Reporter: Emily Young
•8/26/2026
LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — After nearly four years, the splash pads at Lakes Park in Lee County are officially back open—and they’re even better than they were before Hurricane Ian.
Lee County held a ribbon-cutting Wednesday to celebrate the reopening of the splash pads, which were destroyed when Hurricane Ian slammed into Southwest Florida in September 2022.
And with the heat index hovering near triple digits, the timing couldn't be much better.
The more than $2.6 million project completely rebuilt the splash pad area, including new concrete splash pads, interactive water features, shaded areas and play spaces.
But getting to the reopening took years.
The county says saltwater and sand intrusion from Hurricane Ian caused so much damage to the systems that nothing was salvageable. The entire splash pad had to be replaced.
For about three years, the area sat empty—fenced off and abandoned—while the county waited for funding to rebuild.
That funding finally came through in 2025, when the county received $2.6 million through a fund from the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Demolition began last August, and a little more than a year later, the splash pads are once again ready for families.
And the county didn't simply rebuild what was there before.
Officials say the goal was to make the area better and more resilient.
The new splash pads feature interactive water elements, shaded areas and play spaces.
The project also includes an advanced lightning detection system designed to monitor weather and automate safety protocols.
The infrastructure was also rebuilt using stronger materials and updated engineering designed to better withstand future storms.
Lee County Commission Chairman Cecil Pendergrass said Lakes Park is more than just a place to cool off. People use the park throughout the week for biking, walking, picnics, family celebrations and other gatherings.
Now, the splash pad is another part of the park families can enjoy again.
And after nearly four years of waiting, there are plenty of happy little feet ready to get wet.
