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Lee County awards $10.8M in contracts to rebuild Bonita Beach and Bage Point parks damaged by Hurricane Ian
Summary
The board approved construction contracts to rebuild storm‑damaged beach and park facilities: a $6.9M award for Bonita Beach and Little Hickory reconstruction and a $3.9M award for Bage/Baldage Point Park and a ~600‑foot boat dock; staff said necessary permits are in place and work will proceed this summer.
Lee County commissioners on June 16 approved construction contracts that will rebuild two sets of Gulf‑front and waterfront facilities damaged in Hurricane Ian.
Ehab Gurgis of county construction management presented the first contract: a $6.9 million award to Owen Campbell to rebuild Bonita Beach Park, Beach Access #1 and Little Hickory (Access #10). The scope includes rebuilt restrooms, boardwalks, shade structures, parking and drainage work. Gurgis said the county had secured required local, state and U.S. Army Corps permits and construction was expected to begin in early July following bonding and insurance submittals.
The board also approved a $3.9 million contract with Vantage Construction to restore concession stands, restrooms, outbuildings, playgrounds, parking improvements and a roughly 600‑linear‑foot boat dock at Bage (transcript shows alternate spellings) Point Park. Commissioners questioned why the projects had taken several years to reach bid and award; staff explained the multi‑agency permitting process (including Corps permits), detailed FEMA damage listings and initial limited bidder response extended the timeline.
Why it matters: these contracts repair publicly used beach and park amenities, restoring access and safety features after storm damage. Commissioners asked staff to consider lessons learned about accelerating future post‑storm recoveries and whether targeted county funds might be used to expedite high‑priority local safety improvements in future disasters.
Ending: Staff will manage construction schedules and return on any major change orders; commissioners emphasized the desire to identify process improvements that could shorten time to repair after future storms.
