Fort Myers Beach interviews sole bidder for Bay Oaks pool rehab funded by HUD disaster grant

Fort Myers Beach’s selection advisory committee on Sept. 22 interviewed the only firm to respond to RFQ 25-10-AD — Arch Aquatics/International Aquatic Consulting — to provide engineering and architectural services to rehabilitate the Bay Oaks Community Pool, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian.

"This project is funded in part or in whole by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD," contract and procurement specialist Deb Glavin told the public meeting, identifying the funding as a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) award the town received for the project.

The project aims to rebuild the central portion of the community recreational facility to meet modern flood-elevation, accessibility and public‑health standards while limiting the pool’s footprint in the park. Representatives for the bidder described experience with municipal pools and post‑disaster work and said the team can move as quickly as the town requires.

Tripp Knox, representing International Aquatic Consulting/Arch Aquatics, described his background in the industry: "I've been in the aquatic business for over 55 years," he said, noting long experience in design and…