Catherine Young is an Illinois native and calls Fort Myers Beach one of her favorite travel destinations. <\/p>\n
She has been traveling to the area for nearly 20 years and said one of her favorite amenities was the pier. The attraction brings back fond memories of sampling coconut shrimp from local restaurants, strolling the flat sandy landscape with her boyfriend, and making their way to the pier to patiently wait for the Southwest Florida sunset to paint the sky bright hues of gold and pink. <\/p>\n
However, after Hurricane Ian demolished the pier, that yearly tradition washed away with it \u2014 until now, with the promise of a new and improved Fort Myers Beach pier set to begin construction this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came this time, the first place I wanted to visit was Times Square and the pier, and I just can’t believe they haven’t built it yet,\u201d Young said. \u201cWhat’s the hold-up?\u201d<\/p>\n
John and Carol Andert of Minnesota have traveled to the area since about 2019, staying at the local resort the Lani Kai<\/a>. This is also their first time back since Hurricane Ian. He said he likes seeing the improvements, specifically mentioning how the sand feels and looks like \u201cpowdered sugar,\u201d but also wondered why the pier is taking so long to complete.<\/p>\n \u201cWe probably came for like eight, eight years in a row,\u201d John Andert said. \u201cAnd we stayed here all the time, and we would be on the pier all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee County Commissioner for District 3 David Mulika<\/a> said he knows that the pier is not only important to the community, but also to the tourist industry on the island, looking back on memories as a lifelong resident of the county.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a lot of fond memories growing up here and walking on that pier with my grandparents and fishing and buying ice cream at the Dairy Queen,\u201d Mulika said. \u201cAnd it was, it’s truly a destination landmark that I think is a very special experience, and one that I miss a great deal.\u201d<\/p>\n The tourism industry for Fort Myers Beach took a big hit in November 2022, when the borderline Category 5 hurricane<\/a> struck the barrier island of Cayo Costa<\/a> at approximately 7:05 p.m. just off the coast of Bokeelia<\/a> on the north end of Pine Island.<\/p>\n In 2022, according to visitfortmyers.com<\/a>, there were more than 4.4 million visitors, with the top three local attractions drawing crowds to the county being the beaches themselves at 66%, the Fort Myers Beach Pier at 36%, and the Sanibel Lighthouse at 26%.<\/p>\n However, the year after Hurricane Ian, that number fell to nearly 3 million visitors. The pier\u2019s visitation rate dropped to 15% while the beaches remained No. 1 at 51%.<\/p>\n Ellie Bunting, president of the Estero Island Historic Society<\/a>, said for that reason, \u201cthe pier is essential to the island.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe pier was another [symbol],\u201d Bunting said. \u201cWhen you went over that bridge (the Matanzas Pass “Skybridge”<\/a>), it led you directly to the pier, and that\u2019s the first thing you saw.\u201d<\/p>\n She too has fond memories of the pier, calling the area home since she was three years old.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember when my son was little\u2026one day a week when I used to work late, I would put him on the bike, and we\u2019d ride down there and get a hot dog,\u201d Bunting said.<\/p>\n Regardless of the travel statistics and the pier\u2019s decline in popularity, Bunting said a peculiar phenomenon is unfolding, centered around the pier\u2019s remains.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, even the pilings draw people,\u201d Bunting said. \u201cWhich is, you know, weird.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she thinks people needed a place to congregate, and now that the pier is gone, the pilings fill the void.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we all needed a place where we felt comfortable and we felt\u2014it kind of grounded you,\u201d Bunting said.<\/p>\n While the pilings suffice for now as a community gathering spot near Fort Myers Beach\u2019s Times Square<\/a>, drawing birds and marine life to congregate near, Bunting said she is happy to hear a new pier is now set to start construction later this year, according to the county and Fort Myers Beach<\/a>.<\/p>\n The pier also holds historical significance for the island. It was the only way to get to the island in 1912 when the Winkler Hotel was constructed, according to Bunting<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was the destination Chamber of Commerce postcard landmark of Lee County for my entire life growing up here,\u201d Mulika said.<\/p>\n Mulika said the original estimated time of completion was December 2028, but he is working hard to accelerate that schedule. He said that a government shutdown stalled the plans because the federal permit was delayed and caused a four-month delay.<\/p>\n Now, the pier is expected to start construction this year and take approximately one year to finish, if the weather permits.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m as frustrated as anybody,\u201d Mulika said. \u201cBut I can tell you, nobody\u2019s working harder than I am to champion this cause, to see it over the finish line. I get weekly reports on this. I\u2019m in touch with our engineers. I spend time talking to our elected officials, and I\u2019m constantly pushing these permits.\u201d<\/p>\n Travelers Young, John Andert, and Carol Andert, as well as Bunting, are excited to see the pier when it\u2019s completed, taking another stroll down its new path, still defined by its intrinsic historical significance, and also its undeniable ability to not only attract marine life and flocks of pelicans, but also crowds of beachgoers seeking camaraderie, serenity, and sunshine.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a social center, a gathering spot, a lot of memories for, I mean, 100,000 people who\u2019ve come here every year, and it\u2019s just terrible to not have the pier,\u201d Young said. \u201cThey need to put this pier back.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, the pilings still draw visitors. Bunting said she sees something in that.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it symbolizes our regrowth\u2014our resilience,\u201d Bunting said.<\/p>\n For more information on the pier and its progress, visit Lee County<\/a> and project details<\/a>. <\/p>\n Support provided by the Franklin R. Edwards Memorial Fellowship.\u00a0WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and\u00a0donate\u00a0<\/a>now. Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Catherine Young is an Illinois native and calls Fort Myers Beach one of her favorite travel destinations. 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