Anyone who walks from Coquina Sands to Lowdermilk Park has probably wondered why one of Naples' busiest beachfront parks still has no full playground. Hurricane Ian destroyed the old one in 2022. The answer to the delay is a series of decisions, each with its own reason. The City paused construction on purpose after the 2024 storms. When a shelter project ran over budget, the City combined it with the playground. A family's gift and a Beach Fund allocation then made the combined project affordable. That sequence also explains the new location. The playground will no longer sit on the north side. It is going in at the south end, near the entrance.
The City of Naples issued a Notice to Proceed on July 22, 2026, and expects the playground to be finished in April 2027. If that date holds, the park at 1301 Gulf Shore Blvd. N. will have gone about four and a half years without its playground.
Ian took the north-side playground. Helene and Milton reset the clock.
WINK News reported that the park's earlier playground was on the north side and that Hurricane Ian destroyed it in 2022. Replacing it might have been a single procurement. Then Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit in September and October of 2024, and the City's priorities at Lowdermilk changed.
Naples Press reported that after those storms, the park needed new landscaping and sand along with restroom renovations. Merritt, speaking for city parks staff, described the following spring at Lowdermilk this way:
"We didn't want to put another construction zone in there... We really needed to give it a little bit of a break."
In the same account, he called that spring "a nightmare." Money budgeted to build a shelter in the previous fiscal year went unspent because officials wanted time for the park to recover. Most of the waiting since Ian comes from that choice. The City put beach restoration and restrooms ahead of play equipment, and it chose not to run several projects at once on a park that stays busy all year.
The same planning discussion set one design requirement. Lowdermilk had to have a coastal theme. As Merritt put it, "We don't want to put no farm [theme] out there."
How a delayed shelter and a missing playground became one project
The pause left the City with two unfinished items at Lowdermilk, a playground and a shelter. Naples Press reported that staff planned to replace the playground when a new pavilion was built, so the two would be done together. According to WINK, the shelter had been part of a 2025 park improvement project. It was postponed when construction bids came in above the available budget.
A private gift changed the budget. During the planning stage, city staff mentioned that a family wanted to make a donation for this playground specifically, to be used for enhancements. At its March 4, 2026 meeting, Naples City Council took up a resolution accepting a $250,000 gift from the Nommensen Family for the Lowdermilk playground, and a motion to approve was recorded.
When the package reached Council, it covered both pieces. WINK reported a proposed $699,787 agreement with Playmore West Inc. to buy and install a new playground and a covered gazebo, with the vote set for Wednesday, June 17. WINK described the funding this way:
| Funding piece | Per WINK's report |
|---|---|
| Two previously approved park enhancement projects | Combined into this package |
| Nommensen family donation | $250,000 |
| Beach Fund, through an update to the 2025–26 city budget | An additional $250,000 |
| Total agreement with Playmore West Inc. | $699,787 |
The City then issued the Notice to Proceed on July 22, 2026. Combining the two projects gave the park one construction period instead of two, which was the same goal behind the 2025 pause.
What the south end is getting
The City's recreation projects page describes a coastal-themed playground at the south end of the park. It will include:
- A multi-level lighthouse
- Large climbing elements
- Shaded swings
- A new shelter
The City credits the final renderings to Playmore.
The move from north to south also changes how the park's south end will be used. The City's Lowdermilk Park page places the south gazebo at the south end near the entrance. The north gazebo sits by the volleyball courts and has two picnic tables inside. With the new playground and shelter, play equipment and covered seating will be close to where most visitors arrive.
One earlier detail may or may not appear in the final design. During planning, Naples Press reported that the park's existing climbing rope equipment would connect to the new playground and that the surface would be mulch or sand. That account came before the approved design, so the finished playground is the only reliable answer.
Where things stand on October 10
The project now depends on the manufacturer. The City says the equipment has been ordered and the manufacturer is working through permitting. Here is the timeline from the sources:
- 2022: Hurricane Ian destroys the north-side playground.
- September and October 2024: Helene and Milton bring a round of landscaping, sand and restroom work, and the City holds back the money budgeted for the shelter.
- 2025: Bids for the shelter come in above budget, and it is postponed.
- March 4, 2026: Council takes up the $250,000 Nommensen Family gift.
- Wednesday, June 17, per WINK: The $699,787 Playmore West package is scheduled for a Council vote.
- July 22, 2026: The Notice to Proceed is issued.
- April 2027: Expected completion.
The City has not posted fencing plans, parking closures near the south gazebo, or other construction details for this fall. With equipment ordered and permits still in process, the City's project page is the place to check when work moves to the south end.
The rest of the park this season
Everything outside the south end is listed as before. The City's beach-access status table currently shows Lowdermilk Park as open. Park hours are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The gates stay up while the park is open, and all vehicles have to be out by 11 p.m. to avoid parking violations. The park also lists sand volleyball courts, picnic tables, restrooms and showers, and ADA beach access mats.
The concession in the middle of the beach side is listed as Flip Flop Beach Grill. The City's page lists hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads and coffee, plus beach wheelchair and other rentals. The operator is MCB Concessions, Inc. A 2025 amendment covered June 16, 2025 through June 15, 2026. A second amendment, posted in 2026, sets a further option term through June 15, 2027. The City's listing does not include current hours.
Parking costs are the same. The City lists Lowdermilk as a visitor metered beach access at $5 per hour with a $2.50 minimum. That rate took effect September 1, 2023. City beach permits are free for eligible Collier County property taxpayers and full-time residents. They work at City and County beaches and allow free parking in metered spaces. City residents can get permits at City Hall, and Collier County residents can get them at any Collier County park or library.
Sea turtle nesting season ends this month. The City's sea turtle page says nesting season in Naples runs through October 31. As of September 21, 2026, the City had counted 556 nests on Naples beaches, and 421 of them had hatched. The last nests of the season are hatching while the playground equipment is still in permitting. If the April 2027 estimate holds, the playground should be finished around the time the next season begins. The City lists that season as starting May 1 and notes that nesting can begin as early as April 15.
Lowdermilk is one of the reasons Coquina Sands stands apart from the rest of Naples, and changes to the park can affect daily routines more than anything posted on a listing. If you'd like to talk about how the south end project, beach access or the coming season fit into your plans in this part of Naples, Mary Wolleon is glad to share what she's seeing nearby. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
