TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — After being closed for a month, Sunset Beach in Treasure Island is now back open. City and county leaders shut it down after Hurricane Idalia washed away much of the dunes.
“When Idalia came through, about 60% of the vegetation we have here in the dune system, that’s decades old, was washed away," Jason Beisel, Public Information Officer for Treasure Island, said.
Now, officials are urging everyone to keep off the dunes in order to protect the beaches.
"I'm hoping that people will come and respect it. Respect the dunes. Don’t litter. Just make it a good place to come for the future," beach-goer Dolly Mathias added.
Mathia said she finds herself soaking up Sunset Beach once a week.
"Boy, that storm surge came in and just destroyed the beach. Such a shame, but they’ve been working hard at it for more than a month now, and I just had to come to check it out," Mathias explained.
Mathias and so many others had the same idea Saturday.
"This is a great location to launch from. The beach is amazing. They’ve done a lot to rehabilitate it from the storm," Thomas Bender, alongside his Hobie Cat, said.
We’re told Pinellas County’s tourism tax-funded more than $6 million to make this emergency sand dune restoration project happen.
Some areas are roped off, guarding the dunes with signs that read, 'Keep off the dunes.'
"I'm hoping that people will come and respect it. Respect the dunes. Don’t litter. Just make it a good place to come for the future," Mathias added.
