New park could be a safe place for Collier County families during pandemic

Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park is planned for the area near the Collier County fairgrounds. Families are hoping it can be a safe place for children to stay active during the pandemic.

Plans for the park include fields for recreational sports, an outdoor gym and an aquatics center. Another addition in the park is especially for kids.

Parents say this is the perfect time for a park to be built in the community.

“It’s pretty cool,” said Jennifer Borges’ son. “It looks nice,”

And kids aren’t the only ones excited about the new Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park construction in Golden Gate Estates.

Daryl Digirlamo says this will be a good experience for his kids. “We’re excited just trying to give my kids that experience I had growing up,” he said.

The parents are happy as well. After being cooped up in their homes for so long because of the pandemic, a new park is a perfect and safe addition to this community.

“It’s kinda cool to be free and get back to some normalcy out there and be able to play,” Digirolamo said.

“They need it. He just went back to school because we’ve been at home doing the homeschooling thing, but they need an outlet,” said Borges.

The $45 million project will have not one, but four soccer fields, a community center, a dog park, two softball fields and a pool.

“I think it’s going to be great. We definitely need something for the youngsters in the community out here in the estates,” Borges said.

Parents are also thrilled that the park will be close by so they can take their children. They say this is something Golden Gate Estates is lacking.

“As the city grows and expands out this way, it’s cool to bring parks we would probably have to travel in the city for,” said Digirolamo.

You can already see that the construction process is in full swing. The county says the north end of the project is set to open in April and the south end of the park should be open by July.