Improvement project underway at Lark Park in Gautier

GAUTIER, Miss. (WXXV)- A major upgrade is on the way for one of Gautier’s most popular community parks.

City leaders have broken ground on a $1.5 million project that will bring new courts, a splash pad, and more to Lark Park.

The city officially broke ground on the improvement project last week, kicking off plans to create a more functional space for families and the community. Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan said, “The Lark Park groundbreaking was a big day for Gautier because it marked the beginning of construction on a brand-new recreational facility and amenity for our community and the years of planning vision, planning and partnership. The project didn’t happen overnight. This vison was championed years ago by former Councilman at Large Adam Colledge and he carried the work through his elected years and partnership with Ms. Paula Yancey, her staff, and our state legislative delegation partners and now it’s moving forward through the construction phase under our city manager Carlos Moulds and his team.”

The project is set to include new basketball courts, along with tennis and pickleball courts. Families will also get a new playground and splash pad with ample parking to make it easier to access the park. “Our anticipated completion and turnaround time is the end of January 2027, barring no unforeseen circumstances or construction delays. At the end of the day, we are not simply building a park here in Gautier, we are creating a new place for our community to come together and we’re making a $ 1.5 million investment in our children and our families our neighbors and our future quality of life in in Gautier.”