Community Center
We offer an after school program for grades 2-8, and a summer camp program for ages 6-13. There are also several special events during the year such as the Pine Art Association Annual Art Show and the Matlacha Mariners Mullet Toss. We have a senior group that meets year round. The center is available for rental on weekends and some evenings during the school year. Please call for more information. Lee County Parks & Rec Parking Stickers are available here for purchase. Please call first to make sure staff is on site.
Park
There are two pavilions available for rental. One is located by the playground and another is located by the kayak launch. Both have picnic tables and a small grill. The cost is $25/weekend and $15/weekday. Please call (239) 283-4110 for further information and to reserve.
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Fishing Pier
The Matlacha Fishing Pier, which closed in July for a structural assessment and repairs, remains shut down as the county and an engineering firm work to redesign the 50-year-old pier.
The pier is in Matlacha Park, 4577 Pine Island Road, and is a popular fishing location. Lee County Parks & Recreation's Bat House Park as well as Lee County Department of Transportation's Matlacha Bridge continue to be available nearby options for anglers. All other amenities in Matlacha Park are open for regular operating hours.
The pier was originally closed when staff learned during a routine examination of its pilings last summer that the structure was unsafe. The ensuing assessment process with the engineering firm helped staff determine that a rebuild of the 1969 pier was a better use of taxpayer dollars than replacing pilings. Tourist Development Tax dollars (TDT) are the source of funds for the assessment and the upcoming rebuild. TDT come from paid accommodations at hotels and lodging establishments six months or less; a portion of the tax is dedicated annually to beach-and-shoreline projects.
Although the pier is not being expanded and will have the same footprint, many permits are still required from federal, district and state entities. The permit process will determine when construction can begin. Staff anticipates full TDT funding for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, 2019. The Lee Board of County Commissioners will vote on the contract for the rebuild once the permitting process timeline is better known. Construction is anticipated to cost $772,000.
Lee County Facilities Construction & Management as well as Parks & Recreation staff understand the importance of the pier as a recreational amenity and are diligently working on permitting while planning for the necessary TDT funding. Until the pier is rebuilt, it will remain closed. The county has installed a safety barrier around its entrance. A reopening date is unknown; the whole process could take two to three years.