The City of Port Arthur’s Pleasure Island Commission is spearheading an initiative to repurpose part of its inactive golf course into a multi-purpose green space. The Palms at Pleasure Island Golf Course, dormant since Hurricane Ike in 2009, has become overgrown with invasive vegetation.
The restoration project aims to enhance the landscape, create bird habitats, and improve recreational access. Michael Sinegal, Jefferson County Precinct 3 commissioner, said the project will “create walking trails and bike trails.” The plan includes removing unwanted trees through hydro-axing and planting around 400 new trees and plants to support pollinators and bird nesting. The project will also rehabilitate the existing pedestrian trail to meet ADA standards, promoting accessibility and safety.
The Jefferson County Commissioners Court has allocated over $140,000, with an additional $50,000 from the City of Port Arthur, to re-establish the island’s north levee. The Port Arthur City Council is requesting these funds be repurposed for phase one of the wildlife project. Sinegal noted, “That 141 will not fund the project. But what it does is phase one will allow them to go in and clear out all unwanted trees the vegetation, overgrown vegetation, and beautify the area.”
The plan involves removing 27 acres of golf course land near the ship channel, aligning with the reshaped landscape from the channel expansion. New amenities, including benches, bird blinds, and renovated restroom facilities, will enhance recreational access for tourists.
Sinegal emphasized the project’s potential for tourism, stating, “tourism, I mean bird watching is big and people come from all over the world, not just from the United States took just looks at the birds and to see the birds here.” While Sinegal supports revitalizing the area, he cannot obligate the court to approve the funding. The Jefferson County Court will make the final decision on repurposing the funds after further review.