Beach Walk Offically Open

Clearwater's long-awaited $30-million Beach Walk opened officially Saturday,(it had unofficially opened in the spring). Narrow sidewalks have been replaced by two wide, paved promenades for skating, walking and biking — one along the sand and the other in front of the stores, restaurants and hotels on the east side of S Gulfview Boulevard.

While the transformation is wonderful, it's just the beginning. In 2009, the Hyatt Hotel will open, adding 400 public parking spaces. Passers-by will be welcomed into the hotel to enjoy its restaurants and shops. Other hotels, stores and restaurants are expected to open on the east side, where the promenade is 35 feet wide to permit sidewalk cafes and public seating. So while the west side of Beach Walk is unlikely to see many changes other than maintenance and minor tweaking, the east side is still a work in progress in some sections.

Beach Walk was designed to be a beautiful attractor — to attract new hotels and restaurants and to attract visitors who wanted an experience off the sand. Already, it is doing both.
Clearwater officials have good reason to be proud of the result.