Crescent Beach Family Park to reopen Wednesday
Lee County Parks & Recreation is scheduled to reopen Crescent Beach Family Park on Fort Myers Beach this morning following the completion of a restoration project that rebuilt and enhanced the beachfront park after damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
The $1.3 million project restored the park while improving accessibility and visitor amenities for residents and visitors. Enhancements include shade structures and utility connections for an ADA-compliant modular restroom facility, integrated bike racks, a picnic area, a landscaped pedestrian path,
four beach access points, including one ADA-accessible beach access route.
The project got off to a rocky start earlier this year when several cabbage palm trees were removed. While several other cabbage palm trees were saved, the project includes the planting of numerous other trees.
According to Lee County spokesman Tim Engstrom, the new park will feature more Florida native trees than the previous park, including 28 shade trees (three green buttonwoods, 12 gumbo limbos and 13 sea grapes). Additionally, the park is going to feature more than 1,400 shrubs and groundcover plants.
There will also be a grassy area, which wasn’t there previously. The grassy/sod area will be situated in the middle of the park, with sand on either side of the grassy area. Originally, the plans called for artificial turf, which was scrapped.
The 2.2 acre site will be fitted with a landscaped picnic area, an ADA-compliant Mobi-mat for a path to the beach, bike racks, a concrete pad for two restroom trailers, showers, four pedestrian beach access points, and “circulation walkways,” according to the site plan.
Located at 1100 Estero Blvd. on Fort Myers Beach, Crescent Beach Family Park is in beachside between the Margaritaville Beach Resort and Times Square. The park was once a popular area for beach volleyball games, and games of catch.
“The reopening of this park is something to celebrate,” said Lee County Commissioner David Mulicka, who represents District 3 and Fort Myers Beach. “This is but just one milestone of many more to come as our beach parks reopen with resilient amenities for our visitors and residents to enjoy.”
The project was funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Regional Park Impact Fees and Tourist Development Taxes through the Beach and Shoreline Program.