Update to come on beach access points in Naples after Ian

Reporter: Michelle Alvarez Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
Lowdermilk Park in Naples
Lowdermilk Park’s beachfront, seen before Hurricane Ian. Credit: WINK News

As we inch closer to one year since Hurricane Ian ripped through Southwest Florida, we look at how far our beaches have come. Next week, the city of Naples will update the status of the beaches in that area, such as what is closed and what needs work.

“This is the first beach we visit in Naples, and we think it’s beautiful,” said Pam Chrisman, who is visiting Lowdermilk Park from Ohio. “Perfect sand; the water is nice and clear. I think it looks really clean and put together.”

In the 11 months since Ian, the city has reopened 31 of its 40 beach access points and a small portion of the pier, with big plans in the works for a whole new pier.

“It’s a nice relaxing vibe here, not too crowded. The sand is perfect. It’s clean. We were at Fort Myers Beach just yesterday or the day before, and there’s still a lot of debris you have to walk through, and the water is still murky, so this is nice,” Chrisman said.

Lowdermilk Park suffered a lot of damage from Ian, but the bathrooms and concessions are back open.

“Out of all the beaches we have visited, this has been our favorite,” Chrisman said.

The city said it plans to have 37 out of its 40 beach access points open by Oct. 1.

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