Dania Beach, the little city sandwiched between Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, is working on a multimillion dollar plan to beautify its waterways and beaches.

After several years of community input, in May the Dania Beach City Commission approved funding and implementing phase 1 of its Waterfront Revitalization Plan.

Mayor Walter Duke said the first phase will cost about $1.6 million and will focus on improving existing conditions at the municipal marina and beach areas to the east. Phase I will require about 18 months to complete.

“The goal of this project is to create a beautiful destination that is safe, enjoyable, vibrant and family friendly. And this plan is for everyone — the fisher, the boater, the surfer, the sun bather, the nature enthusiast, the family, the resident, and the tourist,” Duke said.

The new Dania Beach Municipal Marina at Ocean Park is scheduled for completion this month. The “state-of-the art” public marina will have 120 fully powered public wet slips, with 35 dedicated to transient boaters who want to tie up for the night or weekend. Duke said. Also on site: a new dock master’s office and lounge, bathing facilities, pump out, a picnic pavilion, marina surveillance cameras and a fish clean station. Duke said the City Commission selected Westrec to renovate and operate the pier bait shop.

Duke said the biggest complaints he hears about beach

facilities center on the bathrooms and parking. Major components of the beach plan include new public bathrooms, increased parking — including the installation of new parking meters improvements to dune integrity, more turtle-friendly lighting and improved walkability.

Future phases will focus on more significant enhancements including adding more amenities such as pedestrian walkways, an event lawn, playground, picnic pavilions and a better sign program, Duke said.

“Beach renourishment is also a key issue, and the Commission has made that clear to staff and our lobbyists,” he said.

Duke said the total project cost for the marina is about $7.5 million, with nearly $4.6 million funded by grants from Broward County and the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND). Another $2.5 million came from a loan, with the balance paid by taxpayers, he said.

The improvements are expected to eventually pay for themselves through revenue, Duke said. He points to the Quarterdeck restaurant, which he says has proven to be “a financial windfall” for the city, bringing the city $420,000 in rent in the operation’s first year along with another $150,000 in estimated parking revenue.

Philip Purcell, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, calls the plan well balanced.

“Too often, governments chase the shiny object [industry high tech], when in reality the marine industry and its 90,000 jobs in Broward County should be nurtured and partnered with. Mayor Duke has bridged and fostered the marine industry relationship for all to benefit in lifestyle, education, and economic fair.”

Patience Cohn, also of the MIASF, applauds the plan too.

“Dania Beach has shown a great deal of vision by thoughtfully investing their funds to support marine infrastructure,” she said. “The improvement to the Dania Beach Marina and he Dania Beach Pier addresses another segment of the industry and answers a quality of life need for the community.”

Marsha Johnson, 46, recently moved to Dania Beach from Huntsville, Ala.

“I think it's fantastic what the city is doing,” she said. “One of the biggest reasons we came here was because of the boating and beach lifestyle here, and we feel lucky to live in such a beautiful place where they really cater to the locals as much as the tourists.”

Duke, who grew up in Hollywood and was happy to see that city implementing a similar plan, said it was only natural to address these issues, because “South Florida, especially Dania Beach, is all about the water life.”

“We’re a marine-oriented city, pure and simple,” he said. “And we're passionate about supporting the recreational boating community here, and serving the needs of ‘Bob and Betty Boater.’ We’re also nestled in the shadow of a major seaport, and the importance of the marine industry in Dania can’t be understated. It not only provides our residents and visitors with a wide variety of leisure and recreational activities, but it’s a major driver of Dania Beach’s local economy by creating good paying jobs and by providing a significant commercial tax base needed to help our city play catch-up on a number of long-overdue capital projects, support programs and amenities that our residents demand and deserve.”

FIND commissioner and environmental consultant Tyler Chappell agrees with Duke's assertion that “cleaning up and preserving the beach is also a priority that goes hand in hand with the renovation of the city marina.”

“There’s nowhere else in South Florida where you can come by boat to a brand new marina, eat at popular restaurant on a pier, and enjoy the beach and ocean — all in one spot.”

Clive Taylor, chairman of the Dania Beach Marine Advisory Board and a member of the Broward Marine Advisory Board, said he’s especially excited by plans to improve the beach-going experience.

 “I like that you'll be able to walk or bicycle the entire boundary, and I'm also looking forward to plans to create a non-motorized watercraft area on the northern end, for the use of sailing dinghies, kayaks, paddle boards and Hobie Cats,” Taylor said.

Taylor said maintaining the area’s charm was a major goal.

“We have a small little beach town with lots of natural areas, and we want to keep it that way,” he said. “Yes, we want to spruce it up, but I'm very cautious about too much growth. Dania is a little jewel, a diamond in the rough.”

Chappell stepped back from his official role with FIND to assess the improvements from a resident's perspective.

“This is by far one of my favorite places to bring my family and friends, and I am proud to be a part of the renovation of one of our historical beaches in Broward County.”