New visitor center opens in Navarre
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

The Santa Rosa County Tourist Center held its ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday in Navarre Park. The official Open House and opening for public use will be in January.

Navarre Park has a new centerpiece to be open to the public officially Jan. 2. But some members of the community and county leaders got a sneak peak inside last Thursday at the ribbon cutting of the new Santa Rosa Tourist Information and Visitors Center, which will also house the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce offices.

The 4,600 square foot building cost $1.2 million. It was a replacement to the visitors center that used to stand in the park until two hurricanes destroyed any hope of repair to the older building. First Hurricane Ivan hit the old center, followed by another punch from Hurricane Dennis.

County Commissioner Gordon Goodin of Navarre welcomed a crowd of people from all over the county to the ribbon cutting ceremonies of the new center last week. He told the crowd this was the "most used park in Santa Rosa County," with the covered picnic areas and children's playground complete with swings and water slide, and the walk along the Sound beachfront.

Santa Rosa County Commission Chair John Broxson of Gulf Breeze told those gathered that commissioners had also held a ribbon cutting last week for the completed I-10 bridge, and both these projects were "signs of healing from scars left by two of the latest hurricanes to hit the county."