Kellogg Park Nature Center expected to open in Walton County next summer

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -Wednesday morning, a special dedication ceremony for the new Kellogg Park Nature Center.

The new center honors the legacy of Pat Kellogg and the land she donated to Walton County as an opportunity for environmental education.

“When my mom died, they donated it to the county to turn into a park,” said Pan Godchaux, Kellogg’s Daughter. " I like to come here, it always helps me think about my parents. We weren’t into having headstones somewhere, so in a lot of ways this is their memorial for us.”

“Talking to the people that use it, and what they use it for, just warms my heart because it’s the kind of stuff my mom wanted to know.” Adds Godchaux.

The goal of the new center is to educate the public on the nature that surrounds them in Walton County.

“It’s an assembly-type building, the inside will have pictures, interpretive kiosks,” said Brian Kellenberger, the Director of Beach Operations for Walton County. “Anything that will help us explain the story of the Chawtahawee Bay throughout time.”

The hope is that the center will become a hub for education, especially for students and nature-focused groups.

“We’re going to invite the school system to come use it,” Said Kellenberger, " and any other nature-based organization that would like to do interpretive sessions, classes, whatever, will be welcome to use it.”

Kellogg Bayside Park already offers bayside benches, a kayak launch, and picnic tables for visitors to enjoy

The new Kellogg Park Nature Center is expected to open its doors in Summer 2026.

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