Boca Grande's lighthouses, chapel, still offline following Ian

Much restoration has been done, according to a statement issued by the agency, but all three attractions remain closed following the powerful storm that made landfall just a few miles south of the island on Sept. 28, officials say.

“The park is currently open to the public, but a few historic structures sustained roof and floor damages and are not yet available for public access due to ongoing cleanup and repairs” according to a statement from DEP press secretary Alexandra Kuchta. “Park staff are working diligently to address damages and restore access to remaining amenities as quickly as possible.”

The work has included replacement roofs for the Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum and chapel. Workers are tackling remaining repairs, including replacing windows and addressing interior flood damage.

“Additionally, the restroom near the Gasparilla light is closed pending repair,” Kuchta stated. “Like much of Southwest Florida, Gasparilla Island State Park sustained significant impacts from Hurricane Ian, including flooding, downed trees and vegetation, and damage to buildings and structures.”

The agency is being advised by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources, so all repairs are historically correct, Kutcha wrote.

The DEP is also working with a nonprofit partner, the Barrier Islands Parks Society, known as BIPS.

The chapel was built in 1959 as the Shiloh Baptist Church. It is it known today as Amory Memorial Chapel, named for banker Roger Amory and his wife, Louise, who built it for the members of the Black community who lived on Gasparilla Island.

The building is expected to reopen for meetings and other events.

The larger lighthouse, located at the south tip of the island, was first lit in 1890 to mark Boca Grande Pass, the entrance to Charlotte Harbor.

The second, 105-foot-tall lighthouse was assembled in 1881 and originally stood near Lewes, Delaware. It was reassembled in 1927 as a navigation reference point just south of the town of Boca Grande and renamed the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, also known as the “range” lighthouse.

BIPS Executive Director Sharon McKenzie said in a news release that engineers have found struts supporting the Gasparilla Lighthouse to be sound and markers have been set to track any movement.

“Thankfully, the lighthouse has been deemed safe from falling. We are so blessed to have both our historic lighthouses survive Hurricane Ian, when so many others were not so fortunate,” McKenzie said.

BIPS appreciates the assistance its received from people and groups.

“Ian has taken a terrible toll on the island and all the communities surrounding it, but together we are stronger, and it shows through the generous support BIPS has received from donors, members, granting agencies and our volunteers,” the news release stated.

Meanwhile, while the repairs progress, BIPS has educational and fundraising events planned.

The group will hold a Marine Pollution Forum at 4 p.m. March 23 with a focus on pollution caused by Hurricane Ian. It will be co-hosted by Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership and will feature three local scientists.

BIPS will host tent sales every Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse grounds beginning Friday.