'Island is back,' Lee states in address to SRIA

Natalie Newell/ Special to the News Two walkers enjoy a Sunday stroll at Casino Beach. Groomed beaches are a priority for the Santa Rosa Island Authority, Buck Lee told the SRIA board. The beaches are cleaned every morning to put the Island's best image forward to tourists and locals.

Another year without a hurricane provided an opportunity for more recovery on Pensacola Beach, Buck Lee, Executive Director of the Santa Rosa Island Authority told the board at its Jan. 9 meeting.

However, some hotels, including the Clarion, Beachside, Five Flags and the Holiday Inn, are still not operational although demand for hotel rooms is rebounding.

Lee told the board that the flurry of post-Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis restoration and improvements are nearing an end, and these are some of the accomplishments listed:

Redesigned the Quietwater Boardwalk parking lot, adding 95 additional spaces

Resurfaced Quietwater parking lot from Island Style to Hemingway's, adding new lighting

Resurfaced Fort Pickens road, adding stormwater improvements and underground utilities

Constructed 21 picnic shelters at the gate to Fort Pickens and added 42 picnic tables and 21 charcoal grills. Restroom facilities were repaired at this location

Installed 30 dune walkovers from Park East to Fort Pickens gate

Planted sea oats along the beach

Completed the Public Safety Building with public restrooms, housing lifeguards on the second floor

Repaired the roof at Gulfside Pavilion on Casino Beach, replaced the retaining wall and installing pavers at Casino Beach

Four-laned Via de Luna, adding stormwater improvements and new landscaping

Completed Park East by repairing restrooms and dune walkovers and resurfacing parking lot

Repaired eight miles of bike path to make the path functional

Additionally, Hilton Towers were completed in 2007.

Bob West, public safety director for the SRIA, said no one drowned at Pensacola Beach for the 29th straight month.

Goals for 2008 include:

installing four new lifeguard stands at Casino Beach by Spring.

Implementing trolleys during the summer season

Completing work on the road between Pensacola Beach and Navarre

Resurfacing de Luna shopping center parking lot, making it one way in and one way out.

Installing a snorkeling reef at Fort Pickens gate north side and another at the Gulf side, near Park East.

Installing refuse water for landscaping.

Work to improving Little Sabine water quality by installing a pump to flush the stagnant water into the sound

Bring back the popular marketing slogan, "Leave only your footprints, please."

Hosting Bands on the Beach concert series from May 1-Sept. 30

Hosting Sundays on the Sound concert series from June 8- Sept. 5.

Hosting the Blue Angels at the Pensacola Beach Airshow on July 12.

Seeing redevelopment of properties, including building a marina at the site of the former Cocoanuts by the Bay at the foot of the Bob Sikes bridge.