Sounds of kids playing, tennis balls hitting the court and skateboards gliding along the skatepark soon can be heard again at the Big Pine Key Community Park.
Monroe County has completed phase 1 of the Hurricane Irma repairs and cleanup at the park at 31009 Atlantis Road. The kids’ playground, skatepark, tennis courts and restrooms will reopen Saturday, Feb. 16, at sunrise.
The park’s hours will be from sunrise to sunset until further notice due to damage to the lights.
During phase 1, public works crews added sand and installed new swings at the playground. They repaired fencing and power washed the courts and skatepark. They removed tons of hurricane debris, replaced landscaping and made many electrical and grounds’ repairs to make the park safe.
Crews now are working on phase 2, which includes repairing a half mile of the walking trail. Bids have gone out for a contractor to repair the five bocce lanes, which had just been completed weeks before Hurricane Irma struck. This work should be completed in the near future.
Phase 3, to restore the rest of the park, including the community center, will take longer to complete. The County is working as quickly as it can to open the entire park for the community to enjoy.