About 150 Port Charlotte Beach Park and cookout enthusiasts joined county commissioners and staff Tuesday for an update on the progress of the new recreation center and pool and a hot meal provided by project architect PBK and contractor Tandem Construction.
Commission Chairman Joe Tiseo addressed the crowd, providing details of the 20,000-square-foot recreation center, which is about 80% complete according to Project Manager Trevor Cole.
Construction is expected to be completed in December, with an opening after the New Year. The recreation center is raised to withstand flood events and will feature flexible event and meeting spaces. It will have a full-service kitchen, offices for staff and outdoor amenities like a covered drop-off area and waterfront deck. The ground space beneath the building will be able to be used for additional event space or shade for patrons.
Next to the center is a community pool suitable for lap swimming, aerobic exercise, therapy, and other special events. The 5,765-square-foot pool house will have lockers, showers, storage and office space. An equipment building will protect the pool equipment and be hardened and protected against future events.
The recreation center and pool are being funded with proceeds from the 1% local option sales tax approved by voters in 2020.
At its Sept. 8 meeting, the County Commission will receive a presentation on the options for replacing the park’s hurricane damaged fishing pier, boardwalk and floating dock at the park. These projects are separate from the sales tax project.
All three pier options include raising the structure by two feet to enhance storm resistance. The options range in cost from $1,638,000 to $2,447,000. All options would include full Americans with Disabilities Act access.
If approved by the board, the damaged floating dock next to the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center would be replaced with a wider, aluminum dock and gangway. The two options to be presented range from $180,000 to $282,000.
One of the three boardwalk options to be presented to the board include replacing it with a concrete sidewalk from the east side of the new recreation center to the new parking lot west of the pool. The other two options would replace the boardwalk with a sidewalk and a 260-foot timber boardwalk or a 650-foot timber boardwalk. Both options two and three would include a 16-foot by 40-foot observation deck near the pool. The three options range from $1,228,000 to $2,075,000.
The meeting starts at 9 a.m. For those who cannot attend, it will be aired on CC-TV (Comcast channel 20) and livestreamed on the county Facebook and YouTube pages and on the county’s channel on the Roku Streaming service. To view the agenda, visit www.charlottecountyfl.gov/agendas.