for repairs to Waterfront Park promenade
By Mike McCombs The Island News About 150 members of the community members attended a Waterfront Park Design Concept Information Meeting on Wednesday evening, April 22, at the pavilion at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort to get a closer look at the proposed options for repairs to the park. And those in attendance made their preferences known – there is
Ensure universal access with ramped pathways and stairs to the raised Option 1 – Repair and stabilize promenade
a clear favorite. The meeting was an opportunity for community members to review the proposed design concepts; ask questions of those in attendance from McSweeney Engineers, Davis & Floyd, and City staff; and share their feedback. Four options were presented to the public — A simple (or not so simple) repair and three structural options, with the third being really a hybrid of the first two
the waterfront promenade and restore access The simplest approach would be to repair the existing structure’s deteriorating substructure and pilings and restore access. This option, however, would leave the City with critical structural vulnerabilities and fiscal challenges.
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Beaufort social district starts steady in first weekend; data still pending City officials say it is too early to measure impact of pilot program By Delayna Earley The Island News Beaufort’s new downtown social district saw a steady start during its first weekend, though city officials say it is too early to determine its overall impact.
The pilot program launched Friday, April 24, with a ribbon cutting along Bay Street, allowing visitors to carry beer and wine between participating businesses within a designated area of downtown. City Manager Scott Marshall said early indications do not point to any immediate issues. “Because I haven’t gotten any calls on the negative, to my knowledge there were no issues,” Marshall said.
Marshall said he has not yet received full reports from downtown operations staff or the Beaufort Police Department and does not yet have data on attendance or economic impact. “I just don’t have that information yet,” he said. Based on his own observations Friday, Marshall said downtown activity appeared consistent with recent weekends.
SEE SOCIAL PAGE A6
NEWS
SPORTS
VOICES
INSIDE
Beaufort hires Danielle Cobb as Public Information Officer; Former WSAV journalist to begin role May 18.
Bridges Prep Bucs wrap up first region baseball title.
Amanda Patel: “Trust is built through follow through.”
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