After 14 months, the Barefoot Beach Preserve is finally open. It is the last beach in Collier County to open after Hurricane Ian’s massive destruction.
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There’s still a lot of work to be done. Parking lot #1, the restrooms and snack bar, boardwalks and the trail are still closed. There are portable bathrooms by parking lot #3.
Collier County had a lot to do before opening the park. The parking lots and roads were covered in sand and debris after being blanketed with about eight feet of water during the storm. The boardwalks were all severely damaged and the beach was littered with fragments of everything from construction material to trash.
Now people are finally putting their feet back in the soft, clean sand and they are delighted.
“We love it,” said Elise Devine of Naples who walked the beach with her husband Weston and their two young daughters. “We used to come here all the time and go shelling.”
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Kathy James, of Naples, was on the beach picking up shells and trash.
“I am ecstatic,” she exclaimed. “I couldn’t be happier. It’s the best present other than family and friends. I love the quietness and the calmness of the area.”
All the other Collier County Beach Parks opened just a few months after the hurricane, but county officials say Barefoot Beach sustained more damage.
“Specifically at Barefoot Beach Preserve, the damages were so extensive that the location was triaged so resources could be concentrated at other locations with a more realistic chance of re-opening quickly, including the North Barefoot Beach Access,” said Tony Barone, principal project manager. “The facility is now partially re-open with a full restoration project underway. The work to be completed includes the full replacement of the beach boardwalks, extensive repairs to the sites mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, repairs to the structures on site as well as repairs to the roadway and parking lots serving the park.”
Barone it will take a while for all the restoration to be complete.
“The full restoration requires coordination with FEMA and our insurance company and includes extensive engineering, environmental permitting and contracting,” he stated. “This effort will continue into 2025 and will be done in a manner to minimize the interruption to beach access at the park.””
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The Barefoot Beach Preserve is 342 acres of natural land, including 8,200 feet of beach, on one of the last undeveloped barrier islands in Southwest Florida. It was named one of America’s Top Ten Beaches by Dr. Beach. The sand is a popular nesting area for sea turtles and the park is home for many gopher tortoises. Behind the beach a tropical coastal hammock features sabal palm, gumbo-limbo, sea grape trees and many other types of native vegetation.
“We are very excited that is it open,” said Martha Wright. “We have been waiting a whole year to get it back.” This is our favorite beach.”
“It is about time,” added Tawnie Petit. “I am so excited. I love this beach.”
The Barefoot Beach Preserve is open daily 8 a.m. to sunset. There is a $10 beach parking fee for anyone without Collier County Resident Beach Parking Permit.
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Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
