Lynn Hall Memorial Park, San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve, Bonita Beach Park and Bonita Beach Accesses 1 to 10 will be reopened starting Saturday.
“We are thrilled to announce the reopening of our beach park facilities after the devastation of Hurricane Ian. It is heartening to hear from our residents and visitors how eager they are to once again enjoy these amenities, and we are grateful for their patience during the rebuilding process,” said Brian Hamman, chairman of the Lee Board of County Commissioners.
Those looking to head to these locations, which had been slated to reopen later this spring, are reminded that they have not been restored to pre-Hurricane Ian conditions. There will be no charge for beach parking until further notice.
The announcement comes after Boca Grande Beach Accesses and Dog Beach opened March 1.
Also anticipated to reopening on March 10 is Alison Hagerup Beach Park on Captiva. Bowditch Point Park and Crescent Beach Family Park remain closed as work to reopen them continues.
Residents and visitors are advised:
- Some amenities such as restroom facilities, piers and walkovers have not been repaired or replaced at this time.
- Debris continues to wash onshore and quickly may be obscured by sand.
- Beach shoes should be worn at all times.
- Debris can still be found in near-shore areas, such as dunes or mangrove-lined coastlines.
- Check for any beach or water advisories from the Florida Department of Health-Lee County at lee.floridahealth.gov. FDOH-Lee on Feb. 20 issued a red tide alert for portions of the coast in Lee County.
- Closure signs are posted where necessary, and www.leeparks.org has status updates.
Additionally, the Florida Department of Health in Lee County reported a caution level of red tide was found near Lynn Hall Park, San Carlos Bay – Bunch Beach Preserve, Turner Beach (Captiva), and Blind Pass Beach. A cautionary notice indicates low levels (>10,000-100,000 Karenia brevis cells per liter) of red tide detected in sampling. This is in response to water samples taken on February 27.
The entrance to San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve, 18201 John Morris Road, will be closed every Tuesday and Wednesday beginning March 7, to allow the state’s licensed contractor to safely remove hurricane debris along the preserve’s coastline.
To ensure safety, the contractors need to keep the road and beach area closed and clear of all pedestrian and vehicular traffic while the debris is moved off the beach.
Hurricane Ian damaged Lee County’s beaches and the sensitive ecosystems with storm debris, pollution and the removal of healthy, safe sand and dune vegetation. The county is ensuring that the many elements of the beach restoration process are being rigorously documented to support full reimbursement through federal funds.
For more information on additional openings and available amenities, visit the Park Progress Map tool at www.leeparks.org.
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