Natacha Casal
•9/1/2026
Port Charlotte residents gathered at Port Charlotte Beach Park to see progress on a hurricane recovery project that includes rebuilding the community's recreation center and pool. Dave Thompson, a Port Charlotte resident, shared his excitement about the project. "We watched the old facility go down with the hurricanes. We really are glad to see the progress in it and look forward to using the facility. Our neighborhood has had activities here over the last ten years. We really can't wait to be able to use it," Thompson said. Leesa Thompson, another resident, expressed her enthusiasm for the center's reopening. "I think the community really needs it. Our neighborhood always depends on this facility for having our annual parties. And so we're looking forward to being able to do that again," she said. Construction began in December 2024 and is set to be completed by December of this year. The $24.5 million facility is being built stronger to withstand hurricanes. Joe Tiseo, District 5 commissioner, explained the design improvements. "You can see it's elevated off the ground. And if there's a surge event that damages this building then we've got bigger problems in Charlotte County. But you know, we're trying to go back with all our facilities, take into consideration what we learned from all these storms and back-to-back events. And we're trying to make our facilities more resilient, saving the taxpayers money over time," Tiseo said. The new Port Charlotte recreation center and pool is expected to open to the public by February or March of 2027. 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.
