'We took some hits:' Despite damage, some Sarasota County Beach parks set to reopen Saturday

SIESTA KEY, Fla. - After storm surge from Hurricane Helene, many of Sarasota County's coastal communities have had to deal with sand piles and damage from water.

This weekend, a few beach parks will reopen to the public.

A front end loader and a debris truck have become common sights on Siesta Key. 

"They’ve been working really hard. It really didn’t look good for a couple of weeks, and it still doesn’t look great," said resident Sue Carey. 

There is still work to be done, but along Siesta Beach the ‘park closed’ signs will be coming down. 

READ: Florida launches ‘Check My Contract’ portal to help storm victims avoid bad contracts

For Sue Carey, it’s a welcome sight. 

"It’s been really hard, not being able to come down here is really rough," she said. 

Crews from Sarasota County are working to reopen parks and amenities at a number of Sarasota County beaches by Saturday. 

"You’ll see lifeguard stands are being moved back today into their positions. Our concessionaire will reopen on Saturday. Our lifeguards will be back in their iconic lifeguard stands," said Nicole Rissler, the Director of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. 

Along with Siesta, Nokomis, South Brohard, North Brohard and Maxine Barritt will all reopen Saturday. 

Some boat ramps, including Nokomis, Blackburn Point, Manasota and the Venice Marine Boat Ramp will reopen as well. 

Most of the sand that washed up from Helene along Siesta Beach was able to be returned. 

"Yes, we had sand. Yes, we had sand all the way up here in the parking lot and road. In most cases, the sand was not mixed with debris. Yes, in some cases it had to be separated a little bit, but in a lot of cases it was able to be put back on the beach," said Rissler. 

On the white sand beach of Siesta, the hope is the south of waves and visitors will soon replace the noise of heavy machinery. 

"We took some hits but, like our lifeguard stands, we stood right back up, and we are excited to welcome people back," said Rissler. 

For a few other beaches, it will take more time before everything is back up and running. 

"We have some beaches, South Lido, Turtle, North Jetty, that took on a lot more substantial damage and will need more work before we feel it is safe and accessible," said Rissler. 

For now, the return of Siesta Beach will be a welcome sight for many, including Carey. 

"It’s great news, hopefully people will start visiting down here and bringing everything back," she said. 

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