Visitors urged to adhere to warnings about areas that remain closed for safety reasons
On Saturday, Nov. 2, Lido Beach will reopen to the public “following significant impacts” from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the past month, the City of Sarasota has announced.
“Regular pre-storm amenities will be available for beachgoers,” including the Lido Beach Pavilion parking lot, beach access walkways, public restrooms and the popular concession stand, the Lido Island Grill, a news release points out. “Lifeguards also will be on duty.”
City of Sarasota Public Works and Parks and Recreation crews and contractors “have worked tirelessly the past several weeks to restore Lido Beach facilities so the area could reopen to the public,” the release continued.
“Buckled concrete sidewalks were removed and replaced with new concrete slabs. Washed out beach access points were cleared of storm debris and restored for safe foot travel. An exposed cavity beneath a seawall was backfilled with sand,” the release added. The restrooms and concession area underwent a deep cleaning, it noted.
“I couldn’t be more impressed by our Parks and Recreation crews who put in long hours after Helene and Milton to restore Lido Beach to a point where we could reopen it,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Fogle in the release. “A big thank you, too, to the Public Works teams who did an amazing job helping to repair walkovers, relocate mountains of sand, replace broken sidewalks and a lot more. We look forward to welcoming residents and visitors back to Lido Beach,” he added in the release.
“To allow for maximum beachgoer parking, the remarkable amounts of sand removed from roadways immediately following the back-to-back hurricanes and staged in the Lido Beach Pavilion parking lot, have been relocated to the east side of the parking lot and cordoned off,” the release explains.
Some areas near the beach may be closed to the public because of safety concerns, the release cautions. “Beachgoers are urged to adhere to all signage and stay behind caution tape and barricades,” including those in the parking lot.
“North Lido Beach and South Lido Beach at Ted Sperling Park are temporarily closed,” the release points out.
Reservations are anticipated to resume Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the EcoRover, “a beach accessibility chair that promotes independence for individuals with disabilities,” the release continues. The EcoRover is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at no cost for up to four hours, the release adds. For inquiries and reservations, email Jake.Brown@sarasotafl.gov or call 941-263-6299 at least 24 hours in advance.
“To help alleviate traffic congestion, visitors are encouraged to ride the free Bay Runner trolley to Lido Beach. Route, hours and additional information are available at www.SarasotaBayRunner.com.