By CATHERINE DONNELLY
Special to the PRESS
The City of South Padre Island (SPI) recently finished renovating Beach Access #5 at Sea Island Circle, the first to feature updated and modern amenities. Access #22 at Fantasy Circle is scheduled to continue with renovations until November, according to SPI city officials.
Access #5 added permanent open-air restrooms, changing rooms and an ecologically sustainable natural dune path leading to the shore, protecting the dune habitat while providing a picturesque experience.
“This concept was a way for us to modernize the facilities we’re providing to the public, making them more pleasant and comfortable for beachgoers,” said Kristina Boburka, South Padre Island Shoreline Director. “We hope to elevate the experience and expectations for our visitors to our island.”
The city of SPI has been working proactively to replace all temporary restroom facilities with permanent ones and to modernize the design of them to today’s standards instead of the traditional cinderblock construction of the past, according to Boburka. They are also working to incorporate the protections of the sand dune habitats into the design in a more aesthetically pleasing way.
“It’s a very nice path that winds in and out of the dunes,” said Boburka. “You really get to immerse yourself in our dunes and perhaps get a deeper understanding of their importance,” said Boburka.
The city governance partnered with LJA Engineering on the project’s design. The construction was done by Bryant Industrial Services. Federal funding is managed by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) through the Coastal Management Program (CMP).
“The Shoreline department is grateful for the opportunities that CMP created to help us improve the beach accesses along our coast,” said Boburka. “We are especially excited to unveil the new beach access at Sea Island Circle with these modern improvements in mind that will serve our community and visitors alike.”
The improvements being made to Beach Access 22 will include a permanent restroom, a rinse station, parking lot improvements, an ADA dune walkover and a wooden emergency vehicle drive-over.
Construction is expected to be complete by November. Beach Access 22 is temporary closed, and the public is encouraged to use other beach accesses along Gulf Boulevard until construction is complete.
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