FREE PARKING: Where you can park free this weekend in Lee County

Lee County residents and visitors are in for a treat this weekend as the county celebrates National Park and Recreation Month with free pool admission and free parking on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28.

The celebration is aimed at encouraging the community to enjoy the county’s recreational facilities and was officially designated by the Lee County Commissioners on June 18.

We spoke with businesses on Fort Myers Beach who say they need the boost amid the slow season:

This weekend people can enjoy free access to various parks, beaches, boat ramps, and community pools. Participating locations include:

• Parks: Lakes Park, Manatee Park, Hickey Creek Mitigation Park, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, and Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.

• Beach sites: Bonita Beach Accesses No. 1 and No. 10, Bonita Beach Park, Bowditch Point Park, Lynn Hall Memorial Park, San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve, Bowman’s Beach, and Turner Beach (north side only of Blind Pass).

• Boat ramps: Alva, Davis, Imperial River, Lavender’s Landing, Matlacha, and Pine Island Commercial Marina.

• Pools: Lehigh Community Pool, North Fort Myers Community Pool, Pine Island Community Pool, and San Carlos Community Pool.

Local business owners, particularly those in the Times Square area of Fort Myers Beach, are excited about the potential increase in business.
"Brings more people out when you have free parking, especially during the offseason months, we could use a push down here on Fort Myers Beach, everything we could get," said Brian Thompson, a cook at Yo! Taco, near Times Square.

While free parking and pool admissions are a welcomed, it does have an economic impact. Lee County typically earns approximately $150,000 daily from services like parking fees.

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Bill Wagner, co-owner of Buffalo Grill, suggested a balanced approach, stating, "I think parking does make them money. At the same time, I think maybe rather than just getting rid of any type of parking fees, maybe they could look at reducing it on certain weekends, especially during the summer."

The free pool and parking weekend applies only to recreational sites owned by Lee County. Other sites, such as those managed by the Town of Fort Myers Beach, the City of Sanibel are not included.