Lehigh Acres water quality work may result in ‘Lakes Park East’ recreation area

It may have been unimaginable a few years ago, but the wheels are in motion for development of a major recreational amenity in Lehigh Acres that would be modeled after popular Lakes Park in south Fort Myers.

Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District (LAMSID) is creating a water storage and cleansing operation in Lehigh Acres on land bought by Lee County as part of the Conservation 20/20 program.

LAMSID and Lee County got together on a plan to use the water storage areas that would be created on part of the 624-acre site, and visions of a new recreation facility took shape.

The program was strongly pushed by former state Rep. Matt Caldwell and former state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto in 2015.

The two legislators held a public hearing at LAMSID offices to forge partnerships to create a water quality and storage facility — and add passive recreation at the same site.