ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — For Councilman Jeff Silvers, not taking the opportunity to purchase a prime piece of real estate was just too good to pass up the second time.

The Orange Beach City Council voted on June 11 to spend about $450,000 for 10 acres of wooded property on Canal Road across the street from the Coast Arts Center at Orange Beach. The land is full of sweeping old live oak trees draped in Spanish moss.

“The property we are still in negotiation with is at a better price than what was being asked for a year and a half ago when some of the previous council members and the current reached out to purchase it awhile back,” Silvers said. “This parcel could and would be a great addition to our parks and for other future city facilities if everyone could think of the potentials and possibilities.”

And while to vote for the park was 4-2, Silvers says since his vote with the majority he has received positive feedback from the community.

“The citizens I’ve heard from since it went public have been very excited for the people to have an additional 10 acres of public property in that part of town,” he said.

Mayor Tony Kennon and Councilman Jeff Boyd voted against buying the property with Boyd saying other property near The Wharf would be more suitable for buying by the city.

“To me it’s just another park and I think we have plenty of them,” Boyd said. He said the property on the west side of town could serve multiple uses for the city.

Councilman Al Bradley said the city’s need for more parks and the city could also make a move to buy the other property as well.

Another member who voted for the purchase, Councilwoman Joni Blalock, said the parcel could serve the city in numerous ways.

“I think it’s a beautiful location and there are lots of things that we could use it for other than just a park or a dog park,” she said. “But the price is extremely good and we have had other situations in the city where we did not act and we wished we had and I’m afraid that this might be one of those situations, where if we don’t purchase this at this time we’re going to turn around and kick ourselves for not doing it because it’s so close to everything else that is central to our recreation in the city.”

Kennon said he could see both sides of the issue, but chose to vote against making the land buy.

“I could probably vote either way and consider myself making the right decision,” Kennon said. “However, I don’t feel comfortable in knowing that we’re paying $450,000 to essentially save trees and make a park. I don’t feel like we’ve reached that type of financial stature yet.

“Maybe I’m wrong and again Joni has a great point that if we don’t we might regret it, but at this time I just don’t feel comfortable spending that kind of money to preserve trees because I believe once we have it we will never do anything with it other than a park.”