With Riverwalk plans delayed, Port Orange eyes temporary entertainment spot

PORT ORANGE, Fla. – Plans are delayed for a huge Riverwalk complex to be built in Port Orange, but the mayor told News 6 the city is working on a back-up plan to get entertainment to the area sooner.

The entertainment area on the river is supposed to be built on about 10 acres just north of the Dunlawton Bridge, near the intersection of Dunlawton Avenue and Halifax Drive. The developer told the city they want to hold off on officially buying the land until closer to 2025 when interest rates are expected to go down.

“We’re going to work with them and be a little bit patient with them as that goes on but we also know the project is going to take years to develop,” Mayor Don Burnette said.

Next door to that piece of land, though, the city has an old Parks and Rec building that also sits next to Riverwalk Park. It’s there that Burnette said the city is looking at temporary uses to bring in entertainment before permanent construction starts.

“We’ve already got Riverwalk Park, if we can expand the uses down here in more ways that people can come down here and enjoy the waterfront,” Burnette said.

The mayor told News 6 he is looking to turn the lot into a food truck and live music hot spot and he is envisioning a concept similar to Boxi Park in Lake Nona.

People who live in Port Orange said this is needed.

“I just moved here, and everyone is like, what is there really to do in that area? The beach is awesome but other than that, I feel like we don’t really have something like that,” resident Katherine Dungan said. “To have something to get right off the beach and be able to walk here, walk your dog, and then just get something from a food truck, like a little treat, that would be so awesome!”

The Port Orange planning commission is meeting Thursday to work on the ordinances that would allow the temporary uses. Then, that land use amendment will go to city council for vote in August.