July 28, 2007 - The City of Southport won a $400,000 state grant to extend a boardwalk along the Cape Fear River from the city pier at Davis Street to the eastern edge of the Fort Johnston property, officials learned Tuesday.
Southport has budgeted $270,000 as its match for the project, which will include a ten-to-20-foot-wide boardwalk elevated along the riverbank. The walkway will tie into existing walkways at the Southport Community Building and city pier. Plans call for planting live oaks and other landscaping, along with benches and lighting.
As envisioned, the boardwalk will have two elevated observation platforms with roofs to provide shelter from the sun and rain. There will also be at least two sets of stairs providing safe access to the shoreline. By Lee Hinnert