Public advised to avoid Lynn Hall Memorial Park after sand dredge pipe leak

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The Town of Fort Myers Beach announced that a leak occurred in a sand dredging pipe near Lynn Hall Memorial Park that has been used for the town’s beach renourishment project. Town environmental projects manager Chadd Chustz said the area should be cleared and avoided while equipment is transported to make repairs. Town Communications Director Nicole Berzin said there was “no threat to public health.” Town Councilmember John King said the area should be avoided as “the sand can become like quicksand.” The incident occurred during spring break, one of the busiest times on the island. The town’s beach renourishment project is months overdue and Chustz recently announced another delay that will take the project to May 31. The project has had numerous delays that have pushed the project into shorebird nesting season and now into sea turtle nesting season. The last timeline was for the project to be completed by April. The bid on the project had been challenged last year as a competing contractor had maintained that the winning bid was not responsive to the bid specifications that had called for the project to be completed by January. The competing bidder had alleged that the current contractor would not have the proper equipment handy to complete the project on time.