Bowditch Point Park and several beach spots in Lee County get green light on construction

Lee County has voted to renovate Bowditch Point Park and other Gulf Coast beach areas, marking a step forward in recovery from Hurricane Ian's damage.Teresa and Bill Pacheco, residents of Cape Coral, shared their memories of visiting Bowditch Point Park with their two sons after moving to the area in 1997. "In '97, we sailed our sailboat from Newport Beach, California, to here, and we lived here," Teresa Pacheco said. "They enjoyed running around here. When they were little kids, you know, they're adults now, but, yeah, we've been coming here a long time, and we enjoy this place," Bill Pacheco said. The couple expressed enthusiasm about the county's decision to renovate the park. "I think that's a good, a good investment for the area. I think it's necessary," Bill Pacheco said. The $3.9 million project will include new picnic areas, boardwalks, beach access points, and a 22-slip boat dock. "We know these are sites that are heavily visited year-round between our residents and our visitors. And this reconstruction, in addition to landscaping, will really enhance the visitor experience," Lisa Weaver, of Lee County Parks and Recreation, said. County leaders are also repairing beach access points on Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach. Fort Myers Beach Access No. 41 on Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach. Bonita Beach Accesses Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 on Hickory Boulevard on Bonita Beach.Bunche Beach in Fort Myers will get a new boardwalk and fishing platform. The access points and boardwalk are estimated to cost over a million dollars.These projects are funded through a combination of general funding sources and FEMA assistance.Visitors and residents are eager to see the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Ian's impact. "That's beautiful. Just gorgeous area. It's all part of this peninsula. That's history. Big-time history with that," visitor Jim McGee said. "I think it's good. It's a beautiful, beautiful park," Teresa Pacheco said. The restoration work is expected to take about a year or more to complete.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.